[Alloytec] On-The-Cheap DIY CAI issues. I've done my best and it's running like crap! =(

[Sparrow]

I've been spending valentine's day with my car! I'm okay with this. Alright, so I really badly wanted one of those scoop style CAI's for my V6 175 but right now I'm a poor ass uni student so I ended up with this rough 2nd hand noname brand CAI with a nice hole cut in the back from the previous user, see here:
Hole lot of issue

As you can see there was very little for a good piece of tubing to grab onto so I'd decided to use selastic to fill in the gaps as the previous owner had done. Now seeing as I can't afford a MAF-less tune right now, I also removed the MAF sensor itself from it's cosy home and added it to the excitement, see here:
Them MAFs

After allowing for the selastic to properly cure and refitting the whole mess, I gritted my teeth and turned the key... start up was ordinary, 1 maybe 2 seconds after that however? cylinders missing, HUD starts beeping away and I hastily turn it off, all round bad experience. I tried a few more times after some visual inspections, nothing other than my hideous attachment appears to be amiss.
Full Deal

After this I triple-checked to make sure I'd fitted the MAF sensor in the right way, unplugged it altogether and started her up again. Running without the MAF is rough, but at this time works better than with the MAF plugged in... I'm assuming the original housing for the MAF controls the airflow first before allowing for a reading; and with the sensor bare as it is in my new setup, it's not going to work the same... Suggestions? Ideas? would a leak in my selastic produce some of these unwanted results? or am I definitively going to need a tune to make this work? Keep cashlessness in mind; although I'm getting ready to shelf this until I can justify a tune.

 

[WazzaVN]

Well you made a meal out of that lol!

The maf is a sensative bit of gear and doesn't even like being cleaned with the wrong product let alone being removed from it's housing and put in a cai haha. So that's why it would be playing up and throwing codes. Also intakes don't like air leaks, so if something is not sealed right it will know.

You can save up for a tune where they dissable the maf and just uses the map sensor. Then take your old maf out and just use a straight intake.

Best option is to get a new maf sensor from a wreckers and restore it back to what it was. I just bought a cai from ramjet. But if I was in your situation I would have tried to plastic weld a bit of pipe to the back of your intake to connect to the original maf then through to the tb. But they must be sealed airtight!

 

[Sparrow]

Thanks man! I thought it'd probably be intensely sensitive, I wouldn't be surprised if the angle of the air flow was important! =( My original plan was get the MAF housing in there with it, but there's just not enough room! =( oh well... I've got extractors to put on, so I may as well just bite the bullet and save until I can afford to do it all and get the tune! =P I can't get over the cost of the CAI's though, just crazy expensive considering the material you receive and the rather minor gains... great looking SS by the way! =)