How To Clean Your Maf Sensor?

Mark_Smith

Member
:
Mazda 6
Hello everybody,
The MAF and IAT (Intake Air Temp) sensors sit in the incoming air stream, translating airflow into little 0's and 1's the PCM can use to figure out the amount of necessary fuel to add for proper combustion. Over time these sensors can accumulate dirt, as no air filter stops 100% of incoming silicon particles. When this happens, the car can manifest problems like erratic idle, throttle hesitation, or a general lack of responsiveness.

Good Luck !!!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Mark_Smith said:
Hello everybody,
The MAF and IAT (Intake Air Temp) sensors sit in the incoming air stream, translating airflow into little 0's and 1's the PCM can use to figure out the amount of necessary fuel to add for proper combustion. Over time these sensors can accumulate dirt, as no air filter stops 100% of incoming silicon particles. When this happens, the car can manifest problems like erratic idle, throttle hesitation, or a general lack of responsiveness.

Good Luck !!!


Ok...so how do I clean the sensors? Can I put it in the dishwasher?
 
Remove the MAF and spray some electronic parts cleaner spray on the sensor filamant itself.
 
LBV said:
Remove the MAF and spray some electronic parts cleaner spray on the sensor filamant itself.


yeah the general method of cleaning both parts is by using electronic spray cleaners and/or pressurized air to blow any contaminents off of the sensors...

Just becareful with the Maf sensor. The needle in the MAF sensor is directional and resembles that of a record player needle. Very easy to damage.
 
This How To thread would have been perfect if there were pics.

Now remember to get the correct spray cleaner. The wrong stuff will damage a MAF sensor.
 
amsgator said:
our MAF doesnt look like that does it....unless i am missing something.....

Yeah, it's a mazda6 how-to. Our maf isn't hidden in a little tube, it's just chillin inside the maf housing. The same basic procedure still applies.
 
our MAF doesnt look anything like that though....so idk how it comes apart. guess i'll have to look. or can i just shoot the stuff through the plastic grating?
 
amsgator said:
our MAF doesnt look anything like that though....so idk how it comes apart. guess i'll have to look. or can i just shoot the stuff through the plastic grating?


its a double ended tube... one side has plastic grating (to make sure, in the off chance a big piece gets through, it doesnt damage the MAF) and the other is free and clear.

simply remove your airbox/air filter and then remove the MAF... spray it down and let it dry. Also might as well clean the IAT sensor while youre in there.
 
Rainman said:
Thanks for the info R. I changed the title of the thread because I too thought that this thread would tell me how it was done rather than it should be done.

R

It appears to have just changed the title of his post, not the actual thread title.
 
only a mod can change the title of the thread itself i believe... :-(
 
Last edited:
B1GHAM said:
its a double ended tube... one side has plastic grating (to make sure, in the off chance a big piece gets through, it doesnt damage the MAF) and the other is free and clear.

simply remove your airbox/air filter and then remove the MAF... spray it down and let it dry. Also might as well clean the IAT sensor while youre in there.

where is the IAT sensor? thanks for the help w/ the MAF. is it in the same spot?
 
amsgator said:
where is the IAT sensor? thanks for the help w/ the MAF. is it in the same spot?

On the Protege, the IAT sensor is the little black one that on the wiring harness is the closest to the MAF sensor plug.. it's the other thing on that bundle of wires going to the MAF. It's small, round, plugs into the intake using a rubber grommet. It's location? Couldn't tell you on the stock intake, haven't seen that thing in over 3 years :p

We should start a thread in the Protege how-to section and have mods move the Protege-related posts over there, no?
 
Kansei said:
On the Protege, the IAT sensor is the little black one that on the wiring harness is the closest to the MAF sensor plug.. it's the other thing on that bundle of wires going to the MAF. It's small, round, plugs into the intake using a rubber grommet. It's location? Couldn't tell you on the stock intake, haven't seen that thing in over 3 years :p

We should start a thread in the Protege how-to section and have mods move the Protege-related posts over there, no?

i'll do a how-to on this once i can get my MAF cleaner. :) what has to be done to clean the IAT? it's not sensitive like the MAF is it? i dont wanna damage the MAF so do i just spray it and around it?

attached pic of my intake. IAT is the sensor b4 the MAF correct?
 

Attachments

  • MAF.JPG
    MAF.JPG
    141 KB · Views: 390
yup that's the IAT. I guess if there's oil on it just wipe it off. It isn't sensitive.. like you can touch it and stuff. mine is cracked though (from the accident.. and the fact that it isn't installed in my intake at all, it's just hanging free in the engine bay) so I guess it's still a little fragile, but the MAF is just in a whole nother league of fragility.

We have an IAC as well that it on top of the throttle body and you need a special hollow torx bit to clean it... at over 80k miles I've never cleaned mine.
 
Back