MAF cleaning question

[langtonr]

Finally decided to clean my MAF today.

Looking round on here and on the net there seems to be 2 different methods.

isopropanol spray - http://www.wak-tt.com/mafclean/mafclean.htm
or
isopropanol bath - http://www.roadsleeper.com/gti/maf.html

Anyone got any opinions on which is best (and easiest) and which gets the best results?

 

[benk]

I did the spray method and it made no difference at all. Bought a new one for 80 quid (exchange) and car feels great again.

 

[Masterm8fo]

just bought a new one at weekend - like a new car !!!! so pleased !

 

[langtonr]

What symptoms were you guys getting before you changed them?

Mine doesn't seem to be running rough, but it seems to be taking longer to build up speed and revs escpecially in third.

I've done some test with vagcom and in January it was peaking at just under 150g/s but its down to about 110g/s now.

Does this sound like new MAF time or could it be something else? (didn't manage to clean it at the weekend, got a can of spray from Maplin but it wouldn't actually spray!)

 

[benk]

Mine was generally slower, and just felt like it was taking longer to pick up revs, regardless of gear.
There were no error codes (I asked guy to check during service), don't know about vag-com related diags as I don't have that.

When I spoke to an Audi/VW place about MAF's and said I was at 70k miles he said "yep, you'll need a new one". He was of the opinion that they under-read air as they get older, hence poorer performance, and that no amount of cleaning would fix that.
Based on what I saw, I would agree (for my MAF model at least).

I'm glad I got the new one anyway.

 

[Masterm8fo]

mine was hunting and wud not idle steady - was running rich
was general under performance through the range and hesitating and wud from time to time cut out when braking and approaching traffic lights/junctions (dangerous as u can imagine)
now is perfect and am seeing 30mpg around town
amazing difference

 

[langtonr]

Cleaned it up last night and its certainly going a hell of a lot better, but not sure if its still quite right - its now peaking at just over 140g/s.

From what I've read it should be peaking at about 168g/s for a 210 S3 - is it worth replacing the MAF?

 

[dickys3]

Are you taking it to the redline?

 

[langtonr]

its peaking at 141g/s at 6000RPM - Should I be taking it right to the line?

 

[dickys3]

[ QUOTE ]
its peaking at 141g/s at 6000RPM - Should I be taking it right to the line?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep!

You need to take it to the redline... 6000rpm is not enough.

Let us know the results..

Rich.

 

[langtonr]

Taking it up to the red line (although that only read 6800 in vagcom) its still only peaking at 146g/s

 

[dickys3]

Sounds low to me. Looks like it may need changing!

 

[langtonr]

Just been out in it again and it seems to be going as well as it did when I first got it, so think the new MAF can wait a while.

My audi dealer has finally fixed my headlight leveling problem, after only 7 visits!

so i'm back to being a happy S3 owner (apart from the slight rattle and creaking from the back end, but thats easily fixed by cranking the stereo up!)

Thanks for the help chaps.

 

[The Slug]

Is it just the fuse type wire that only needs cleaning, if so couldn't just use a cotton bud with isopro and gentley clean it?

 

[langtonr]

As far as I know its just the wire, but I think theres 2 bits and I'm not sure how easy it would be to get to the one at the back with a cotton bud.