Here is a DIY I did a while back and am just now getting a chance to post it.

I do this once a year in order to maintain the MAF. When cleaning by certain not to directly touch the MAF wire or the AIS. Both are delicate and expensive to replace. Total time is 15 minutes or less.

Tools :



First, remove neg. cable from battery:


Locate your MAF sensor:


To remove MAF assembly, first disconnect wires by pushing down on clip, then pull towards passenger side:


Use a Philips head to remove it from intake tube:



Remove MAF by puilling straight up and out:


Blurry pic of MAF/AIS assembly. AIS is on the left side of the unit:


Using your CRC MAF cleaner, spray down the AIS and the MAF sensor. The MAF sensor is located up inside the assembly:


Let dry for 5 minutes or so, then reassemble and enjoy a homebrew for your hard work:

 

i do mine every 5K miles, it just gives me some thing to do its quick and easy

 

BUMP.....DO EEEETTT

 

how often should i clean it?

 

dbl tap!

 

EVERYONE will give you a different answer. This is the internet afterall....

Some say every 3K although I dont think it needs to be cleaned that often. Some say that it never needs to be cleaned (usually the same people who think transmission fluid lasts for the life of the vehicle ).

I fall somewhere in between those two extremes. I clean it everytime I change the air filter, which for me is every 12 months. Maybe it doesnt have to be done that often but since I am already there doing the filter, I figure why not do the MAF/AIS then. Makes it easy to remember to do it.

The can of CRC will last AT LEAST 15 years if you clean 1x/ yr. You dont need much of the cleaner to do the job.

CRC is cheap (< $5). MAFs are not ($125 and up).

Really, its up to you. Just clean it.

Cheers!

 

MAF's are about $90.

You want to clean it before you throw the P0101 code

 

I used carburetor cleaner, but results were the same. Quick, easy thing to do and gives you an excuse to look under the hood.

Also note that you will throw a CEL if you don't reconnect the MAF to the harness. Took me a minute to figure out what was wrong

 

my car just didn't run with it connected

 

Bump. Dealer recommended this needs to be done. Now I can do it myself thanks to this thread.

They also recommend Throttle Body and EFI to be cleaned. Not to sure on those.

Thanks

 

I heard to use a toothbrush for throttle body. Gets in there quite easily and brush off. I was supposed to get mine done sometime but I kind of blew it. The guy who was supposed to show me, we're not on good grounds anymore.

 

just unbolt the throttle body and take it apart to clean it... its just a some bolts and few screws

 

I was going to do it this weekend, but now going to hold off until I'm ready for an oil change. I was reading some other sites where they said that the Throttle Body Cleaner's residue can actually mix with oil and break down the viscosity. It seems plausible, so I will do it right before the next oil change.

 

thats the same way with brake clean too... but they do make great hand cleaner... which dries 'em out afterwards...

 

Thank you so much for posting this DYI project.
I am starting to feel like an amateur mechanic.

 

I must have missed a step or two....
Could you elaborate on the DIY because no matter how many times I cleaned my MAF I still didn't get a homebrew IPA out of it.

Thanks.

 

If you need help getting rid of homebrew IPA, I can totally help you out.