For people who clean MAF's:
How often do you guys clean the MAF sensor on your cars?
I cleaned the MAF sensor last when my car had about 85k miles; it was pretty dirty then...and thinking of doing it again. Now the car has 112k miles. I wonder if it's too soon...guess I'll take a look at it as soon as it gets a bit warm outside.
Just wondering how often you guys do it.
[ March 04, 2006, 02:00 PM: Message edited by: 97tbird ]
cleaning MAF-sensor...how often?
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I also used electrical cleaner from radio shack. However, it was kinda scary to spray the MAF wires with the can...I might use Isoprop alcohol this time, and try to avoid the strong spraying.
How about some time right after airfilter change? 30k?
Whatever you use, spray it on a sheet of white paper and make sure it doesn't leave any residue when it's dried.
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I saw a comprehensive study on cleaning MAF sensors once. While cleaning may help temporarily, it will not restore a MAF sensor to perform like new. Micro-pitting, mechanical damage, occurs on the sensor wire (or film) over time and that damage cannot be removed with any cleaner. While cleaning the MAF kept a CEL away for another six months, fuel economy remained lousy until I replaced the MAF.
Ford MAF sensors do not have the "contaminant burn-off" mode that some (Bosch, I think) sensors do, so cleaning those might be more helpful if the wire has been contaminated with oil from, say, an over-oiled K&N filter
I wrap K&Ns in panty hose. Catches oil mist and makes cleaning easier. You can see the spots of oil.
ford says maf not a seviceable item.
when I get pinging I clean them maybe every 70-100K?
bruce
I know the Chevy TPI V-8s had a bridge circuit to run the MAF "burnoff" function, with appropriate relays to run it at each start cycle. I would suspect that other similar systems would need to have something of this nature to maintain efficient fuel curve administration--unless they have other ways of doing that.
Even a "new" and "not-user-oiled" K&N can oil the MAFs on newer vehicles. GM TSBs on that issue too.
I haven't studied the various MAF systems, but considering that K&N filters used to not be an issue in the earlier GM TPI motors, if the burnouff circuit has been deleted or the system is now much more sensitive, perhaps that's the reason that K&Ns are more of an issue with more current model year situations? Perhaps it has something to do with how close the filter is to the MAF and other design issues?
MAF, being an emissions part, would not have any "maintenance requirement" (i.e., cleaning) in a factory service schedule--even if it could be. If it goes "bad", you replace it and maintain emissions compliance. If it goes bad during the warranty period, then the manufacturer would replace it and could request the failed part to be returned to them (QC issues). If it did need to be "serviced", it could lead to other problem issues under warranty. Better, from the factory orientation, to replace and not worry about it.
Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
I found that back when I used K&N's I had to clean my MAF once a year.
quote:Someone on another forum claimed that when Ford refurbishes a MAF core, they start by cleaning it (with a cleaner whose name I cannot recall right now but it is an electrical contact cleaner) and that brings 90% of them within specification, with no further refurbishment needed.
ford says maf not a seviceable item.
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