88pathoffroad Posted July 7, 2005 Share Posted July 7, 2005 How to clean your mass airflow sensor, for all 1987-1989 VG30i and Z24i engines, as well as 1990-1995 VG30E engines. The purpose of this article is to let people know how to clean their MAF sensor because it robs engine power when it's dirty. Cleaning the MAF sensor often solves idle or driveability problems, as well as giving better fuel mileage. The VG30i and KA24i engines both utilize a throttle body injection setup instead of the multi-port fuel injection used in the VG30E engines. The MAF sensor on a VG30i is on the driver's side of the TBI unit under the air cleaner. The MAF sensor on a 1990-1995 is located just before the rubber intake tube on top, just after the air filter box on the driver's side. VG30i engine, sans air cleaner. Also missing a few things I took off. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. 4-cylinder engines may differ in appearance, but the TBI unit is the exact same from 87-89. This is the mass airflow sensor located on the driver's side(right side from front of vehicle) of the throttle body injection unit(TBI). As you can see, it's got one wiring plug and harness, and three mounting screws. Unplug the wiring harness. The end plug has a tricky little wire snap-on retainer clip that you have to carefully pry out of it's groove before the plug comes off. This is what the TBI unit looks like after you unscrew the three screws with a large flat-head screwdriver, then gently pull the MAF sensor out while twisting a bit. Try not to use a Philips screwdriver on these, they strip out very easily and are probably threadlocked to begin with and very tight. A rubber o-ring keeps the MAF sensor sealed in there tight. My o-ring stuck inside the TBI when I took it off, so I carefully pulled the o-ring out and rolled it over the tip of the MAF sensor so I could reinstall it correctly. These are the heater wires of the MAF sensor. They are the delicate bits that make it work. If you damage either one of these wires or it's missing, you'll need a new MAF sensor. MAF Connector Carefully clean both these wires with rubbing (isopropyl)alcohol and a q-tip(ear swab) or carb cleaner. Be gentle, or you're going to damage the wires. They are very thin. After cleaning, a bit of light oil on the o-ring helps get it reinstalled easily. Push the MAF sensor in until it seats fully, being careful not to bump the heater wires while you're inserting it. Reinstall the three screws, plug the wiring harness back in and make sure the retainer clip is reinstalled OK, reinstall your air cleaner and enjoy. PICS FOR 90-95 VG30E engine!!! (Thanks, Precise1!) Stock air filter box: if you can't find this, stop now! MAF sensor wiring clip retainer wire: easiest removed with a pointed item by pushing forward on the end of the side of the clip. Up close view of VG30E MAF wires: They are no more than 1/4" from post to post, so be gentle! MAF housing, sensor removed on side of stock air filter box: As it would be oriented if mounted. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mws Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 This earns you 2 atta-boy points! Thanks for posting it. Do I see a couple throttle body spacers there? What are your conclusions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted July 8, 2005 Author Share Posted July 8, 2005 Yup, I made a pair of 3/8" spacers for the TBI out of polyethlene. Easy to work with, takes heat up to 260 degrees or so, but no results yet on power gains. I was trying that to see if it would improve gas mileage and allow for better fuel/air mixture ratios by spacing the injectors up a bit higher than stock. The longer metric studs were damn expensive to buy, too, like $2.50 each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 kool, thanks guys.. nnice write up 88.. i'll try to take a few pix in the next day or two or when i find the darn time to get'r done... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Thanks for the write up 88! I finally got around to doing this last night, probably one of the easier things I've done on the pathy! Hoping to suck every mile I can out of each gallon :-) Get this though! My truck idles A LOT smoother, and I don't have any engine stutter @ 45mph anymore! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transworldmoto Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 i just got done cleaning mine. well, i didnt get the result i was looking for, to say the least. my truck wont stay running without holding my foot on the throttle, the check engine light is on, and now i can't go past 2800rpm's. why is it that something breaks when i do it? the wires are perfectly in tact and everything is cool with the MAF. can anyone explain?!?!?!?! :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted July 31, 2005 Author Share Posted July 31, 2005 Methinks your wiring harness for the MAF sensor isn't plugged all the way in or something. Check your connections and make sure you put the o-ring back in with the sensor... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Has anyone tried this on an R50? Are there any significant differences in the MAF between the VG30e WD21s and the VG33e R50s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mtnmars Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Hello I'm about to try this as my 87 is not idoling very good. I just bought it this weekend as an every day driver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidTex01GT Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 Looks like I am going to try and solve my sputtering problem with this fix first! sly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted August 31, 2005 Author Share Posted August 31, 2005 I've also done this on my girlfriend's car, a Toyota Matrix. Same type of MAF sensor, with an additional temp sensor. I cleaned both and it runs great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted September 8, 2005 Share Posted September 8, 2005 I cleaned mine on my 95 and it's exactly the same, the only difference is the location of it. It's bolted on right after the air box. The cleaning procedure is exactly the same, as the MAF looks identical to 88's. mine has two screws and the thing is only about 2"x3".. it looks bigger in the pictures. the little filaments looked shiny but i swiped them anyway.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hastifc Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 thx for the info, was more beneficial because there was no o-ring to begin with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 Wow! All I have to say is WOW! I saw a 2mpg increase after cleaning my MAF! Simply amazing. My idle is smoother, accelleration response is a little quicker. I'm going to do this regularly now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ Dank Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 Yeah I did it when I first read the post but mine was pretty clean when I checked it out. So it didn't really make any noticeable difference for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinKernaghan Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 man you weren't kidding about those screws being fragile! I totally just rounded one of mine off quite nicely, even while using a flat head. Ouch. That's going to provide a nice challenge tomorrow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dowser Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 Hey Kevin, When you figure out how to get yours off let me know. The guy I bought mine from must have been screwing around with it cause now the bloody thing is completely pooched. :oops: Theres no way I'm getting the Bottom Screw off unless I try Dremeling a slot for a flat head but I wasn't about to try that cause with my luck.... well... Lets just say if it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all. :furious: Let me know how you do it if you do. Dowser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianRider Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 (edited) i got a .7 mpg increase after i cleaned my MAF on a 96 SE with 103 k miles .. i have never bought a car under 100 k miles and the first thing i do is throttle body clean up, new plugs and oil and MAF cleaning .. and i always got an increase in highway mpg ..from 27 to 29 mph on a 92 prelude, si, from 30-34 mpg on a 88 camry dx .. its so easy on the r 50, sits right on top of the air box tube housing ..1 min to get it off .. unplug sensor .. remove 2 screws .. 2 minutes to clean it with an alcohol swab .. on the pathy, right now im getting 17.5 mpg on highway mostly cruise control, and 14.5 - 15-5 mpg in city driving .. Edited November 18, 2005 by IndianRider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 Well, I just cleaned my MAF on a 95XE so I took some pictures to add here. Unfortunately, I can't get 88's pictures to show so I can't compare them. What seems odd to me is that Simon cleaned his 95 and said it was exactly the same as 88's (other than location), yet 88 mentions 3 screws and an O-ring. Mine has 2 screws and no hint of an O-ring, not even a mark or groove that I could see. Definitely feel free to chime in !! Anyway it wasn't really dirty but I think maybe it runs just a hair smoother ? No real difference for me. Here is the little clip that needs removing... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 You're right B. No O-Ring and only 2 screws. What I meant to say is that the cleaning portion is the same, not removal......my mistake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 Ok, no problem and thanks for clearing that up Simon, I thought there my have been different types... Good that there is not ! The location and the tools I used. I couldn't find my right angle screwdriver so I just used a hex bit and a wrench. It worked perfectly and they were tight ! A 1/4" drive ratchet would work fine also... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 The MAF it's self. There seem to be tiny ceramic elements (guessing) on the wires. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 And just for good luck, the housing.... This is an easy job with no issues other than not stripping the screws on removal, and being gentle with the MAF wires. Try my trick, and you'll have no problems ! Hope this helps. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93blkpathr Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 Mine has 2 screws and no hint of an O-ring, not even a mark or groove that I could see. Hey, Precise1, if you look at the pic of the MAF sensor you posted, the O-ring is right at the base of the black plastic tower where it meets the wide, flat plastic part. I just cleaned mine Sunday and it didn't look dirty at all either, but it helped take care of my high idle problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 Hmm, there didn't seem to be one there, it looked like a solid piece of plastic to me... I could be wrong as I was busy being paranoid about those tiny elements (unnecessarily so)... I'll take your word for it, I'm not pulling it apart again just to look !! B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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