Thanks to all for all your help this forum is more like a brother hood than anything!!

Update on the car. This morning on the way to work i unplugged the MAF and then started the car, It seemed to idle as it had been the day before no real difference. Once warmed up i hit the throttle and boost and tires were screaming (thats a good thing lol) I really think i am still hearing a whistle from the left rear i know this car is loud with the 2.5 inch intercooler piping but i don't remember this whistle.

So with the MAF unplugged it runs great, Problem =MAf...Right?? I will still preform a boost leak test and visual inspection with the bumper tires off and car on the lift.

 

Uhm.......IIRC by removing the MAF the dme substitutes approximate values. This will not be effected by air leaks as the values are preset in the dme. If you run the MAF with an air leak the dme will get completely the wrong values nothing like the approximate values when the MAF is disconnected. Hence disconnecting the MAF with an air leak proves nothing IMO.
What was the outcome of the leak test.........please tell us you did have one done. Trust me Markski is seldom wrong about these things. If he says do a leak test , you should really have it done.

It would be a real shame to buy a new MAF at $$$ and find you have a "free to fix" air leak.

 

odd that a maf went right after you got the car... something doesn't add up..
but yes if you unplug it and car runs better then its maf.. but you need to pressure test from the turbos too...

 

Mark, would it not depend on how bad the pre turbo air leak is. If its quite bad then your the MAF will have less air flow past it hence will give the DME the incorrect values. If the leak is bad then the values could be significant making the car run very poor (as they do with air leaks). If you then unplug the MAF the DME substitute MAF values can be much better than your good maf with air leak gives. Hence just disconnecting the maf and the engine runs better doesn't mean the original MAF was defective . It can mean the susbstitute values are more acurate then the good MAF with a air leak. The disconnecting the MAF trick and seeing if the engine runs better is only valid if there are no air leaks in the system to start with.

So to the OP before you buy a new MAF do as Mark says and have a leak test done.

 

Yes but im guessing it's not the issue. Problem is it could be pre. Post or Maf as well

 

 

I am most definitely going to do a pressure test, I do understand what sunnyside is saying. I had a bmw that was miss firing on all cylinders with the MAF plugged in once unplugged the engine computer would go to default settings and run better not perfect but better.

In a nut shell here is what happened I did wash the filter, installed that day had a boost leak took the box out reinstalled the paper filter just incase secured the clamps where the boost leak was coming from went for a run that evening and it was a bullet, next morning i put back in the BMC thats when things went south.... Not sure if the filter was still slightly wet with soap or oil and the test run i did gave the MAf its last days of its life span. Not sure, At the point that i reinstalled the air box i was a pro :-) very careful precise and aware of what i was surrounded by, thats why i am so skeptical that i missed something or even knocked something loose. I have worked on many turbo cars and have owned a 01 audi s4 for the past 8 years which are known for boost leaks spikes surges etc