Cleaning MAF
12-07-2007, 08:22 AM
#1
AudiWorld Senior Member
Thread Starter
Cleaning MAF
A million years ago, I'd spray some Gumout into the carburator while I reved it and presto, venturi and orfices were clean. Obviously, I can't do that on my A6 and I'd rather not pay to have it done periodically by the shop.
I believe it is dirty as it starts to hesitate especially at low RPMs under very light acceleration. It feels like this and eventually, I get a CEL related to air flow. The general shop fix is to clean everything and do an adaptation of MAF, etc. This makes it run great.
A bit about me: I'm what most younger people would call a "slow starter". I get great MPG and just don't believe there is any reason to jump off when the light turns green, especially since I can see the light at the next intersection 100 yds ahead turning yellow. This pisses off many people behind me who pass and are waiting for me at the next light.
I don't necessarilly drive slow and usually catch and pass those people who jump out ahead of me. I also keep up with or go faster than others on the highway. I just don't accelerate on the on-ramp like it was a drag strip. (the exception is when doing so would put me in front of someone and slow them down). The same is true at a red light expecially at a turn arrow if there are lots of cars behind me who want to make the light.
So driving this way, gets me a average of 22-23 MPG in a 99 A6 Avant. 90% of my driving is on secondary or local roads with lots of lights and about 1/2 is short trips. The downside is I think this is dirtying up my MAF.
I don't want to take it apart and wonder if there is any way to get MAF cleaner into it. On several of the forums, I've heard of "Seafoam" Is that a reasonable solution? Is it safe for MAF and sensors?
For those of you who would suggest I just floor it once in a while, I do at least once a day, generally first thing in the morning for the first few stops until it is warmed up.
Try to keep in mind the reason for this post is not to convert others to be slow starters to save gas, money and help the overall economy and decrease dependence on OPEC. The reason is to find a way to clean my own MAF.
I believe it is dirty as it starts to hesitate especially at low RPMs under very light acceleration. It feels like this and eventually, I get a CEL related to air flow. The general shop fix is to clean everything and do an adaptation of MAF, etc. This makes it run great.
A bit about me: I'm what most younger people would call a "slow starter". I get great MPG and just don't believe there is any reason to jump off when the light turns green, especially since I can see the light at the next intersection 100 yds ahead turning yellow. This pisses off many people behind me who pass and are waiting for me at the next light.
I don't necessarilly drive slow and usually catch and pass those people who jump out ahead of me. I also keep up with or go faster than others on the highway. I just don't accelerate on the on-ramp like it was a drag strip. (the exception is when doing so would put me in front of someone and slow them down). The same is true at a red light expecially at a turn arrow if there are lots of cars behind me who want to make the light.
So driving this way, gets me a average of 22-23 MPG in a 99 A6 Avant. 90% of my driving is on secondary or local roads with lots of lights and about 1/2 is short trips. The downside is I think this is dirtying up my MAF.
I don't want to take it apart and wonder if there is any way to get MAF cleaner into it. On several of the forums, I've heard of "Seafoam" Is that a reasonable solution? Is it safe for MAF and sensors?
For those of you who would suggest I just floor it once in a while, I do at least once a day, generally first thing in the morning for the first few stops until it is warmed up.
Try to keep in mind the reason for this post is not to convert others to be slow starters to save gas, money and help the overall economy and decrease dependence on OPEC. The reason is to find a way to clean my own MAF.
12-07-2007, 08:28 AM
#2
See my previous post on this. You can remove the sensor part by using a security torx bit, just
make sure you replace it with the proper orientation (I put a dab of paint on one of the screws and the housing so it doesn't get rotated 180 deg by mistake).<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/a6/msgs/745230.phtml">Details...</a></li></ul>
12-07-2007, 08:31 AM
#3
Seafoam is used for cleaning the combustion chamber; the MAF wires will get coated by a fine black
dust that gets past the air filter and can cause bad data to be read by the MAF. Good idea to do this each time the air filter is replaced; like I said the $4 can should last the life of the car, likely the life of 2 cars. They now sell special MAF cleaner (by CRC), but it is the identical formula to the QD stuff in my above post except it costs $6 for a can instead of $4.
12-07-2007, 08:55 AM
#4
AudiWorld Senior Member
Thread Starter
Re: Seafoam is used for cleaning the combustion chamber; the MAF wires will get coated by a fine bla
Having worked on lots on Audis in past years, I know I could do this, but...... I am too old, too out of shape and perhaps lazy. It's also too cold out to be working on the car other that something simple.
That's why i was looking for something simple like spraying or sucking the sea foam in.
I have worked extensively on my previous car C4, but haven't done anything on the C5. How big a job is removing the sensor? Do I have to do an adaptation afterwards?
That's why i was looking for something simple like spraying or sucking the sea foam in.
I have worked extensively on my previous car C4, but haven't done anything on the C5. How big a job is removing the sensor? Do I have to do an adaptation afterwards?
12-07-2007, 08:58 AM
#5
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As mentioned before, you need a security torx bit...
If you have the right torx bit, it's two screws, a 5 second job.
Otherwise, you can take apart the air intake and take out the entire piece that houses the MAF (held by four bolts).
Otherwise, you can take apart the air intake and take out the entire piece that houses the MAF (held by four bolts).
12-07-2007, 10:14 AM
#6
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Re: Flooring it while cold (until it warms up)
>For those of you who would suggest I just floor it once in a while,
>I do at least once a day, generally first thing in the morning
>for the first few stops until it is warmed up.
That's the worst possible time to be flooring it. Even I wouldn't do that, and I'm probably in the bottom 10% of car-knowledgability when it comes to the people that frequent this forum.
>I do at least once a day, generally first thing in the morning
>for the first few stops until it is warmed up.
That's the worst possible time to be flooring it. Even I wouldn't do that, and I'm probably in the bottom 10% of car-knowledgability when it comes to the people that frequent this forum.
12-07-2007, 12:50 PM
#7
Correct - NEVER rev a cold engine, esp one with turbos. That's the best way to destroy it or do
some serious damage. Revving a cold engine to high rpms is akin to running it w/o oil as the oil will not reach all parts of the engine when it is cold! Never go over 3k until you are at or very near full normal operating temps.
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12-07-2007, 12:55 PM
#8
Also, doing an "Italian tune-up" has no effect on an electronic sensor. That was only used for
getting the spark plug temp up and getting the "carbon" blown out of the combustion chamber. The only way to clean the MAF is to remove it and spray it, sorry.
12-08-2007, 09:12 AM
#10
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It has a indentation/hole in the middle. This is so it can be used on security heads...
which have a post in the middle. If a non-security torx bit is used, it will not go all the way in.<ul><li><a href="http://www.louv.tv/cars/m5/MAF/MAF-Pages/Image2.html">http://www.louv.tv/cars/m5/MAF/MAF-Pages/Image2.html</a</li></ul>