How Do You Clean The Air-Flow Meter?

[Mike Floutier]

I'm a bit unsure exactly how to clean the Air-Flow Meter.

Is it simply a matter of spraying that little amber coloured blob on the end of two wires OR is there more to it?

What's the purpose of that large plastic structure with the hole in the end?

Thanks.

Mike

[steve2006]

Hi Mike,

There seems to be some debate on whether to clean them or not but it is suggested that you just spray some carb cleaner in but don't use a brush or anything just allow to dry naturally.

They are a very sensitive device so take care,why are you thinking of cleaning it?

[Mike Floutier]

Hi Mike,

There seems to be some debate on whether to clean them or not but it is suggested that you just spray some carb cleaner in but don't use a brush or anything just allow to dry naturally.

They are a very sensitive device so take care,why are you thinking of cleaning it?

Hi Steve,

As you will have seen from my "mis-firing" thread, I'm still working on this problem. Today I had the P0172 code for the first time - ie. "System too rich, bank 1"

One of the suggested causes is the Air-Flow Meter. It's mentioned that oiled air filters have been implicated in clogging them. Since I've had an oiled filter for 100,000 miles I thought I'd give it a try.

I'm slowly moving forward with diagnosing the misfiring/ rich bank 1 and hope to post more info. tomorrow following further testing.

Kind regards,

Mike

[sir john]

Hi Mike.

Failing Mass Air Flow sensor is a big problem on the Rover 75 CDT engine. Their forum is full of threads. Apart from replacement, there are plenty of Rover owners who claim that they have successfully cleaned a MAF sensor with Isopropal alcohol. Thus restoring the cars performance. You can but it cheaply on the internet. Its the stuff you get on a little bottle when you buy a Head Cleaner kit for a casette player. Some people slosh the MAF around in it. Others use a soft artist brush.

This is only a suggestion. I havent tried it myself yet.

PS: dont buy a Rover.

[ACLex]

PS: dont buy a Rover.

:winky:

[sir john]

PS: dont buy a Rover.

:winky:

Beleive it or not, I did. Really nice car but not a Lexus. If you start an "I have a problem" thread on their forum, its on page 4 in a couple of days. Anything can go wrong, probably will, more than once and very often.

It lives in my workshop until i can sell it. My baby is back on the road. B)

[Mike Floutier]

Thanks Guys, still like to know what the big plastic thingy in the middle with the hole in it is???

[steve2006]

Thanks Guys, still like to know what the big plastic thingy in the middle with the hole in it is???

A Rover 820SI engine???? lol

[ACLex]

Thanks Guys, still like to know what the big plastic thingy in the middle with the hole in it is???

A Rover 820SI engine???? lol

PMSL............. :winky:

Andy

[Manc]

The big thing is the air-flow meter...

But its not what you want to clean... so dont touch it - they are very expensive for an old Peugot 205GTi... so god knows what Lexus want for theirs...

U just need to clean the Throttle Body...(located just after the big plastic thing, where the 3 accelerator cables attach to.)

http://www.lexls.com...rottlebody.html

The air flow meter as you will see is fairly clean inside.... wait til you see whats in the Throttle Body... thick black gunge

I have done this job & its not difficult.

[Mike Floutier]

The big thing is the air-flow meter...

But its not what you want to clean... so dont touch it - they are very expensive for an old Peugot 205GTi... so god knows what Lexus want for theirs...

U just need to clean the Throttle Body...(located just after the big plastic thing, where the 3 accelerator cables attach to.)

http://www.lexls.com...rottlebody.html

The air flow meter as you will see is fairly clean inside.... wait til you see whats in the Throttle Body... thick black gunge

I have done this job & its not difficult.

Thanks Manc,

This may be a silly question but why do you think I need to clean the throttle body in this case?

Also, to answer my own question - ie. what is the other bit in the air meter assy. - aparently it's the atmospheric pressure sensor. For the meter readings to make sense the ECU needs to know how high the car is above sea level etc.

[Mike Floutier]

I've just been reading the Haynes OBD-ll manual - which btw has a lot of useful general fault-finding guidance - and was interested to understand how the info. from the Air Flow Meter is used.

This prompted me to remove the MAF again and give it another clean. This time , having sprayed it, I cleaned the little amber blob with a fine horse hair artists brush.

I was amazed at how much black oily stuff came off!!

I'll be interested to see how this affects things.

I have a better quality scanner arriving from China soon so that should help.