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Engine 1988 GT CA MAF plug different size?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Png1978
  • Start date Start date May 11, 2018
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Png1978

5 Year Member
Dec 29, 2017
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#1
  • May 11, 2018
  • #1
So I have a 1988 CA mass air GT. I picked up a 70mm mass air meter from the junkyard. I found the correct sensor on many cars.
F2VF-12B579-A2A

Well long story short the 94 and 95 mustangs have a round plug for the mass air meter and the mass air on my car is a square plug. The number of connectors in the plug is not even the same. I looked at some later foxbody plugs and they are round has well.

So was the 88 CA car just a different plug? Wonder if it's possibly to just spice it in.

I was just wanting to mess around with it some.

I took the sensor back and they let me keep the 70mm Housing. I thought about trying my sensor in it but everything I have read says that's not a good idea.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
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May 11, 2018
#2
  • May 11, 2018
  • #2
All of the 4-wire MAF plugs are the same. 88-93 connectors should be the same. Do you have a pic of yours? Should look like this



You can't swap your electronics to the 70mm housing, you will need the 70MM electronics which are compatible with your ECU. The plug should have plugged into it as well
 
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Png1978

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#3
  • May 11, 2018
  • #3
Mine looks like that. Totally different plug. Looks like the CA mass air 88 is different.
 

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Png1978

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#4
  • May 11, 2018
  • #4
I don't know of any sensor with a plug like that that would work. I looked at all the cars I could find at the pick and pull that would have the right sensor
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,231
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May 11, 2018
#5
  • May 11, 2018
  • #5
You shouldn't have a 5-wire MAF. 88 through 1995 were 4 wire MAF's. Can you take a photo of your current MAF electronics so that we can see the part numbers on it? The 5-wire MAF's started on the Mustang in 1996, although I see an E4 part number on that harness plug which is a 1984 engineering number.

EDIT: as I look closer I see it is a 4-wire MAF in a 5-wire plug. Strange, but you can probably cut and solder the more common style connector on and hook up to the SN95 70mm maf. I wouldn't do that just yet and would confirm that the plug on the '88 MAF is unique. I've never personally heard of this before, but there are only a small number of CA MAF cars so not hard to imagine it's not info that comes up a lot.

Would be interested to see the MAF part number and compare to the 1989+ MAF numbers
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,231
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May 11, 2018
#6
  • May 11, 2018
  • #6
After some searching, yes, 1988 CA cars with MAF have a unique harness and sensor

Sensor part number should be E8ZF-12B579-AA


Your options are make or locate an adapter harness, or cut and solder on the round style plug adapter
 
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Png1978

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#7
  • May 11, 2018
  • #7
Yea kinda exciting huh? Lol yea it's 4 wire in a 5 wire plug for sure. Threw me for a loop for sure because all the research I did said that sensor would work from the 94
 

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Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,231
17,917
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Massachusetts
May 11, 2018
#8
  • May 11, 2018
  • #8
Gotta love 1 year only components
 

Blown88GT

Founding Member
Nov 13, 1999
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May 11, 2018
#9
  • May 11, 2018
  • #9
'88 maf was California only.
E8ZF decodes to 1988 Mustang.
F2VF decodes to 1992 Lincoln
http://www.fordification.com/tech/partnumbers_overview.htm

7016 at bottom could be a remanufactured.
I suspect what you have is not original to '88 California.
See if your maf harness has any splices.
 
Last edited: May 11, 2018
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Png1978

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#10
  • May 11, 2018
  • #10
It's a D I think instead of a 0 on the sensor. Yea I had that thought has well maybe the plug was spliced. It does not look to be. I know I'm the 4rth owner. With the other 3 being relatives of each other. Original owner was an old guy sold it to his nephew. He then sold it to his brother who parked it in a garage for 10 years lol.

Then sells it to me for $1500 because he could not smog it. Of course I just found a stock h pipe and smogged it.
 

Blown88GT

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May 12, 2018
#11
  • May 12, 2018
  • #11
Connector has Ford number, looks like E4EB (1984 Escort). Cannot be original.
 
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Png1978

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#12
  • May 12, 2018
  • #12
Did that same maf sensor come on a escort to? My thought is the 88 CA car must have been assembled on a different line or different place. Since it has some different parts. My fuel pump houseing is different then other mustangs also.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
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May 12, 2018
#13
  • May 12, 2018
  • #13
I made a Facebook post and asked your question. Several 1988 CA owners chimed in and confirmed same plug and MAF
 
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Png1978

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May 12, 2018
#14
  • May 12, 2018
  • #14
Cool man thanks. I guess I will have to splice a plug in if I ever want to change mass air meter
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
5 Year Member
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#15
  • May 12, 2018
  • #15
Get a round plug from the 89 up maf harness and repin it, looks like the wire colors are the same,
 
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Png1978

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May 12, 2018
#16
  • May 12, 2018
  • #16
That's actually a better idea then spiceing one in
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
5 Year Member
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#17
  • May 12, 2018
  • #17
When you find the maf plug cut it so you have the wires to match up colors,
 
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Boogdidit

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Apr 5, 2019
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Apr 30, 2019
#18
  • Apr 30, 2019
  • #18
Ok i know this post is old but i have a similar question. I recently purchased an 88 maf Notchback and the wiring for MaF looks fishy. Computer number is 8LF. Car starts and idle with maf unplugged but runs like plugged up
 

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Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,231
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224
Massachusetts
May 1, 2019
#19
  • May 1, 2019
  • #19
Boogdidit said:
Ok i know this post is old but i have a similar question. I recently purchased an 88 maf Notchback and the wiring for MaF looks fishy. Computer number is 8LF. Car starts and idle with maf unplugged but runs like plugged up
Click to expand...


8LF is the right ecu for a mass air '88

That MAF wiring is a little odd, and it's been reloomed so a previous owner did something there. Hard to see from your pics what's going on. Can you take one set back a little bit
 
B

Boogdidit

Member
Apr 5, 2019
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May 1, 2019
#20
  • May 1, 2019
  • #20
Mustang5L5 said:
8LF is the right ecu for a mass air '88

That MAF wiring is a little odd, and it's been reloomed so a previous owner did something there. Hard to see from your pics what's going on. Can you take one set back a little bit
Click to expand...

Not trying to question your intelligence but you say it ls the correct computer for Mass air based on the list i posted or past experiences because heres another list that classifies 8LF as speed density. The previous owner got car the same way so owner before him did something for sure. The red wire is splice to this pink/blue wire then ran to the ac relay thing.
 

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