twiggy144

I changed the fuel filter after 100000 km. It never had been changed. I was not convinced of this maintenance item, until I cut open the old filter. Black sludge came out, about the same color as used motor oil. No need to argue anymore, I will change every 50000 km from now on.

I removed the MAF box to gain better access to the fuel filter, and while the air bellow was removed, I cleaned the throttle body. It was really dirty inside. I sprayed a lot of TB cleaner all around, and wiped excess dirt with a rag.. I even removed the throttle body to spray the cleaner deeper inside the intake manifold, without the engine running. Big mistake. When I started the engine, all the accumulated cleaner got sucked in the engine combustion cylinders, and because this cleaner is much more prime than gasoline, after 2 or 3 seconds the engine revved up like crazy. I was expecting this, and was ready to switch the engine off. Before I had time to switch it off, the engine was already at 7000 RPM! I hope I didn’t break anything! I started the engine again with extreme precaution, watching for other power surges, and standing by for an immediate switch it off. Second attempt was ok, thank God!

I put back the MAF and all the hoses. The clean up job must have done some good, because the engine was now idling at 750 RPM, up 50 from before.

Using the idle adjustment procedure in the Haynes manual, I put the PCM in diagnostic mode (after clearing the MAF sensor and knock sensor codes that were kicked by disconnecting the MAF) and I readjusted idling speed back to 700 RPM by turning the black plastic screw.

Today`s lesson : leave the engine running while spraying TB cleaner !!!

GoalieKeg

iTrader: (4)

LOL


The poor man's juice, TB CLEANER!

lefty

Did you feel any difference in performance or smoothness after the fuel filter?

SXN

if there was some big blockage in the filter, he would feel a difference, otherwise, none is likely. (GoalieKeg, fix your sig "the max" not "teh max")

twiggy144

You are right: i did not feel difference in performance or smothness after fuel filter change. Anyway I would not know on what account it would have been caused: fuel filter or Tb cleaning. I would bet on Tb cleaning.


PS:
I loved the comment about tb cleaning = poor man`s NX juice !

SXN

its like nos but...not...at all. nos makes power (infact, shoves power down your maximas throat) and cleaning your TB just frees up lost power. i agree, its a poor man solution, and everyone should do it

rik3k

How did you get the fuel filter unbolted? The lower ring is a pain in the *** to get off, did you go from underneath the car?

maximaisokay

twiggy, don't you get the "Service Engine Soon" light? The orange light have been on since i sprayed and cleaned the throttle.

Y.

SXN

ur definately NOT supposed to get the check engine/service engine soon light after cleaning it. check out your ecu codes!

twiggy144

No, did not crawl under the car. I removed the air filter box cover, and the MAF part with the air bellow that leads to the throttle body, ( the whole section between the air filter box and the throttle body), removed the large clamp that connects bellow to the throttle body, some 3 more vacuum hoses to disconnect, the MAF wiring harness, and voilà! you have plenty of room to reach the lower hose clamp of the fuel filter. Takes 20-30 minutes for complete change and reinstall .

twiggy144

I did get the SES light. I checked the codes, got 2 codes: MAF sensor malfunction , and knock sensor code. The MAF code had to light up because I had the MAF wiring disconnected when I started the car. The knock sensor code was probably triggered by the MAF in a domino effect . I reset the codes. Got code 0505: everything is OK . i will recheck the codes again in a week.

maximaisokay

How did you reset the codes? I want to save my money.

Y.

SXN

the same link i posted before says how to reset the codes, etc

kenji

iTrader: (1)

i think he meant to say teh max..

GoalieKeg

iTrader: (4)

You are correct...I did mean to say it.

It's forum slang, FYI...but mabye not this forum.

astil

iTrader: (1)

Im not sure how the idle was adjusted after the cleaning...I thought that the idle is nonadjustabile... let me know if Im wrong. Also, running the engine while cleaning the TB: I don t really see how would be possible to clean it while the engine is running. Please make some light here...I did exactly what was done in this post (didn t crack open the fuel filter) and had no problems with the idle .All the cleaning done with no incidents. The idle was a bit higher than 700 rpm ,but after a second went to 700. Any comments ?

twiggy144

You do realize I opened the old fuel filter being held tight in a vise with a metal saw, after the whole job was done, and just for curiosity! I did not cut it while it was on the car !!!

Having the engine running while spraying tb cleaner makes sure it burns the chemicals as you spray it. Else it accumulates in the air intake and "explodes" when you start the engine, like it did in my case (previous post above). I realize the engine will not idle smooth while the MAF is removed, but uou have to manually pull on the throttle cable ( the cable that runs from the gas pedal) to increase engine RPM and prevent it from stalling while the dirty gum is being flushed through the cylinders.

Idling speed is adjustable. HAnyes manual describes how. I also did describe how above: put PCM im diagnoze mode, start the engine, turn black screw on idle air valve to desired rpm, then turn off engine reset ther PCM to normal mode.

ivelweyz

Why was the MAF removed in the first place? You're only supposed to loosen the accordion section and spray with a straw through there. Don't clean the TB with everything removed because all the crap getting in is gonnakill the engine, hence the reason an air filter was invented...

SXN

ok

twiggy144

In my first post I explained I removed the MAF to have more access to change the fuel filter.

As a matter of fact, the instructions on the tb cleaner can reads: " remove air intake into tb, start the engine, then spray the cleaner inside the tb while engine is running. Then stop engine and reconnect all removed parts."

I suppose you can clean the tb the engine stopped. I prefer have it running.

ivelweyz

Read what I said. You only need the engine running while you're spraying inside the manifold. Only loosening the accordion is enough to spray inside. If you're doing the cleaning of the butterfly plate and the TB the engine doesn't need to be running...

Bmr4life

it can't be safe to have the engine running with the airfilter no hooked up to the TB. All kinds of crap could get sucked in there. Some one correct me if i'm wrong.

astil

iTrader: (1)

I agree with bmr,and the reason is not only that the dirt goes in, but imagine that you are cleaning the butterfly ,with the engine running,and the RPM goes to 7k... Also once you disconect the air tube,the air WILL not circulate thru MAF ,so I wonder if that would complicate the whole situation,and I don t plan to find out . If the engine is running and you spray TB cleaner all is gone before getting soaked in the dirt, fact that wouldn t help with TB cleaning...
So far , I will still do my TB cleaning with the engine off. Last time I even took off the TB to clean as much as I can inside the manifold. I had no prob, so there is no reason to change the procedure.

SXN

well...your wrong, both of you. ivelweyz on the other hand is right. when your spraying while the engine is running, your barely making a crack. also, the throttle body is completely shut and the car is at idle. no damn way your IDLE is going to shoot up to 7k....

astil

iTrader: (1)

Ok...everyone may have their own ideea...sometimes they may be good ,other times less good... How do you clean your TB if the butterfly is almost closed ?Aren t you supposed to clean behind the Btfly, as far as you can ? Actually,that s where most of the dirt is. I did clean mine with the engine off ,I took the TB off and clean it thoroughly on both sides . I sprayed the cleaner inside manifold ,and using some clean rags, I removed a LOT of black garbage that was inside. This is how I did it, it had good results and Ill stick with this procedure. If you want think that your way is better,you don t have to convince anybody about it. Good luck and enjoy your car...

SXN

no...you're more likely to push dirt back into the engine of you do that...its a crappy idea. if your going to clean deeper in the engine, take off the TB, and make sure you pull everything out of the engine, the TB gets in the way, you're much more likely to mess up.