Dirty MAF causing power loss?

[Ithnu]

I was working on the interior of my car and had left the hood up after replacing the air filter. I finished with the interior, dropped the hood and went for a ride, maybe 25 miles.

I realized when I got back that I had forgot to put the air box cover back on so the air was coming from inside the engine compartment directly to the MAF. Yeah, yeah, dumb move.

Now when I'm at 1/2 throttle to wide open it bogs down and feels like it lost 100hp. Feels normal up to that point and then the power loss happens. The engine still revs normal, the rpm increase is still steady, but huge power loss.

Could I have gotten the MAF dirty during those 25 miles? Or something else in there?

 

[Fox 5.0]

Super easy to check... take the MAF out, visually inspect it, blast it with some brakecleen, let dry and put back in. Was the air from the engine at least going through the filter or no?

 

[squeak93]

Do not use brake clean. Go buy specific maf cleaner.....

 

[Ithnu]

Was the air from the engine at least going through the filter or no?

Nope, I forgot to put the air box back on so it was pulling air from the engine compartment right into the MAF. I was going to try carburetor cleaner but held off. I guess I'll go buy some MAF cleaner and see if that helps.

I was just wondering if folks think this could be the cause. Nothing else changed on the car.

 

[Fox 5.0]

Depending on how long you drove it you might need to change the oil as well. Clean the MAF, most likely your problem.

 

[Ithnu]

Quick update, it was absolutely the MAF sensor. I should have taken a picture, it looked like someone dipped it in mud. I used the correct MAF cleaner, cleaned it 3 times. Car runs perfect now.