MAF cleaning

[Audi Parts Guru]

I'm going to clean my MAF tomorrow using IPA.Has anyone else tried this using IPA or any other cleaning agent ?

[Mark Halligan]

Well aint that weird, so am I

Great minds think alike

I'm going to use something I bought today for the job, a can of Castrol metal parts cleaner, it says on the tin that its good for brakes, sparkplugs and electrical switches amongst other things. Hope it works cos I'm convinced my MAF is playing up.

Whats IPA?

Mark.

[Audi Parts Guru]

Originally posted by Mark Halligan
Whats IPA?

Mark.

Isopropyl alcohol.............Maplins sell a 1 litre can for £10

[AbsS2]

If you can, TAKE PICS!. We need such guides for us non techy nonces

[jubjub]

sorry lads but bit of a novice, is the maf easy to take of and how do you clean it?

[Glen Chamberlain]

I cleaned my maf plug with common brake cleaner and its been fine since! high recomend it!

[newsh]

Clean the connector contacts too, I'm absolutely convinced that this is what has fixed the poor running problems and overboostcutout at 5lbs boost that has be plagueing my car since I got it over a year ago.

Its not that easy to effectively clean the inside of the female side of the connector, you can wash off the dirt but there may still be a layer of oxidation on the contacts, there are dissimilar metals at work here..

I did it the first time with carb cleaner and followed it up with silicon grease but it didn't last long, I think, with a bit of vibration, the connector moves it'self back to exactly the same position and the fault re-appears..

I got some special contact cleaner and conditioner called Deoxit made by Caig Labs. Distributed here by Probus Electronics.

This stuff is amazing, if you put it on the ends of your torch batteries it makes the torch brighter, I've been going round my car fixing things with it, I sorted out my numberplate lights that were all corroded up in seconds.
It makes you headlights brighter, I did the ECU connector with it too. Its completely non aggressive to metals, the spray is a 5% solution, it would probably work for the MAF wire too.



Caig Laboratories Deoxit Power Booster

Probus Electronics Ltd
Findon, Southill Lane
Eastcote
Ruislip
HA5 2EQ (Road Map)
Middlesex
Tel: 020 8866 7272
Fax: 020 8866 2999

Phone up and ask for Warren

[jubjub]

am i right in thinking the MAF is the little black box connectedto quite a big pipe just before the air box, on the left of the engine as you look...?

[Mark Halligan]

Newsh,

Thanks for the info on the Deoxit cleaner, I think I might try this stuff out, I've just cleaned my MAF wire with Castrols metal cleaner and while its nice and clean in there now I've noticed that the front face of the wire (up wind of airflow) is noticeably darker with deposits than the back (down wind side) which is nice and shiny. And my attempts to clean it dont seem to have made much difference visually .
How does it come, in a spray can or tin and how much?

Cheers,

Mark.

P.S. Abs, I would have took photos, but my MAF is in a different location cos of my mods, they would'nt help much mate

[Glen Chamberlain]

You'd be dead right there m8! Thats the little trouble causer right there! I've also slightly and i mean slightly twisted the pins in the MAF with a pair of long nose pliers to make it a tighter fit in the plug. BE CAREFULL! DON'T ATEMPT THIS IF YOU ARE IN ANY DOUBT COS IF YOU BUST IT, IT'S ARROUND £150 NOTES FOR A NEW EN!
Fixed it for me though!

[newsh]

Originally posted by Mark Halligan
Newsh,


How does it come, in a spray can or tin and how much?

Cheers,

Mark.

Several ways to buy it, check the CAIG site, I bought an aerosol and a pen, you can also buy wipes and little bottles with a brush, up to you, I did a fair bit of reading about the products before buying, there's a tutorial on the site. Oh yeah, not cheap, I think about £12 a can, worth it though..
Dont try buying on the Caig website though cos they have a distributor deal with Probus for the UK so the sale will not go through, (I wasted a bit of time doing that)

Tutorial

[Mikes2]

If you're using IPA, buy it from a chemist. You get half a litre for a few quid.

When I did mine I left it to soak overnight

[audiman]

Heres a pic, gonna try and clean mine today. I really dont think that it is that playing up, but I am now clutching to straws to find my running problem.

[audiman]

Please ignore my engine bay mess, this was not long after doing the head job and its not all back in there. Plus i cant be arsed to polish it

[AbsS2]

Are you guys gonna clean just the contacts? if so, are u gonna dip the both sides of the connector ito this soulution? I ve tried to clean it but the female side of the connector is a real PITA. the only way i can think of making sure the solution can get everywhere is to dip the connector into the soultion. But i think that would be a bad idea . Maybe im wrong.

What else you guys gonna clean on it?