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

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?

23109VC · 03-01-2010, 05:37 PM

this is exactly what was displayed on my scanner tool...

P0102
MIL ON
MONITRS
4 inc
catalyst
evap
sec air
O2 sensor
4 ready
Misfire
Fuel
Comp
O2 HTR

I know the first line was the errror code, the rest of the stuff is gibberish to me.

Lobo1186 · 03-01-2010, 07:01 PM

what tuner is it. if its the 40ish dollar actron then everything after the code is just option screens or somthing.

23109VC · 03-01-2010, 07:52 PM

yes, it is the cheapy litle $40ish reader made by actron..I got it at Pepboys a few years back...

so basically all I know is this:

P0102

I cleared the code, it came right back. the car seems to run fine.

the only thing that was somewhat abnormal/different about the day the CEL came on first was that I hit my rev limiter... I wasn't paying attention, and revved it up and BAM...hit the limiter. felt like it misfired or somethign... later on that same drive the CEL came on. at first I thought hitting the limiter did it...but the code is supposedly MAF related....

my car seems to drive fine. nothign out of the ordinary at all.

if this is the MAF, then maybe I shoudl just bite the bullet and change it out. ?? I have the cleaner...so I could clean it, but if I"m just delaying the inevitable...

or is this code really potentially all sorts of other things? can the dealer poinpoint WHAT is really wrong with their equipment?

my car is going in to the dealer tomorrow to get a road force balance job on all four wheels AND to get an oil change. (i get free oil changes at the dealer)

so while it is there - I could ask them to look at it. although if it IS the MAF, no way I'm paying them full price to replace it when I see how much cheaper they can be had via the internet and how easy it is to change it. but I could get an expert diagnosis...if in fact they can figure out exactly what it is w/their equipment... as I'ms ure they have more exact diagnostic tools than my stupid little $40 code reader...

thanks.

ARModen · 03-02-2010, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 23109VC

yes, it is the cheapy litle $40ish reader made by actron..I got it at Pepboys a few years back...

so basically all I know is this:

P0102

I cleared the code, it came right back. the car seems to run fine.

the only thing that was somewhat abnormal/different about the day the CEL came on first was that I hit my rev limiter... I wasn't paying attention, and revved it up and BAM...hit the limiter. felt like it misfired or somethign... later on that same drive the CEL came on. at first I thought hitting the limiter did it...but the code is supposedly MAF related....

That was not technically a misfire. The engine cuts the spark at high rev to prevent damage to the engine. With one of the durametrics or the shop readers you can see how many sparks it actually interrupted. There's nothing particularly wrong with doing that, it's working as designed. The additional air flow through the engine of driving hard contributed to clogging the MAF sensor but it was probably due soon anyway. Mike's right that it could be several things, but by and far the most likely is that the MAF has just accumulated some dirt.

23109VC · 03-03-2010, 06:30 PM

so assuming it's my MAF... which is sounds like it probably is...

is the best option to "clean" it...or just break down and replace it???

one concern I have is this -= will cleaning it make it work 100% or will cleaning it only be a band aid ona failing part that is already not working at it's proper level?

basically..if I swap out the tMAF for a new one....will my car be at let's say 100% performance, ,but cleaning it will only put me at 95%?

or will cleaning it potentially be a $15 fix that will get me 10-20-30k more miles of 100% perforamnce???

if the MAF is only a couple hundred bucks...I'd change it if cleaning it is a substandard way to fix it..but if cleaning it wil make the existing one perform/work as well as anew one...then i'll clean it and wiagt for it to toally faill......

i don't wan to clean it if that is just going to put a dull shine on an already substandard part..

i don't realluy understnad what a MAF does or how it works. if they wear out and fail..then maybe putting anew one in woudl somehow make the car run better? or maybe cleaning it vs putting a new one in would be totally undetectable by me..and clenaing it might get me 6 montsh to a year of trouble free driving..

i'm not interested in wasting money to repalce somethign that can be cleaned, but I also don't want to try and put a band aid on a fatal wound....

anyone care to offer some advice? tell me what to do?

Boxtaboy · 03-02-2010, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 23109VC

this is exactly what was displayed on my scanner tool...

P0102
MIL ON
MONITRS
4 inc
catalyst
evap
sec air
O2 sensor
4 ready
Misfire
Fuel
Comp
O2 HTR

I know the first line was the errror code, the rest of the stuff is gibberish to me.

You should read your manual that came with the reader, but if I'm reading this right, the first line shows the error code. The next line is saying your CEL light is on. The line after that is saying there are 4 incomplete monitors that are not ready to be read, and then lists them. Then, it shows the other 4 that are complete and ready to monitor. This info is useful if you are planning to get your state inspection, recently cleared any codes and want to know if you've driven enough to reset all the monitors.

mikefocke · 03-02-2010, 01:43 PM

could be:
– Open circuit
– Short circuit to ground
– Mass air flow sensor

The diagnostic flow chart suggests checking both sides of the MAF to DME wiring before it finally leads you to the change MAF box where it also suggests an air filter replacement.

Easy way is a MAF swap and drive for an hour with CEL turned off. No CEL after a long drive, problem solved. But that assumes you have the MAF part to throw at the problem and that gets expensive.