map sensor?

hey everyone, i took my car in today after the check engine light was on and i was told i need a new map sensor. what does this do exactly and are they easy to put on and how much should i be paying for one? thanks

What year, make model and engine size do you have? Did they give you the code? If so, please post, especially if you went to Auto-Zone or Advance. Their diagnostics and code definitions leave a lot to be desired.

1997 grand prix gt 3.8l, i went to my local repair shop and i dunno the code he pulled, i just wanna know if this is a simple install that i can do myself. he told me it would be about 120. also he told me he strongly recommended that i take my k&n cone intake off of my car because the oil will mess with the mass air flow. should i do this or not i really dont want to put my stock crap back on. i have heard this a lot with the k&n oil being a problem with the sensor, if this is true why is k&n so popular and this problem not solved, i have never oiled the filter myself either so i cant be blamed for a problem like this, k&n should be responsible... thanks

i havent heard that about k&n products but i know that the filter is real easy to clean and re-oil. i was told to clean my k&n cone filter every 6 months.
i asked my mechanic if that could be emissions related and he said no. Are you getting P0441 also? emissions evap incorrect purge flow?

No i wasnt getting that code... i was getting low circuit mass air flow code for a while but i cleared it and it didnt come back.if anyone has had trouble with k&n filters for grand prix please let me know so i can make a decision to take it off or not. i ended up just having them replace the map sensor by the way... car is runnin smoothly...knock on wood.

If you're careful and get the extra oil out, you shouldn't have a problem. I'm not a big believer in the "high-flow" air filters. Unless your car is modded, the extra airflow they provide is no advantage on a stock engine. Coupled with the fact that they load up fast with dirt and let more dirt into your engine, I don't think the pro's outweigh the cons. The MAP sensor is located on the passengers side of your engine. It clips to the top of the PCV valve housing and can be changed with no tools in less than 2 minutes.

Get a K&N re-charge or S&B recharge kit. It has the proper cleaner and oil. Get the oil with the spray oil and not the squeeze on stuff. Follow instructions for cleaning, then use the spray oil as directed. Spray 6 -10 inches away and apply a light even coat on the intake side only. Then let dry so the chemical which causes the oil to be tacky sets up. Install it and you should be good to go. I have a Trasher CAI with a K&N cone style filter (S&B) in my GTP and use the flat K&N drop in on my Regal GS. No problems. On visual inspection I have never seen the oil make it to the throttle body or MAF sensor.

BTW - The only real MAF sensor error I had was when running a stock air box and AC Delco air filter.