MAF cleaner. Any experiences??

[eltax91]

Hi all

I have an e61 525i, MY2006 which means it has the N52 engine. On Friday I noticed the car has a bit of a lumpy idle. It started happening after a very long journey. If I have the slush box in N it's lumpy, if in D it gives a random 'shake' through the car regularly after coming to a stop in traffic.

So, a bit of google suggests this might be the very early stages of MAF failure. Now, when I was a VAG fan boy, I'd consider the MAF a consumable, 50-60 quid and ten mins to DIY.

So, having a look for a MAF for the BMW it's a small fortune! 2 HUNDRED quid!! So, before I go down the road of throwing it out, is it worth buying some specialist MAF cleaner?

Just looking for experiences of those on the know. Would hate to do it only to find it has a reputation for killing MAF's!!!

[williredale]

eltax91 said:

Hi all

I have an e61 525i, MY2006 which means it has the N52 engine. On Friday I noticed the car has a bit of a lumpy idle. It started happening after a very long journey. If I have the slush box in N it's lumpy, if in D it gives a random 'shake' through the car regularly after coming to a stop in traffic.

So, a bit of google suggests this might be the very early stages of MAF failure. Now, when I was a VAG fan boy, I'd consider the MAF a consumable, 50-60 quid and ten mins to DIY.

So, having a look for a MAF for the BMW it's a small fortune! 2 HUNDRED quid!! So, before I go down the road of throwing it out, is it worth buying some specialist MAF cleaner?

Just looking for experiences of those on the know. Would hate to do it only to find it has a reputation for killing MAF's!!!

No idea about the BMW but I cleaned the MAF on my Volvo. It was a bit lumpy several thousand miles after I changed the standard air filter for a K&N. The oil from the filter had clogged the MAF sensor somewhat.

Anyway, on mine the sensor was very easy to access but I needed to buy a tamper proof torx set (five pointed ones with the peg in the middle) and a can of electrical contact cleaner from Halfords. Five minutes work but be careful of the wire in the sensor.

[nails1979]

Ive cleaned plenty with just squirting carb cleaner on them. Granted theyve been nissan ones but ive never broke one doing this.

[GC8]

Bargain!

Mine is close to £1,000 exchange! Even the normally aspirated part is £800. The real pisser is that theyre the same Bosch exchange stock which was available from Bosch agents for £150ea before Porsche flexed its muscles.

[TAHodgson]

I'm no boffin on BMW engine codes, but i've got an E46 325 that was doing the same thing. Cleaned it, no bother, all sorted.

[eltax91]

Cheers chaps. So, specialist cleaner required or can I do it with something more common? eBay seems to pimp a specific cleaner for MAF's, is this just a marketing name for electrical contact cleaner??

I have a can of plus gas in the cupboard, as well as some loctite degreaser in a green can. I presume neither of these are suitable?

It's raining at the mo anyway so I can't really be arsed, so if it needs to be a specialist cleaner then so much the better.

[duffy78]

Did mine with halfrauds electrical contact cleaner. Just make sure it's dry before you out it back in.

[m44kts]

My mate once bought a primera auto that wouldn't rev past 2000rpm, bought it for scrap value, drove it round the corner from the blokes house, squirted the maf with some carb cleaner and it was running fine. Definitely worth a shot.

[TobyLaRohne]

You need an electrical contact cleaner if you cant get a maf cleaner, they are both the same thing anyway. I wouldnt use carb cleaner (although you can) as it takes longer to evaporate and stands more of a chance of leaving a residue on the wires. Do not be tempted to use a cotton bud or anything like that as the wires are very sensitive and it's not worth buggering it up.

Just a few seconds spray on the wires in a ventilated area should do it.

I had this issue with my corvette and this had a noticable effect on the idle.

[kev b]

Whilst you're at it, check your intake trunking for splits as this is also a very common fault. If you find a split then superglue makes a good temporary repair, the parts are fairly cheap anyway.

[digger the goat]

Brake and clutch parts cleaner does the job too !

[panholio]

Do an ECU reset after.

[eltax91]

panholio said:

Do an ECU reset after.

Interesting additional point. 2 questions, how and why?

[_gez_]

eltax91 said:

Hi all

I have an e61 525i, MY2006 which means it has the N52 engine. On Friday I noticed the car has a bit of a lumpy idle. It started happening after a very long journey. If I have the slush box in N it's lumpy, if in D it gives a random 'shake' through the car regularly after coming to a stop in traffic.

So, a bit of google suggests this might be the very early stages of MAF failure. Now, when I was a VAG fan boy, I'd consider the MAF a consumable, 50-60 quid and ten mins to DIY.

So, having a look for a MAF for the BMW it's a small fortune! 2 HUNDRED quid!! So, before I go down the road of throwing it out, is it worth buying some specialist MAF cleaner?

Just looking for experiences of those on the know. Would hate to do it only to find it has a reputation for killing MAF's!!!

Is this the one? €90.
http://www.maf-shop.com/product_info.php/info/p111...

[J4CKO]

GC8 said:

Bargain!

Mine is close to £1,000 exchange! Even the normally aspirated part is £800. The real pisser is that theyre the same Bosch exchange stock which was available from Bosch agents for £150ea before Porsche flexed its muscles.

For the 944 Turbo ?

I just got one for my S2 for 14 quid (plus postage) off Ebay

It did look like it had been retrieved from the Titanic though, cleaned it and it works fine.

[bearman68]

Killed a diesel MAF the other day starting it on easy start. I know, another reason not to use easy start

[eltax91]

_gez_ said:

Is this the one? €90.
http://www.maf-shop.com/product_info.php/info/p111...

Sadly not. That's for the M54 engine. Mine is after the switched to the N52. ECP has a VDO (Siemens) branded one for £200

[J4CKO]

bearman68 said:

Killed a diesel MAF the other day starting it on easy start. I know, another reason not to use easy start

That and the very real possibility of ending up like a Tibetan Monk, i.e. running around on fire, please do not ask me how I know this....

[GC8]

J4CKO said:

GC8 said:

Bargain!

Mine is close to £1,000 exchange! Even the normally aspirated part is £800. The real pisser is that theyre the same Bosch exchange stock which was available from Bosch agents for £150ea before Porsche flexed its muscles.

For the 944 Turbo ?

I just got one for my S2 for 14 quid (plus postage) off Ebay

It did look like it had been retrieved from the Titanic though, cleaned it and it works fine.

Yes. The current full price is £795 for a normally aspirated 2.5l and NLA on PET for the Turbo.

Promax used to sell reconditioned AFMs for all models at around £150 which were supplied by Bosch, until Porsche had them all recalled to sell through the OPC network.

[J4CKO]

Wow, extra pleased, I finally got an Ebay bargain and at this rate will have enough parts to build another 944.