bencott

your ecu, along with all the car's other electronics gets reset whenever you disconnect the battery for any length of time. the ecu needs time to readjust its settings, so you will notice your car idling roughly and generally acting a bit weird. after it adjusts everything should return to normal.

tCizzler

How do you change the fuel filter, where is it?on the tank? Im at work and can't look it up now

NightShade

thanks, i hope it returns to normal. Not in any auto stores around me sell the tC K&N air filter. But since its the ECU prob resetting, I'll wait until i get a new intake, my stock air filter was dirty, I hope i can feel the change +.

I would like to check my fuel filter too, but have no idea where it is.

DouBLeJ16

I really doubt it's a fuel filter problem.. Unless maybe you have 50k-70k miles on it.

web

Almost 100% sure the fuel filter is part of the fuel sending unit which is in the tank. ____ty design and not worth the trouble right now. You can get to the tank seal if you take the back seat cushions out and go in from there. You'll have a nausiating gas smell for a while in your car though. I've got 17K on my K&N CAI and it came with the filter wrap. The filter is still amazingly clean. I am not going to clean it until maybe after the winter time. I'm guessing around 25-30K miles.

web

Fuel filters have a "lifespan" of about 30-35K miles. It's just more difficult for our cars and Dodge vehicles to change them b/c they are in our tanks. Very poor design for something that needs "constant" maintenance.

tCizzler

Really i heard our service interval is 100K miles for the fuel filter, from the factory recommendations. I haven't checked the manual yet though, so i could be wrong, im gonna check today.

tCizzler

WOW i cleaned my MAF sensor and a huge difference in smoothness, my sensor was Dark gray. I couldn't even see the actual sensor. But after i sprayed it, it was shining like a wet d1ck in the moonlight. Thanks for the tip

web

OK, you might be looking at a different sensor and confusing it. The MAF sensor is on the intake pipe and if you spray it with anything you can damage the glass piece very easily. What do you mean it was grey? Dusty? What sensor are you cleaning?

NightShade

what about electronic parts cleaner? I got some but didnt use it yet, I need to recheck the sensor when I can find a flashlight. it leaves no residue and dries yery quickly.

web

No, that MAF sensor should never get anything on it. It's strictly for air measurement. You should never have to clean it. I don't understand why you would have to. Electrical parts cleaner is designed for the sockets and connections of the electrical parts, not specifically for the actual part itself. Take for instance an alternator. You could spray that into the brushes, but it's not meant for that. It's meant for the connectors of the electrical part.

Tcizzler, please take a pic of what exactly you sprayed, b/c there is never a need to "clean" a MAF sensor b/c it's not something that gets dirty.

tCizzler

I wish i would've taken before and after pics. But i it WAS the MAF sensor (mass air flow) It is the little box on the intake hose that goes into the tube. It is held on with 2 allen bolts. and there are two little pieces of wire like metal that come to a point at the end and there is a little bulb of what looks like some kinda silicone on it. Mine was covered in a gray film. Not sure what it was but i cleaned it and things got better instantly. Better power all through the rpm band. Not saying it added like 25 HP or anything, but enough difference to notice instantly.

Not sure why people think its so bad to clean. Mine WAS dirty. Maybe something to do with me having a CAI and more airflow or something. I know your not supposed to TOUCH the thing but i don't see anything wrong with cleaning it. I would do it again in a heartbeat!

My .02

web

What did you use to clean it? Any moisture can cause it to malfunction. Most people, including myself, don't touch it b/c it's an expensive sensor to get from the dealer.

tCizzler

I used carb and choke cleaner from advance auto, it was 1.98 for a 25 oz can. I unhooked the battery, and then went to work and let it airdry for 2 hours before i reinstalled it

web

Yeah, that should air dry in seconds though. I am just very careful with that sensor b/c, I'm not sure if you or anyone else have ever heard of this, but K&N filters that have been cleaned (re-oiled too) can damage the sensor. The oil gets on the sensor and causes it to short out. That's why I wouldn't use anything to clean it. Maybe an air duster that you can use for electrical items (computer compressed air cleaners), but I would personally stay away from chemical cleaners. But, I'm glad it worked out for you.

tCizzler

I was worried too about shorting anything, so thats why i disconnected the battery. And this isn't something im gonna do every oil change like someone previously mentioned. But i will check it frequently, and if it builds up again, i will clean it again.

web

Cool cool.

tCjosh

iTrader: (8)

^^ya the MAF Sensor IS a very expensive item from the dealer, and you shouldn't clean it with anything BUT carb choke cleaner or electric parts cleaner that doesn't leave any residue. This sensor does get dirty through time and it effects you MPG, performance, you C.E.L. turns on, and makes your car sound and feel ____ty too. If you read my post on pg. 2 hopefully it will make you re-think about cleaning you MAF Sensor later on...I have cleaned this sensor in my previous car (98 corolla) and I felt a HUGE difference!! It felt like the aftermarket products I put on it finally did something. I also cleaned it when I got the tC. (I got the tC used with 7k miles on it). and I noticed a difference in the tC too.

NightShade

i think there should be a sticky for MAF cleaning with the safe products and proper way of cleaning it. I know I've got alot of products to use on the mAF. But so far im gonna use the electric parts cleaner with no residue. Its been cloudly and rainy these past few days so I havent been able to clean it. I'll do it today.

tCizzler

Please if you haven't done the cleaning already and have a good camera, take some before and after pics, dirty and clean, just to compare. And what u used.