Celica Forums Install Guides and Technical Articles Engine and Transmission Guides MAF Sensor - How To Clean

Cleaning the MAF Sensor
Pictures & Edits by jummywummy@hotmail.com

The Mass Air Flow sensor is crucial to the fuel systems operation. This is the sensor that the engine computer uses to measure how much air is entering the engine so that it may properly deliver the proper amount of fuel. A dirty MAF sensor hot wire may cause several problems to include: difficult start, poor acceleration, pinging, rough idling, to name a few. This whole procedure should take you less than ten minutes.

Use Q-Tips and "CRC Mass Air Flow Sensor Cleaner [crcindustries.com]" . A cleaner that will not attack plastic or leave a residue on the wires. Its available for about $8 USD at your local auto parts retailer.

Pics are self explanatory



1. Locate the MAF Sensor on the air Intake pipe just behind the air filter box. Remove the MAF Sensor from the air Intake pipe by removing the two Phillips screws.




2. Disconnect the MAF Sensor wire harness by pressing the tab and pulling.




3. Spray cleaner on to the platinum wires liberally to clean off any built on dirt residue. You may want to remove the rubber o-ring around the housing to prevent the possibility of the cleaning agent making it brittle.






4. Inspect the platinum hot wire inside the MAF housing. You can see the air temperature thermistor on the side in this view.



5. Replace the cleaned MAF sensor back into air Intake pipe.


6. Put it all back together and you're done.


Here is a before and after MAF cleaning dyno chart plotting torque over RPM.



There's no magical power gain, but it's a good idea to keep your engine maintained.

Check the MAF for dirt and deposits every time you check the air filter, and that should help keep your engine running at top Performance.

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CRC Mass Air Flow Sensor Cleaner [crcindustries.com] is available for about $8 USD at your local auto parts retailer.

Awesome...i've had to do this for awhile...now i think i will

you always have some valuable info GREAT WORK man.. DYNO and everything what else can you ask for!!

Be careful when you do this cause if you mess up you just cost yourself a $200-$300 core.

Man Isaac I have been trying to figure out what was wrog with my car for the longest time now, thanks you just saved me some money cause I was gonna take it to the shop, who knows what they would have came up with and charged me.

Awsome work!

Something I have to look out for now...

i tried to disconnect it but had a hard time taking it off...is it really supposed to be hard to diconnect it??? or is it unnessary to do so?

noob question, if i buy a new Intake do i get a new maf then since i tried to look on some pics and to me its seem like its sitting on the Intake or is it just me thats sleeeeepy

to oas...
https://celicahobby.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/229825/maf-question.html

That was very useful information for finally solving a long term problem of mine.
Thanks!

What happened if I cleaned with carburetor cleaner? I could damage it ? And why you said 200 to 300 cost if I mess it up, I saw the part on ebay $12

Buying from eBay vs buying directly from Toyota.

Possibly used product pulled from a salvage or damaged vehicle vs guaranteed new, never used product directly from the OEM.

Im not saying your $12 eBay part is bad, but it does require some understanding of why that part is being auctioned for only $12 vs its possible $200 retail price.