Cleaning MAF - overall success rate of cleaning vs replacing? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

23109VC · 03-01-2010, 11:33 AM

I got a CEL recently. checking the code here - it is my MAF. I cleared th code, and it came back w/in 30 min of driving. same code.

I bought the MAF cleaner and am going to clean it this weekend.

I'm obviously going to try cleaning it first as that cost me nothing more than the price of the MAF cleaner.

I'm just wondering - is the average 'success' rate for cleaning a maf high or low? meaning - are the odds in my favor that this will actually correct my problem and if so - for how long? do the MAFs typically fail at a certain point and MUST be repalced, or do some MAFS go "forever" and simply need cleaning?

my car has 77k miles. it's the original MAF. my water pump recently went out and I was told, and confirmed here, that MANY of them fail at about when mine did and so even had I limpedmine along even furhter, it was just a matter of WHEN, not *if* it was going to fail. I'm wondering if hte MAF is the same way,a nd so even though I may clean it...I should just expect that I will have to repalce is sometime in the near future???

also, if I just changed out the MAF with a new one, should I expect the car to drive/perform any better vs if I just clean it? my car seems to run fine, I do notice some VERYm ild rpm fluctuation at idel..but it's MINOR...overall I'd say my car seems to run fine...

just wondering if cleaning the MAF is likely going to be a nice cheap fix or jus ta band aid on a a future imminent failure???

mikefocke · 03-01-2010, 11:52 AM

is that the codes can be for many things. One I thought was MAF from the one line description (and what people were posting) turned out to be an air leak in the intake but could have been 3 or 4 other things. I cleaned the MAF first. And am still running 3 years and about 8k miles later with the original MAF (56K miles total). But, at least in my case, the MAF itself wasn't the problem though from the code it could have been.

Post the code Pnnnn and we'll give you a list of what it could be direct from the folks who designed in those codes.

At least cleaning the darn thing gives you an excuse to buy a new tool and the cleaner itself is pretty darn cheap. And if it works, a big win.

blinkwatt · 03-01-2010, 11:55 AM

It's a band aid. Look around on past threads,people always end up replacing them.

Boxtaboy · 03-01-2010, 12:25 PM

If you know for sure the code is being thrown from a bad MAF sensor, then cleaning it will only be a temporary fix.

What is the code that the car is throwing?

ChrisZang · 03-01-2010, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blinkwatt

It's a band aid. Look around on past threads,people always end up replacing them.

+1 from me

Viper5 · 03-01-2010, 12:41 PM

what code is it throwing?

Steve Tinker · 03-01-2010, 12:53 PM

I cleaned my MAF & throttle body @ 65,000km (both looked very clean), I then bought a Durametric and checked the codes @ 69,000km and found code P0102 - Mass Air Sensor below limit value. The MAF was replaced (warranty) and I found a real improvement in mid-range engine response and a de-crease in fuel consumption.
So I suspect that the MAF failure is not just an on/off type breakdown but is a gradual degradation so you don't immdediately notice a falloff in performance....
That Durametric paid for itself first time out - what a great tool !

Lobo1186 · 03-01-2010, 02:16 PM

just because cleaning it is a temporary fix does not mean it isnt worth doing... I was throwing codes related to the maf. Cleaned it and cleared it and it hasnt come back several hundreds of miles later.

if you doint want to spring for a new MAF a few dollars spent on cleaner will buy you some time.

eightsandaces · 03-01-2010, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lobo1186

just because cleaning it is a temporary fix does not mean it isnt worth doing... I was throwing codes related to the maf. Cleaned it and cleared it and it hasnt come back several hundreds of miles later.

if you doint want to spring for a new MAF a few dollars spent on cleaner will buy you some time.

Agreed, it's not like you have to do major dissassembly or spend a lot to clean it first, although I must say the heads on the fasteners holding mine in just pissed me off; just how many different wrenches are they going to make me buy?