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In today's cars there is a part that everyone has but few know anything about. It is called the Mass Airflow Sensor, or MAF for short. It senses the airflow to the throttle body. It usually sits on the hose or tubing coming out of the air filter box and will be between that box and the throttle body. It will have a wire or two and be held on with screws. When it's clean your car runs efficiently, but when it gets dirty it can cause rough idle and reduced fuel economy.
When you change your oil, remove the MAF sensor and spray it with MAF cleaner, available at auto parts or electronics stores. Let it dry a few minutes then put it back. You can do it several times if it's real dirty. Put a rag under it to catch the drips but even if it does drip it won't hurt anything.
Save yourself some money and time as a dirty sensor can cause the check engine light to come on.
Or just change it out with a new one. Mine was 14 years old at that point. It was also tough to remove.
But we ordered a new one online, and put it in the engine.
Its good information but, many on the posts people have so many issues because they don't maintain their vehicles, asking them to do this isn't worth their time, which is sad.
I inspect my MAF elements. Currently 160K miles on daily driver and it's still clean. Haven't touched it and car still runs well.
Usually, the only time I see MAF elements get dirty is when someone doesn't change their air filter regularly, or someone installed an aftermarket air intake kit that features an oiled up filter. The oil eventually deposits on the MAF elements.
I replaced the MAF on my 15 year old car with a remanufactured one.
Easy install on a Ford.
Cleaning is fine for those who wish to.
Also replaced the IAC, EGR, EGR sensor, and a few other easy items.
That's why I never have any issues and can drive coast to coast and back multiple times with zero engine problems.
MAF's are very sensitive creatures. It is my opinion that cleaning them risks more damage than anything else. If you have a SEL, then sure, try cleaning it (what have you got to lose?), but to remove a functioning MAF sensor and clean it with no indication that it's warranted is pissing in Murphy's eye. He might blink.
True. Short of getting a MAF gummed up by a K&N filter or just not running one, there is little point to just cleaning one for the fun of it. I've never had to do that.
True. Short of getting a MAF gummed up by a K&N filter or just not running one, there is little point to just cleaning one for the fun of it. I've never had to do that.
This and the dirt that gets past them are why I don't run K&N's.
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