Actually, what I had in mind is, while searching I read that some people have unplugged the ECU under the passenger side kick panel before installing the MAF and I'd never heard that before today, but I didn't reply there, because was a really old thread.

Is unplugging the ECU before installing a MAF really necessary? Would it be just as effective to disconnect the negative on the battery? Or is any disconnection necessary (besides the plug on the MAF itself, of course)?

Frankly, I've cleaned my MAF to a brilliant shine and really don't see why it should go bad. It's just a metallic plate with leads on it in a plastic shell. Just a stupid, pointlessly expensive doodad in my opinion. Sorry, I'm just frustrated.

Is unplugging the ECU before installing a MAF really necessary? Would it be just as effective to disconnect the negative on the battery? Or is any disconnection necessary (besides the plug on the MAF itself, of course)?

Hello, anybody home?

 

No, it's not. Just unplug the battery.

 

Thanks, boris.

I was beginning to think I was the only home on a Saturday night.

I wonder if anyone knows what it is about the MAF that goes bad anyway?

Like I said, mine is all nice and shiny after a good cleaning, and it wasn't heavily soiled to start with.

Thanks, I might try that.

What I still don't understand is, what is it about these MAFs that actually goes wrong? A fuse, for instance, usually has a visible burn through the soft metal to indicate a blown condition. I don't see anything physically wrong with the MAF to indicate a problem.

If I can't tell there's anything wrong with my MAF, and I went to a junkyard for one, how would I know if the one I was getting wasn't bad too?

Comments?

(Hey NmexMAX, you combined another guy's post into mine while you were busy consolidating. If you're going to edit my posts, make them make sense, OK? Thanks!)

 

As a last ditch effort, you can put the MAF in a ziploc bag with enough 91% alcohol to drown it, found at your nearest drug store, and shake it around to see if it cleans it any better. Maybe let it sit overnight. The alcohol only costs like $2-3.

Link from earlier in the thread:

http://www.vaglinks.com/Docs/VW/MKIV...eaning_DIY.pdf

 

allright - allright.....I'm IN.

Just bought a can of CRC MAF cleaner, to add to my growing collection of CRC cleanerS already on my garage shelf!

I've been resisting this for sometime in fear of messing-up my otherwise NORMAL MAF, but after all this talk -- I couldn't resist.

I'll report back if I have any unusual epic failures.

good post. Damn PEER PRESSURE!!!

gr

 

LOL, I had the same thought in the back of my head, but I'm glad I did it. the stuff evaporates almost instantly, but I still waited 10-15 minutes just to be sure.

 

After doing the cleaning, the car threw a p0100 code. After driving over 150 miles after the cleaning, it's still in failsafe mode (tops out at 2250 rpm, can't drive faster than 65 mph). So much for the ECU re-learning.

Next I'm going to try the isopropyl alcohol "shake-n-bake" technique.

Well, I couldn't find 91% but I did find 70% isopropyl alcohol. I've got the MAF at the desk with me and I'm going to drop it in a ziplock and see what it does. Wish me luck!

Never mind about the luck part. The bag broke when I tried to shake it. Now the whole kitchen smells like isopropyl alcohol. I dumped the whole thing into a plastic container, made sure it was submerged, then put the container in a gallon sized bag. Sheesh. All this for a stupid sensor I'll probably have to replace anyway!

 

Tried to do mine today and the back screw is stripped and wont come out. FML.

 

I did unplug the MAF the part with the wires, is there anything I have to do to reset anything seeing as I cant actually get the MAF out. I was cleaning the K and N filter and noticed the car was now bogging down to 800 RPM and killing vs just idling. I don't know if that's because the filter is off or if its because I disconnected that plug and plugged it back in without some sort of reset.

 

I use alcohol and q tips to clean the metal. But I always have water deposits from the CAI.

 

Maybe I'm not understanding you correctly, but isn't that what that little well area in the bottom of the airbox under the filter is for - to keep water from moving further?

 

DO NOT touch the MAF. DO NOT clean it...unless you want to kill your car's performance.

 

What does it matter if it's already dirty or shot? It's not like you can make it worse (as long as you clean it in a proper way).

I have a real CAI in the fender and plowing through deeeep puddles allows it to get sucked up.

 

My sentiments exactly.
My MAF is sitting in a jar of alcohol as we speak. Tomorrow I'll pull it out and let it dry on the workbench for another day, and then put it back in and see what the car thinks of it.

Ahh, heh heh. Hadn't thought of that.

 

My car used to have intermittent power loss almost every day. I did this last week, and my car's been running great every since. Thanks for the writeup!

 

Just came in from installing it. Threw a code immediately, and failed to get out of failsafe mode. Looks like I have to buy a new MAF.

 

I have not followed your thread. Was MAF already giving you trouble before you tried to clean it? Did cleaning killed it?

- Vikas

 

I would recommend to use this http://www.google.com/m/url?ei=BJu8T...YCfPLZnD-oONYQ

The 2000 maf is only $200 compared to the 2002 maf which is $500.

 

@RR5: I tried the CRC MAF Cleaner first. Didn't work, so I gave the alcohol bath a try. Oddly, the car idles better after the alcohol bath, but I still can't get past 2250 rpm.

@sontakke: My starter had broken in a store parking lot. At first, I thought it was the battery. That didn't work. So I pulled the starter and had it bench tested. Failed. The motor inside the starter was broken. Shaking it, we could hear broken pieces of metal banging around inside. So I installed a new starter. Then after putting everything back together, car ran terrible. No acceleration, brick wall at 2250rpm/65mph. Found out this was symptomatic of MAF failure. Began cleaning procedures. No luck.

The new issue I'm dealing with this morning is trying to figure out which MAF to get. I have a VQ30DE engine, but the MAF housing has NO embossed numbers on it, for parts matching, and NO emissions sticker under the hood. Weird, I know, but true. I have a 4 pin MAF. This is the one with no thermistor wire on it. But WHICH one? I have found 4 and 5 pin MAFs on eBay that say they could be for my car, but not every description has a photo/description of the pin side. It's very confusing. I guess I'll have to ask every seller individually about the pins on his POS. I'm really irritated/frustrated by this issue.

 

I'm 99.9% sure you need part number 22680-2Y001 which is $90 from a Dave B guy who is a Nissan Dealer Parts guy who gives discounts.

 

I bought one off eBay Motors from mpg_auto about an hour ago for $72.95 out the door.

The listing said:
Nissan Sentra Maxima Mass Air Flow Sensor Meter 00-01
Manufacturer Part Number: 22680-AD200
Interchange Part Number: 22680-4M500
Other Part Number: 22680-AD201 or 22680-AA290 or 22680-4M501 or 22680-2W200

Here's the photo of it:
http://www.mpgautoparts.com/22680-Ad200.jpg

I queried the seller and he said it's a 4 pin MAF, and the photo looks right, so, fingers crossed, I pulled the trigger and bought it. Now let's just hope I haven't shot myself in the foot. I need this project to be DONE.

 

Strange, 4 pin and 5 pin MAF sensors. There is a thread which talks about converting a 2000 MAF into a MAF for the 2002 Maxima. All that is involved is removing the wire on the outside of the 2002 MAF and attaching it to the 2000 MAF. Of course do not touch the wire with your fingers. I wonder if the pin count will matter at all in this conversion.

 

Hi RR5,
Yeah, it was a mystery to me too, especially since I lacked the numbers to verify my own installation. But I drilled down to the 2000 Maxima listings, and the photos on some of the MAFs for sale clearly show 5 pins, others 4 pins, and others don't show the pins at all, forcing a buyer to have to ask the seller how many pins it has. That's how I chose the one I finally bought. I'll be sure to post what I get and if it works.

UPDATE:
I've been driving with the new MAF now for a few weeks. No more problems. Replacement solved it where cleaning it did not.

 

thank you for this post

 

i actually found it for 60 on-line

 

Way to go, man! You did better than me. The car is still running great, although last night the SES light went back on. But no loss of power or acceleration, so I figure it's probably just the rear O2 sensor. It did this before, and it wasn't worth the $165 to have it replaced by a shop. I'll do it myself sometime next year when it gets warm again if it really becomes necessary. My opinion is that as long as the car drives great, is clean inside and out, we're good, regardless of SES.

 

I got mine dropped in a few weeks ago also, and no SES light at all. I'll need to go back and solder the IAT wire on this weekend but the maxima feels a bit better than before the MAF swap. Next up I have to check the EVAP system, uggh.

 

Did you throw a code, or why do you think there is something wrong with the EVAP? Here is a link to a PDF of the Nissan Technical Service Bulletin for the Evap Cleaning Procedure on our generation of Nissan Maxima:
http://www.aa1car.com/library/evap_n...ntb00-085a.pdf

 

This thread is really helpful, thanks a lot! HAs anyone sourced this in Canada (specifically alberta or Edmonton?)

Cheers!

 

guys, if you gonna clean the MAF, make sure to dry it completely. Maxima's MAF uses heat wire to measure flow. it its wet or has cleaner on the wire when you turn on the key it might burn up due to the self cleaning procedure.
also never touch the heat wire its pretty thin and can break easily.

 

Hi Jason, the procedure worked last year, but I guess it was time for it to go, because it didn't work this year and I had to replace it. But I figure I got an extra year out of it because of your idea, so my hat's off to you for that!

 

Thanks for the great information.

 

I just did this yesterday and I lucked out because everything went well. I did have to twist the MAF in order to get it out as well.

I'm a complete newb and really don't know what I'm doing and I was able to do this, so that means anybody can do it.

I did notice a difference in performance as well. Got my power back. It did idle high at first but after driving around for a while that went back to normal.

I want to thank all the people on this board who share their knowledge and help people like me make some repairs on their car without having the shell out lots of money!

 

how do you reset the ecu after cleaning it? i have a 00 maxima would i need to reset the ecu? or does it only apply to the 3,5's? i dont want to set off any engine lights hahaha...

 

you wont. however if you want to reset on a 3.0L just unplug the battery for more than half hour then reconnect it.

 

I cleaned the MAF and throttle body this past weekend according to Jasonmax(post #1), and my car now runs perfect. Before, it was stalling like clockwork at stops. I thought I better either take it to the shop or turn to the internet. Fortunately, this forum was a true blessing and lifesaver. Thanks!!!

Actually, I was having the exact same problem about a year ago and took it to the shop, and guess what.....the receipt says "cleaned air flow mass" and "fuel injectors", which I know the injectors should not have been dirty. Anyway, the cost was $300.00.

 

im cleaning mine tomorrow it has some hesitation at 1500 rpm especially bad when cold
hope it cures my issues

 

I have an 03 that I bought wrecked and it was probably setting for close to a year. Drove it home about 150 miles and car drove fine. Drove it the other day and the car felt like it didn't have any power and the check engine light was on? The car has 75,000 miles on it. Hopefully the MAF cleaning might do the trick. I am new to the Maxima's so is there anything else that I might need to check or clean?

Thanks

 

Outstanding article. My 2001 does not have a resistor. Mu Maxima was stalling at every light, I pulled out the MAF, sprayed it down with CRC, let it dry, reinstalled it and no more problems.

 

Guess what? I got a tank of bad gas last month, threw a p0138 code from it, spent the last six weeks trying to clean out the tank (a buddy thinks there was some diesel and water in the gas - there was a problem with that in the midwest, but it's just speculation). I think the gas should be fine by now, but now it stalls out at every stop sign. Also got a p0100 (MAF) code a week ago. Cleared it, and went back to a p0138 (O2 sensor) on the SES. Time to pull the doggone MAF and clean it -- again.