If you ever wondered how dirty your MAF can get....

A few months back I finally got around to cleaning my MAF sensor. I wanted to do it anyway but my idle was getting rough and my motor even stalled on startup right before I cleaned it. I was kinda surprised how dirty it looked but I went to Fordyce not too long prior and it was a total dust bowl up there. Might not have helped I never replaced the hood seal after removing the bug deflector many moons ago.
It was a pretty simple procedure. I read the directions on the can of MAF cleaner just to make sure I didn't screw anything up. I was almost impressed how much dirt was built up on the front side compared to the back. Both pics are before I cleaned it. This was also a good opportunity to clean my K and N drop in filter while I was at it.

 

Looks more like a fail in air filtration. I would ditch the K & N for that very reason.

 

The thing of it is, you only show the unheated intake air temp probe. The two most important working parts
of the MAF are down inside the tube, and you don't show those at all.


if you cleaned only the probe you show, fine, but you didn't clean the actual parts
that make this a MAF. it is the fine wires down in the tube/tunnel that actually matter.

and I agree...the maf should -never- have dust on it.

all that should be collecting on your MAF is dried up and hardened oil vapor from the PCV valve. on engine shutdown the last few vapors from crankcase ventilation is what settles on the MAF and screws it up over time. You have a serious air filter problem...looks like you may have an aftermarket K&N style...but definitely your filter is garbage...look at all that silica getting in the motor. NASTY

K&N drop in ? yeah, newsflash. it is a piece of shit. proof is in your pics

 

When did they change the maf sensor? In my 98 3.4 cleaning it helped a lot but it's a different looking maf. That part you show does not separate from mine. Just looks like the outside (not exposed) to the air suction is pretty dirty. I wouldn't think even with a k&n it would get dirty like that inside.

 

They changed the sensor in 2000 and maybe some 99's.

 

down inside the tube is where the fine wires are...one is heated and it is
these two wires that get mung on them over time.

 

Yeah, what he said. Just do go sticking the MAF cleaner straw too far down in there or you'll f*ck up the sensor lol

 

The K and N has been on for almost a year. I forgot to mention I removed the snorkel peice that runs down the fender. Do you think there is a superior drop in filter like an AFE or other brand ?

 

I appreciate all the info. I clearly Don't know much about MAF's. none of my other vehicles had them. Would you recommend going back to oem paper filer or AFE or otherwise?

 

Not that I believe everything I read or see on the internet but I recall watching some YouTube videos prior to cleaning the MAF and I don't recall anything about the wires down in the tube.
Again, thanks for all the great info. I will know for next time and hopefully this info helps out someone else as well.

 

Yeah, I know exactly what video you are talking about, and it's wrong. Can't find it anymore, maybe the uploader fixed the video. The little bulb thing is just an ambient air temp sensor.

FWIW I had never done mine, and it looked like yours even though I always used the stock filter. But who knows how long it had been since the dealer had cleaned it. I don't find that amount of dirt anything unusual, at least from my experience. I do clean it once a year now though. Which reminds me, I need to clean it soon.

 

id stick with the paper filter. cheap, easy, proven.

 

OEM all day.

 

Anyone have any experience with airaid? I've been eying their intake tube on Amazon. I thought it would be cool to run that with the stock air box and still be able to use a panel filter.

 

drop some paper in that bitch holmie

 

It was probably one of the first few vids that popped up on YouTube....

 

I know. I remember doing same thing, and seeing one of the videos and going "nope, you totally missed cleaning the MAF Sensor".. but there is one video where he says he had to add some to the video and take the sensor back out because he forgot to actually clean the MAF sensor wires. It was probably his video

 

I'm glad I took the extra time to blast down that tube for shits and giggles because I had no idea it was important.

 

Found this. I didn't know there was a "cleaning cycle"

Eventually, dirt and oily film bake onto the wire, insulating it from the cooler air--and when the engine management computer sees a value for air mass that's too far out of range, it sets an error code. Periodically, there's a cleaning cycle during which the wire is heated to a very high temperature right after engine shutdown. This burns off deposits.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/a745/3297276/

 

Regarding air filters. I carry two. One is a new one and the other one is the old new one. When I hit up dusty conditions the old one goes in. For any other daily driving the new one goes back in. Otherwise you clog up a new one pretty quick.

Does it makes sense to do this?