Cleaning the MAF?

[RockRobster]

How does one go about cleaning the MAF on an EA82 engine?

 

I am still chasing a minor driveability issue, and am wondering about cleaning the MAF?  i am worried about damaging it.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Turbone]

What year?

If its 86(87?) and up it will have a hotwire and should only be cleaned with MAF cleaner that you can get at the parts store.

[MilesFox]

If it is SPFI , you will have to remove the screws and lift the MAF sensor up out of the housing. You will see 2 little filaments Clean them with 'CRC' mass airflow sensor cleaner. 

 

I have seen thes where the filaments have broken off. Check that as that could be a problem.

[RockRobster]

Thanks for the responses, guys.  I appreciate it.

 

It is the SPFI, and now I have a clear idea how to procede.  I will pick up some CRC cleaner today and take a whack at it.

 

Should be pretty straightforward.

[RockRobster]

I bought a can of CRC MAF cleaner yesterday and did the cleaning. 

 

Before cleaning, I inspected the probe ends.  They were pretty clean, no crud on them, but had a very slight patina to them.

 

I performed the cleaning operation, now the probe ends were shiny, so they did clean up a little.  Not sure they were dirty enough to be an issue.

 

Put the system back together and went for the test drive.  Seemed to be yet a small step better in smoothness/driveability.  Maybe that is wishfull thinking

 

I am still chasing that last bit of smooth driveability, still lurches a bit at times, I am still thinking it is something (or many little somethings) in the engine control circuit.  Still, much better than when I got her 2 weeks ago.

 

Thanks again for the replies, I really do appreciate the knowledge/experience sharing thing happening here.