How To Clean A Mass Air Flow Sensor | Off Road Adventure

 

You can also read through this thread:
http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/maintenance-tech/71441-maf-sensor-cleaning.html
It goes back and forth from good info to scary info but the bottom line is cleaning the MAF is waaaaay easy to do. Some of the later posts in the thread have good pictures of the procedure.

 

X2! :bigthumb:

 

Thanks, that explains it all.

 

Just remember... the thing that looks like a match stick IS NOT the sensor, that reads temp. The sensor is WAY DOWN INSIDE the tube, use a light to see it, it is a couple very tiny thin wires. The reason people say be very careful when cleaning is because the wires are SO thin.I do not attach the red stick to the can of cleaner becasue that shoots more of a forceful stream of spray. I spray from the can tip directly, and hold it far away as to not cause damage.

 

Thanks everyone. I am going to do it this weekend.

 

Cleaning it literally takes less than 5 minutes. Just make sure you use the correct type of cleaning fluid made specifically for MAF sensors. One can will last you a lifetime.

Cheers

DEWFPO

 

I decided to take a look at my MAF sensor for the first time at the 164,000 mile mark. I read thru this thread and knocked it out in about 15 minutes (mostly for dry time). It was hecka caked with gnarl!!!
I took it on a 10 mile highway run to reset the ECU (don't know if that matters or not).
Holy cow!!!!!

I can already tell that my truck is running stronger and happier!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

try not to hold the maf sensor upside down as in the pic when cleaning them and spay up inside that tube. even though the cleaner evaporates quick, somtimes it can get where it does not need to be and cause problems.

 

That picture is of the air intake temp sensor (looks like a black matchstick). The MAF sensors wires are actually in the tube below your thumb.

DEWFPO

 

Thank you for the part discription DEWFPO :cheers: I cleaned the whole thing (inside and out) pretty well and I am already getting 1.5 mpgs better than I was before.

I am stoked!

 

Whoa! that was one dirty MAF sensor :lol: i cleaned my family's cars and everyone noticed a difference i bet you feel like a race car now! :bigthumb:

 

On my 4Runner with the stock intake, I clean the MAF sensor whenever I change the air filter. Probably way too often, but since I got a big can of sensor cleaner... I gotta use it! :lol:

With my FJ's TRD intake my air intake maintenance is pretty much non-existent. Seems those things can last quite a while before you need to clean them. I figure I might clean it every 2 or 3 oil changes though, in case oil from the filter finds its way onto the sensor.

I think it's more of a feel good measure though when you do them this often. I didn't notice any difference when I did it on the 4Runner or my FJ. I think I noticed a bigger difference when I changed my diff oils and lubed the prop shaft... but even that might just be placebo.

 

I have to say something about Hula Betty Productions.. I used to write MPP's at a production facility as an Electrical Engineer. My writings were often rejected due to the lack of "simplicity". My supervisor wanted them written in a form that a 12 year old could understand. He taught me alot.. I didn't realize that so many folks think on so many levels.
If you can't understand how to accomplish any particular task after watching one of Hula Betty Production's videos, don't bother ever getting out of bed again.

 

I appriciate the input robhawk. I can't recall if I had it upside down or not when I sprayed it out. Next time I will hit it while in an upwards attitude :cheers:

thebus, It definatley runs more like a race truck! I am hitting a couple hundred 'highway miles' road trip tomorrow. I am forseeing way better milage. Me and the crew are hitting 4 disc golf courses tomorrow then capping the evening at the Okland A's game for the clicher!

pre-DEF, I wonder how many application I can get from one of those cans? There should be a centrally located can of that for each region of FJ clubs. At all "Meet and Greet" wrench sessions have a "Pass the can" party and everyone attending clean their MAF sensors.

 

I'd imagine you could clean over a hundred MAFS with one of those cans.

 

For 2010 models and up, take your pick...

http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/2244532-post156.html

http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/maintenance-tech/71441-maf-sensor-cleaning-3.html#post2246008