Cleaning mass air flow sensor

What's the best to clean the air flow sensor? I've noticed
electronics cleaner,,, would that be contact cleaner? I have some
"tuner cleaner" but I think it has some kind of lube in it..
Do you clean it every so often as Preventative Maintenance?

I have a 96 mustang with 135,000 miles on it. I did have an error
code last spring that popped up concerning the sensor, followed by one
lean bank. About this time had EGR faults which I repaired. Never
had any more codes concerning Mass Air or lean bank.
I know having a problem in one place, will cause fault codes for items
down stream...

If you reset a code you think is false alarm... then drive 200 miles
highway and city with no recurrence,, do you consider it just a false
alarm (barring a intermittent broken wire..) ?

Thanks
Chuck

A simple google search gets you lots of hints on cleaning.

But there's ALSO a lot of ignorance about it!

Use rubbing alcohol, cheap and leaves NO residue. DO NOT USE WINDEX or any
spray automotive degreaser
!
- AND-

The thing IS NOT real fragile, soft-medium bristle paint or chip brush works
fine... key is dont drop it or bend anything.


Remove the sensor fron the housing, directly. Use locking pliers, replace
screws with same thread phillips if you want.

If you want to clean the MAF housing body, do it with any spray cleaner..
with sensor removed.


Chuck opined in :

> What's the best to clean the air flow sensor? I've noticed
> electronics cleaner,,, would that be contact cleaner? I have some
> "tuner cleaner" but I think it has some kind of lube in it..
> Do you clean it every so often as Preventative Maintenance?
>
> I have a 96 mustang with 135,000 miles on it. I did have an error
> code last spring that popped up concerning the sensor, followed by one
> lean bank. About this time had EGR faults which I repaired. Never
> had any more codes concerning Mass Air or lean bank.
> I know having a problem in one place, will cause fault codes for items
> down stream...
>
> If you reset a code you think is false alarm... then drive 200 miles
> highway and city with no recurrence,, do you consider it just a false
> alarm (barring a intermittent broken wire..) ?
>
> Thanks
> Chuck
>
>
>

BTW... another ignorant thing to do is use a Q tip! That is so stupid that I
ALWAYS forget to include it on my first response.


If you leave a couple fibers on the sensor wires, that could disturb air flow
over the sensor. Not saying it would, but why do that in the first place!
Right tool for the job is a bristled paint brush. it gets between wire
windings down to the bobbin/substrate

- - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - -
And if you reset and lite doesnt come back after learning cycle, yes.. was
either transient problem or marginal result of other malfunction.



Backyard Mechanic opined

> A simple google search gets you lots of hints on cleaning.
>
> But there's ALSO a lot of ignorance about it!
>

>>
>> If you reset a code you think is false alarm... then drive 200 miles
>> highway and city with no recurrence,, do you consider it just a false
>> alarm (barring a intermittent broken wire..) ?
>>

Brake cleaner works just as well as electronic parts cleaner and can be
bought at any parts store.

Chuck wrote:
> What's the best to clean the air flow sensor? I've noticed
> electronics cleaner,,, would that be contact cleaner? I have some
> "tuner cleaner" but I think it has some kind of lube in it..
> Do you clean it every so often as Preventative Maintenance?
>
> I have a 96 mustang with 135,000 miles on it. I did have an error
> code last spring that popped up concerning the sensor, followed by one
> lean bank. About this time had EGR faults which I repaired. Never
> had any more codes concerning Mass Air or lean bank.
> I know having a problem in one place, will cause fault codes for items
> down stream...
>
> If you reset a code you think is false alarm... then drive 200 miles
> highway and city with no recurrence,, do you consider it just a false
> alarm (barring a intermittent broken wire..) ?
>
> Thanks
> Chuck
>
>

In addition to Michaels comment..... if you have a soft bristle brush (along
the lines of a "babies first toothbrush") you can use this gently. Whether
anyone thinks this is a hardy sensor or not, there is no sense nor need to
get rammy with the thing. I am told that the sensing elements do have a
coating on them. Repeated, unnecessary cleaning *may* be hard on the
coating. I use a magnifying glass to inspect the sensor and use my best
judgement as to whether cleaning is warranted or not.

Lastly, depending on year/make/model/engine/computer strategy, there may be
a "burn off" cycle so be sure to let the piece air dry thoroughly before
reinstalling it.


"Michael Johnson, PE" > wrote in message
...
> Brake cleaner works just as well as electronic parts cleaner and can be
> bought at any parts store.
>

Jim Warman opined in news:EZoqd.9893$cE3.7263@clgrps12:

> In addition to Michaels comment..... if you have a soft bristle brush
> (along the lines of a "babies first toothbrush") you can use this
> gently. Whether anyone thinks this is a hardy sensor or not, there is no
> sense nor need to get rammy with the thing. I am told that the sensing
> elements do have a coating on them. Repeated, unnecessary cleaning *may*
> be hard on the coating. I use a magnifying glass to inspect the sensor
> and use my best judgement as to whether cleaning is warranted or not.
>
> Lastly, depending on year/make/model/engine/computer strategy, there may
> be a "burn off" cycle so be sure to let the piece air dry thoroughly
> before reinstalling it.
>
>
> "Michael Johnson, PE" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Brake cleaner works just as well as electronic parts cleaner and can be
>> bought at any parts store.
>>
>
>

Yer both allowed....

But that gets down to what I said, there's a lot of mis-perceptions out
there.

I DO respectfully submit that a CLEAN paint brush is less prone to damage the
sensor than a toothbrush, no matter the bristle, mainly because its hard
parts are farther away.

And almost every modern coating is relatively impervious to alcohol, short-
term

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 19:57:29 GMT, Backyard Mechanic
> wrote:

>Jim Warman opined in news:EZoqd.9893$cE3.7263@clgrps12:
>
>> In addition to Michaels comment..... if you have a soft bristle brush
>> (along the lines of a "babies first toothbrush") you can use this
>> gently. Whether anyone thinks this is a hardy sensor or not, there is no
>> sense nor need to get rammy with the thing. I am told that the sensing
>> elements do have a coating on them. Repeated, unnecessary cleaning *may*
>> be hard on the coating. I use a magnifying glass to inspect the sensor
>> and use my best judgement as to whether cleaning is warranted or not.
>>
>> Lastly, depending on year/make/model/engine/computer strategy, there may
>> be a "burn off" cycle so be sure to let the piece air dry thoroughly
>> before reinstalling it.
>>
>>
>> "Michael Johnson, PE" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Brake cleaner works just as well as electronic parts cleaner and can be
>>> bought at any parts store.
>>>
>>
>>
>
>Yer both allowed....
>
>But that gets down to what I said, there's a lot of mis-perceptions out
>there.
>
>I DO respectfully submit that a CLEAN paint brush is less prone to damage the
>sensor than a toothbrush, no matter the bristle, mainly because its hard
>parts are farther away.
>
>And almost every modern coating is relatively impervious to alcohol, short-
>term
Thanks for the advice guys... I'm going to open it up and look at it
this afternoon... but without Q tips! (but Q tips was what I would
have tried if you hadn't reposted!)
Chuck

Phew, I guess I'm lucky. I used a Q-tip without any obvious problems when I
cleaned the sensor wire a couple of years ago.

--
Richard

'94 GT 'vert
Under Drive Pulleys
Transgo HD2 Reprogramming Kit
High Stall Torque Converter
4:10 Gears
Gripp Sub Frame Connectors (welded)
FRPP Aluminum Drive shaft
FRPP M5400-A Suspension
Laser Red

"Chuck" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 19:57:29 GMT, Backyard Mechanic
> > wrote:
>
> >Jim Warman opined in news:EZoqd.9893$cE3.7263@clgrps12:
> >
> >> In addition to Michaels comment..... if you have a soft bristle brush
> >> (along the lines of a "babies first toothbrush") you can use this
> >> gently. Whether anyone thinks this is a hardy sensor or not, there is
no
> >> sense nor need to get rammy with the thing. I am told that the sensing
> >> elements do have a coating on them. Repeated, unnecessary cleaning
*may*
> >> be hard on the coating. I use a magnifying glass to inspect the sensor
> >> and use my best judgement as to whether cleaning is warranted or not.
> >>
> >> Lastly, depending on year/make/model/engine/computer strategy, there
may
> >> be a "burn off" cycle so be sure to let the piece air dry thoroughly
> >> before reinstalling it.
> >>
> >>
> >> "Michael Johnson, PE" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >>> Brake cleaner works just as well as electronic parts cleaner and can
be
> >>> bought at any parts store.
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >Yer both allowed....
> >
> >But that gets down to what I said, there's a lot of mis-perceptions out
> >there.
> >
> >I DO respectfully submit that a CLEAN paint brush is less prone to damage
the
> >sensor than a toothbrush, no matter the bristle, mainly because its hard
> >parts are farther away.
> >
> >And almost every modern coating is relatively impervious to alcohol,
short-
> >term
> Thanks for the advice guys... I'm going to open it up and look at it
> this afternoon... but without Q tips! (but Q tips was what I would
> have tried if you hadn't reposted!)
> Chuck