Keep your MAF clean

Anonymous · November 13, 2006, 09:23

Hi everyone, I cleaned my MAF sensor at the weekend & what a difference it made. There was nothing actually wrong with my car but after reading on this forum about cleaning the MAF I thought I would give it a go. My 2 now pulls better from lower down the rev range & also feels more eager, proper sports car stuff. I clocked up almost 50 miles on Sunday just driving around for the sake of it. s:D

s:D

It only takes about 15 mins to clean the MAF and is well worth the effort. Its certainly something that i will continue to do whilst I own the mister2.

rtbiscuit · November 13, 2006, 13:27

where and how,

haven't bought the old haynes manuel yet.

Anonymous · November 13, 2006, 13:48

there is no haynes manual!

Don't worry though it's easy.
1/Open your engine lid.
2/ On the left hand side you will see a black plastic box , this has the airfilter inside. Running out of this towards the engine is a rubber hose.
On top of this you will see a small plastic box with a wiring loom, it's held on by two small cross head screws.
3/Undo these two screws and pull the sensor out of it's seating (you can unplug the wiring loom as well if you like)
3b/ Remove the rubber o-ring seal to prevent it from being damaged by the next stage.
4/ The sensor head looks like a plastic tube with a small metal bulb hanging out (almost like a light bulb filament, although thicker). If it is coated in black soot then this is what you need to clean.
5/ Take a can of plain ordinary carb cleaner (nothing else, NOT electrical contact cleaner, NOT wd40 etc) and spray the stuff liberally onto the metal bulb, the dirt and soot should easily blast away. DONT TOUCH THE SENSOR with anything.
6/ Let things dry off, refit the rubber o-ring and replace as above.

easy.

While your at it reset the ECU by unplugging the battery for 10mins. Then take it for a good drive varying the revs and engine load so the ECU can relearn.

Does it do anything? Well it may be psychological but most people notice an improvement. PErsonally she seemed a little more responsive but I did mine whilst gutting the precats so it could just of been that.

philster_d · November 13, 2006, 14:40

Sounds like easenders....

Clean your MAF aaaut

Anonymous · November 13, 2006, 14:45

LOL - I thought exactly the same

My Maff was like a sewer before I ghave it a good clean s:D

s:D

rtbiscuit · November 13, 2006, 17:30

cheers for that, i may well do this.

for those with the ppe (which i hope to fit sometime in the next 6 months [depends on when we have enough for the group buy])

does the MAF stay in the same location etc, i presume its not removed as its required for the ecu.

Anonymous · November 13, 2006, 18:01

It's still located in the engine bay, but in a new pipe that comes with the PPE. Don't worry, it all makes sense once you've seen an induction kit for the '2.

rtbiscuit · November 13, 2006, 18:15

i so want my PPE, to go with my exhaust, i wanted it fitted before silverstone.

but fat chance of that happening.

by the way, are you and liz going up to silverstone on the 25th. and if so are you conveying, and can i join?

Anonymous · November 13, 2006, 18:24

We are going up there, but as we're organising some of it we'll be leaving horrendously early. You're welcome to tag along, but I'd rather get the extra sleep if it were me. s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Anonymous · November 14, 2006, 22:18

How often do your recon this needs doing?

Anonymous · November 14, 2006, 22:23

Needs? Probably once every 18 months. Wants? I'd do it every month given a chance, two months at the most. It's only a 5 minute job, and if it gives you a bit of extra clout then it's well worth it.

Anonymous · November 14, 2006, 22:26

Cheers,

Something to do at the weekend.

Anonymous · November 14, 2006, 23:44

Just actually cleaned the MAF today as well as resetting the ECU and it has made a noticeable difference to the performance. It now pulls better in all gears as I thought there might have been somethnig wrong with the car as the performance seamed to be down a bit. I hasnt been don since I got the car 18 months ago. A really easy job.

Anonymous · November 15, 2006, 06:40

Quote from: "simonp"NOT electrical contact cleaner

Might I ask why?

kanujunkie · November 15, 2006, 07:25

Quote from: "Moleshome"
Quote from: "simonp"NOT electrical contact cleaner

Might I ask why?

Electrical contact cleaner contains a lubricant grease, which isn't good for the MAF

Anonymous · November 15, 2006, 10:16

I used an aerosol brake cleaner which we have at work. It's kind on rubber and plastics too, but I did remove the rubber O ring just to be on the safe side.

Anonymous · November 15, 2006, 11:04

Quote from: "Cappio"I used an aerosol brake cleaner which we have at work. It's kind on rubber and plastics too, but I did remove the rubber O ring just to be on the safe side.

AIUI using brake cleaner is the definite do not use because surprisingly brake cleaner contains an extremely light oil which is cleared in fractions of a second when the brakes are applied.

Anonymous · November 15, 2006, 11:16

Quote from: "kanujunkie"
Quote from: "Moleshome"
Quote from: "simonp"NOT electrical contact cleaner

Might I ask why?

Electrical contact cleaner contains a lubricant grease, which isn't good for the MAF

Whilst I can't say definitively that's not true because some contact cleaners may contain a lubricant, I certainly don't believe that to be true for the majority. ITYF that any that do contain a lubricant will specifically be called a Contact Cleaner & Lubricant.

Anonymous · November 15, 2006, 18:06

It depends on the product, we use Swarfega Stop Quick which dries without leaving an oily residue. Also Swarfega suggests that it's versatility means it can be used on carbs, contacts and ABS systems.

Click on the link & select degreasing & maintenance, then Swarfega Stop Quick.

w www.deb.co.uk/ukswarfega/ w

kanujunkie · November 15, 2006, 22:14

Quote from: "Moleshome"Whilst I can't say definitively that's not true because some contact cleaners may contain a lubricant, I certainly don't believe that to be true for the majority. ITYF that any that do contain a lubricant will specifically be called a Contact Cleaner & Lubricant.

all the switch cleaner we have at work has lubricant in it, without the word lubricant in the title on the can just in the ingrediants bit, either way it proves that some do have lubes in them and as such you need to be careful

Tem · November 16, 2006, 05:02

Take a clean glass surface and spray whatever you've got on that. If it's still clean after the spray, it should be fine. If you notice anything on the glass, don't use it on the MAF. s8)

s8)

heathstimpson · November 16, 2006, 05:35

That's why I use Swinn Carb cleaner on mine s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Anonymous · November 16, 2006, 19:08

yeah just spend £3 on some carb cleaner and you can't go wrong - why chance it on something else??

Anonymous · November 18, 2006, 23:45

i used bardahl throttle body cleaner, good stuff, but remember to take off rubber O ring before you clean MAF

Anonymous · November 19, 2006, 23:16

Does resetting the ECU actually do anything? I didn't know "ours" were that clever. Also having a Unichip fitted could this cause problems?