Do you clean your Mass Air Flow Sensor?
- Thread starter ZZman
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2022
- Messages
- 5,528
I clean mine every couple years. Its usually part of my full maintenance / fluid cycle diff, t-case, trans and rad fluids, clean MAF and throttle body, etc. If mine were easier to reach I would more often maybe - you just spray fluid on it and let it dry.
I used CRC MAF cleaner to clean the original Hitachi MAF on my M35 at about 110,000 miles after the engine threw a code. It worked for a brief time, but then I replaced the sensor and both air intake hoses that had developed cracks after 13 years. Not surprising at that mileage.
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2022
- Messages
- 5,528
Yes, you ONLY want to use one labeled as Mass Air Flow Sensor Cleaner.
CRC makes a good one that most use.
Where did you hear that? Here perhaps?
Seriously, some electric cleaners leave a coating (lube or anti-corrosion) which effects MAF sensors' operation.
Go with the CRC MAF cleaner.
What I have no answer for regards MAF sensors which look like boxes of folded metal.
Good way to check if the label doesn't say is to spray some on a clean sheet of copier paper, and let it dry. Anything that didn't evaporate like a lube will show up on the paper.
When I checked the MSDS sheets comparing CRC Maf Cleaner to their electrical contact cleaner, the only difference is the propellant they use. MAF cleaner uses carbon dioxide and the electrical contact cleaner uses a flammable propellant.
Shel_B
Site Donor 2023
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2020
- Messages
- 5,167
Thank you.
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2022
- Messages
- 5,528
What was in the flammable propellant? It could leave a residue as well - no?
I haven't had to clean a MAF in 20 years. I think most of the current ones are self-cleaning (heated). If I'd notice a loss of gas mileage or other performance problem over time I'd give cleaning the MAF a try.
Think it was either butane or propane. Neither would leave a residue. It might have also been R152A aka difluoromethane. That won't leave a residue either but the combustion products of R152A are bad news. Maybe they used a carbon dioxide propellant in the MAF cleaner because they knew someone was going to spray it into a running engine?
Shel_B
Site Donor 2023
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2020
- Messages
- 5,167
Hmmm ... it might be useful to see if the Camry has that feature. Right now I have no idle issues, the mileage is very good, and the engine runs smoothly throughout the range. Might not even need to clean it.
I am so glad you mentioned this, a few years ago I got a Check Engine Light code and it was a MAFS out of range, well I had my friend clear the code and I then went and cleaned the Mass Airflow Sensor, I am thinking maybe every year the Mass Airflow Sensor should be cleaned.
If I use a good paper air filter, I may clean it out of boredom every 30 to 40,000 miles but, not really needing it.
MAF sensors are a hot wire that cools with airflow, providing different resistance values as it warms and cools. It's not that much heat, and it's cooled real-time by the airflow.
There is no self-cleaning MAF sensor in existence. With any modern air filtration design, the MAF sensor doesn't need to be cleaned, unless damaged or tampered with such as a repair was done, or rodent damage, etc.
Where do you guys get this stuff?
This one and many others are in fact self cleaning.
BMW Mass Air Flow Sensor - Bosch 13627602038
BMW Mass Air Flow Sensor - Bosch 13627602038
www.fcpeuro.com
My oven is designed to be self cleaning, too. Doesn't do a great job with plastic.
That MAF won't do anything to a leaf, walnut, filter media, silicone, plastic, dirt. You get the gist. Anything other than PCV, and PCV was never an issue.
The MAF you posted is literally just a standard issue 3 wire, 5v reference MAF.
Last edited: