How to: MAF Sensor Cleaning - DISCUSSION THREAD
 

96+ MAF Cleaning

This will guide you through removing, cleaning, and reinstalling your Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor. It's an easy job that takes less than an hour and can really benefit how your truck runs. My MAF did not appear to be very dirty at all (considering it had 134,000 miles on it) and I could tell a big difference in how the truck ran after I was finished.

This is a good time to inspect your air filter and replace or clean as necessary.

Tools needed:
- T20 Torx bit (or socket)
- In-lb Torque Wrench
- P2 or P3 Phillips head screwdriver (large – for removing air filter cover)
- 1/4" or 5/16" Flat blade screwdriver
- Sharpie marker (optional)

Materials needed:
- MAF cleaner (I used CRC Chemicals p/n 05110 available at most part stores). A lot of people have successfully used brake cleaner or other solvents that don't leave a residue, but I believe in using something made for the job. Consider buying 2 cans because I almost ran out before I was done and mine wasn't very dirty & you can always save the leftover for next time.
- Several Q-tips (how many you need will depend on how dirty your MAF is)

Approximate time: 30 to 45 minutes.

Optional, but helpful, hint: Use the Sharpie and draw a line across the MAF sensor to help reassembly if you have any concerns about what side of which part goes where.

The yellow arrow is pointing at your MAF sensor.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e..._IMG_00411.gif

Step 1:
Loosen the 4 Phillips head screws holding the air filter housing cover until you can lift the cover away from the housing (one of them is circled in the picture above). Loosen the band clamps on both sides of the MAF sensor.

Step 2:
Slide the air inlet hose off of the inlet side of the MAF sensor and then slide the MAF sensor off of the hose that goes to the throttle body.

Step 3:
Remove the 4 Torx screws from the MAF sensor and separate both halves of the aluminum housing from the actual MAF sensor.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...h_IMG_0045.gif

Step 4:
Use the plastic tube that comes with the cleaner; it gives you better accuracy and concentrates the pressure of the cleaner where you want it. Spray the MAF cleaner on the bars and wires in the sensor until you don't see any more debris coming off. This is just a rough cleaning. Now you will want to spray some cleaner on the end of a Q-tip and VERY GENTLY rub along the bars. Continue doing this with as many Q-tips as it takes until you don't see any more dirt on the end of the Q-tip.

NOTE!!!!! The little electronic parts you see connecting between the bars (pictured below) are extremely fragile so I chose to leave them alone & I suggest you do too. If you break one of the leads on these parts, stop cleaning and go buy yourself a new sensor.

This is what it looked like before I started:
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...h_IMG_0055.gif

This is what it should look like when you're done.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...h_IMG_0056.gif

Step 5:
Use the remaining MAF cleaner to clean the two housing sections. Make a point to spray through the inlet screen on the front half of the housing and get it as clean as possible.

Another Note: I have read where some people suggest removing the screen on the front housing to reduce air flow resistance. I don't recommend this. If you look closely at the screen, you will see that it is not actually a screen as we usually think of a bunch of wires in a crossing pattern. As you can see by the depth of the openings, they are actually a channel that smooths the air into a laminar (or straight) flow rather than a turbulent tumbling air flow. The MAF is calibrated using the laminar flow of air, so I don't think it will work as well as it was designed to if you remove the screen.


Step 6 (this is where the Sharpie line can help line things up):
Reassemble the housings onto the MAF sensor. Be aware that there is a front and a rear housing and they both have a top and bottom. The MAF sensor has an inlet and outlet side as well. It is marked as to which side points towards the air filter. Install and tighten the 4 Torx screws*.
*I did not have a manual that gave me the torque setting for these screws, but at work we use 25in-lbs for #10 steel screws into aluminum so that is what I used.

Step 7:
Slide the assembled MAF sensor onto the air tube going to the throttle body. Be sure this is not the side with the screen. There are little bosses on the sensor housing that line up with tabs on the hose to guide the sensor onto the hose properly. Then tighten the band clamp.


Step 8:
Slide the air tube coming from the air filter housing onto the MAF sensor lining up the tabs as in Step 7. Tighten the band clamp.

THIS IS THE TIME TO INSTALL THE NEW AIR FILTER IF YOU BOUGHT ONE


Step 9:
Install the air filter housing lid over the air filter and tighten the 4 Phillips head screws.

You are done! Now wasn't that easy?

RE: HOW TO Writeup : MAF Sensor Cleaning
 

Nice write up Garry!! I have posted it in the DIY section with a link to this thread. I have also changed the title of this thread to add the 'Discussion' to it.

I actually just did this again for a co-worker (Enzo) on his Bravada. His MAF looked exactly like yours before cleaning. Thought to do pictures, but once I start into something, I'm not stopping! LOL.