[JOHN317]

My 94 Z28 wasn't running well the other day. Step on the gas and it would just blubber, almost like it was vapor locking or fuel starving. The check engine light came on. Drove it over to my mechanic right away. He hooked up to his computer and took it for a ride. Came back and said the was getting airflow readings that varied from 43 cfm to 80 cfm (not real sure about the unit of measure) at the throttle body. He said the Mass Air Flow Sensor was bad. I had just installed a K&N Filter! Had the same exact thing happen when I installed one on my 2004 Gmc Envoy XUV.. Has anyone else had a MAF Sensor go bad due to K&N oil contamination??

 

[Silver Bullit]

Not all all unheard of, I see it more so on the pickups. GM has a bullitin out that
advises of just this potintial problem..# 04-07-30-013 GM Doc. #1468758. The key words seem to be "Excessivly oiled air filter", specificly causing oil to get onto the
mass air flow sensor, causing SES lights, transmission shift concerns and possibly
engine driveablility concerns....Good luck
:boxing

 

[Donna & John]

This issue is real improtant for auto tranny cars. Not only do you have shifting/driveability issues, it can cause tranny failures. That is why GM issued the TSB; basically deny any transmission warranty claims if the vehicle has an oile air filter installed.

Your MAF may be able to be saved. It needs to be cleaned. Excess oil on the air fliter causes a residue build-up on the wires in the MAF. The residue throws off the airflow readings, which is what causes all the problems.

The residue can be cleaned off the wires with rubbing alcohol and Q-tips. You need to be very, very careful and not put very much pressure on the wires inside the MAF. They are pretty fine and can break easily. If a wire breaks, then the MAF is ruined.

Hope this helps.....

 

[beer100]

In total ignorance I am asking...

Wouldn't a can of either carb or brake cleaner do the job? I'm assuming the part would be off of the vehicle when the spray was used.

The point of the question is really to ask if there was a way to clean the wires without needing to touch them with a q-tip.

 

[JOHN317]

Thanks Guys for your Response.

I going to try the carb cleaner idea. I'm not sure I could be careful enough for the Q-Tip treatment. It's worth a try to save >$100. :leaving

 

[Donna & John]

I'm not sure if Carb/Brake Cleaner will take care of it. You could certainly try it, then go to "plan B" if it doesn't work. You need to get ALL the residue off. Any leftover stuff on the wires will affect the MAF signal.

I know the Q-tip and Alcohol method does work....

 

[ssr71]

Not carb/brake cleaner

Go to the local radio shack, or better yet home despot (bigger can and cheaper), and pick up a can of electronic component cleaner. The other stuff has solvents that could cause damage. The electronic cleaner would be much less harmful to it.

I've done the MAF on my truck 2 or 3 times now with it and have no problems.

 

[brianko]

I going to try the carb cleaner idea. I'm not sure I could be careful enough for the Q-Tip treatment. It's worth a try to save >$100. :leaving

The MAFs are sensitive...you don't want to go jabbing at them with a Q-tip! And you definitely don't want to use carb cleaner. You need an electronic cleaner that meets two requirements:

1) Plastic-safe
2) Leaves no residue

Not every electronic cleaner meets these two requirements! Right here on the shelf I have a can of CRC "QD Electronic Cleaner" I picked up from O'Reilly's. Turner Electronic also makes a version that AZ carries.

While K&N claims that there's no evidence of MAF contamination with a properly-oiled filter, the GM full-size owners with oiled filters are finding that they are needing to clean their MAFs every few months or so.

--Brian

 

[Argo-7]

n/a

n/a

 

[Argo-7]

n/a

 

[Whitewolf]

I wonder?????

The MAFs are sensitive...you don't want to go jabbing at them with a Q-tip! And you definitely don't want to use carb cleaner. You need an electronic cleaner that meets two requirements:

1) Plastic-safe
2) Leaves no residue

Not every electronic cleaner meets these two requirements! Right here on the shelf I have a can of CRC "QD Electronic Cleaner" I picked up from O'Reilly's. Turner Electronic also makes a version that AZ carries.

While K&N claims that there's no evidence of MAF contamination with a properly-oiled filter, the GM full-size owners with oiled filters are finding that they are needing to clean their MAFs every few months or so.

--Brian

I wonder how many other people havn't seen this or know about it.........It answers some questions for me.......

 

[2005SSR6Speed]

You can go to the local parts store and buy some MAF Spray Cleaner or go to an electronics store and pick up some Contact Cleaner. Clean the wires from both sides. It is just the oil off the filter.

 

[BigAlkin]

The MAFs are sensitive...you don't want to go jabbing at them with a Q-tip! And you definitely don't want to use carb cleaner. You need an electronic cleaner that meets two requirements:

1) Plastic-safe
2) Leaves no residue

Not every electronic cleaner meets these two requirements! Right here on the shelf I have a can of CRC "QD Electronic Cleaner" I picked up from O'Reilly's. Turner Electronic also makes a version that AZ carries.

While K&N claims that there's no evidence of MAF contamination with a properly-oiled filter, the GM full-size owners with oiled filters are finding that they are needing to clean their MAFs every few months or so.

--Brian

:agree

 

[2005SSR6Speed]

I clean mine every time I clean the filter just for safe keeping and I have never had a problem so far.

 

[Whitewolf]

Tsb

I clean mine every time I clean the filter just for safe keeping and I have never had a problem so far.

But what about the TSB voiding the transmission warranty????????

 

[2005SSR6Speed]

Keep a clean stock filter in case you have a warranty issue. I have the 6 speed and even in my automatic vehicles always use these type filters. No problems to date!

 

[hdflstf]

But what about the TSB voiding the transmission warranty????????

Put the stock filter back in before going to the dealer..

 

[Whitewolf]

?????

I prefer not to look for trouble.........Is the any other hi-preformance filter other than the oil type?????????

 

[Pushrods4ever]

Contaminated MAFs

Yes, I agree that the MAF contamination is a very common problem.

I am sure they contaminate over time when using ANY of the oiled cotton gauze filters. They will gradually degrade the accuracy of the MAF to input accurate readings to the processor to control A/F mixture. I also found the CRC QD cleaner to work the best without touching the sensors. I also clean mine when cleaning the filter. Over oiling the filter is also easy to do, but even after applying the correct amount of oil, I feel it will contaminate with time anyway.

I originally found my MAF contamination problem in the mid 90's the good old fashion way by trying to fix everything but, then I just happened to read a Forum post about the problems and bingo there was my fix. It took two years of using the K/N filter to contaminate the MAF but it was pretty badly contaminated when I found it and the drivability issues got pretty bad.

I am sure if you ask any tuneup mechanic that the first thing they check for when someone has drivability issues or suspect A/F problems, they take a look at the MAF.

You need to look real close for the contamination, a magnifiying glass in my case, but its very easy just to spray it away with the electronic cleaners like the CRC QD stuff.

I Hope these posts will save someone a trip to the dealer for this very easy fix. If you can change an air filter you certainly can check and clean a MAF on these GM motors.

Doug

 

[Subdriver]

Lots of Vette's have the same issue with oil wetted foam air filters which are pretty common aftermarket mods. Here's an alternative: AMSOIL Ea Air Filter
SSR part EAA83. :cheers