How To: Clean Your Mass Air Flow Sensor

[Maverick]

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A 355nation (CCP) presented by
Maverick/econobarn

Project Name
How-To: Clean Your Mass Air Flow Sensor

Project Description
A mass airflow sensor is used to determine the mass of air entering the engine. The air mass information is necessary to calculate and deliver the correct fuel mass needed by the engine. There are two common types of mass airflow sensors in usage on gasoline engines. They are the vane meter and the hot wire; our trucks have a hot wire sensor.

If the mass air flow sensor becomes dirty it can no longer tell the engine how much air is really getting in. If the engine doesn’t know how much air is coming in it doesn’t know how much fuel to inject into the cylinder. This can cause the engine to idle funny and not get enough fuel which is also called running ‘lean’. Running lean can cause excessive combustion temperatures and lead to engine damage or destruction. Most problems are from "oiled" element air filters such as K&N. More oil is not better on an air filter.

Skill Level
Easy

Project Vehicle
Make: Chevrolet
Model: Colorado Z71
Year: 2005
Engine: 5cly
Power windows: Yes
Sun Roof: No

Tool Needed
CRC Mass Air Flow Sensor Cleaner (DO NOT use carburetor cleaner or brake cleaner, those leave residue and will make the sensor in worse condition)
Ratchet with a 7/32 socket

Project Time
15min or less

Project Cost
$5.00

The first thing you’ll need to do is locate the sensor. It is located in your intake tube right after the air filter. Your intake may look different.



Now that you have found it it’s time to disconnect it so it can be removed from the intake tube. Completely unplug the electrical connector.





With your ratchet remove the 2 screws from the intake tube.



Once the 2 screws have been removed gently lift the MAF out of the intake tube.



Take your can of CRC Mass Air Flow Sensor Cleaner and attach the red spray tube, this will ensure the liquid only goes where we want it to and not all over your hands and everything else in the area.



Hold the MAF by the top portion of the sensor and spray 10-15 short blasts into all of the openings. Make sure not to touch any of the wires or sensors inside the MAF with your fingers or the plastic spray tube, doing so will result in a broken sensor.



Now that you have soaked the MAF let it sit for 5-10 minutes to dry.



After it is dry simply put the sensor back into the intake tube.



Secure the sensor with the 2 screws you removed and plug the electrical connector back in.



With the sensor secured and plugged it’s now safe to start your truck. If the sensor was dirty prior to cleaning it you should notice a slight improvement in idle and in some cases the performance difference can be quite drastic. Try to clean your MAF with every air filter change or air filter cleaning if you have a cleanable air filter. For the guys who use a K&N filter I would clean it 100-200 miles after you clean your filter, that gives some time for the excess oil to dissipate.

[S.Shultz04]

Nice post, great directions!

[colorado74]

nice post

[Mrbrock21]

Holy old thread batman!!! This was originally posted in 2007!

[Dirigo355]

Didn't know anything about this but what a difference it made. Simple too! Thanks for the write up.

Originally Posted by Dirigo355

Didn't know anything about this but what a difference it made. Simple too! Thanks for the write up.

you're welcome.

[MotorCityRado]

How do you know if the MAF sensor is broken? im gonna clean it soon but I do remember the first time I oiled my K&N I might of over done it which I NOW know is bad and can break the MAF sensor.

[craig6970]

Im going to clean mine tonight. I have 64K and never done it. It has been running a little rough. I did clean my throttle body recently

[edvocho]

didn't even know there was a how to on this

[emaxxer]

Originally Posted by Jon.Rea86

How do you know if the MAF sensor is broken? im gonna clean it soon but I do remember the first time I oiled my K&N I might of over done it which I NOW know is bad and can break the MAF sensor.

It wont brake it but it can cause it to read inaccurately so if you just clean it every oil change or every other oil change, you'll be okay.

I have pretty hands.

[05 bow tie]

ive talked to a guy at work about this cause i get a bit of rough idle myself where i feel it in my seat, but he says there is an after burner if u will that is supposed to burn off and clean itself do ares have that cause im gonna get at this this week and see

[Korydogg]

Very good write up....gonna add this to my "to-do" list!

[crazyeyez]

Nice write up. But, side note, my 05 3.5L uses allan key bolts, not socket head bolt to hold maf. not sure if thats a fluke or not.

[Jeff_C]

Sorry to resurrect this, but as an FYI to newer members who may be searching for this how to, newer trucks have a different style MAF that is secured with two T20 torx screws.

Here are some pics showing the new style MAF:

Note vertical orientation of connector, and the T20 Torx screws:


Side 1:


Side 2:


Side 3: