Just got my first CEL ever. Looks like my IAT sensor went bad on me. The car is hesitating slightly at WOT, but doesn't seem to be any other problems. Looks like I'll be buying a new MAF since the IAT is part of it. Going to test it with a volt meter first of course.

I was driving long distance in some really heavy rain and humid air on Saturday. Started the car on Sunday after the outside air temp fell about 15 degrees, and my ultra-gauge showed the alert for pending trouble code. The CEL finally came on this morning.

Out of curiosity, Has anyone tried cleaning it? I'm just wondering if I can save myself a few $$'s.

 

Which do you have GD or GE?

 

GE (this is the GE forum)

 

I recall some K&N discussion about contaminated MAFT sensors but those ended with replacements. I don't remember any talk about success cleaning them.

I would think the temperature aspect to be pretty reliable, so a code for that would lead me to replace the sensor. I think they're about $100.00 (might be covered under the 5yr/60K drive train warranty).

 

Yeah that's my thought as well. I haven't had a chance to take it out and look at it yet but hopefully today. The local auto parts store has one in stock for $68.00 so worse case scenario, I just buy a new one.

I am actually still under the power train warranty, but I'm pretty sure that the rain mixed with my CAI is the cause of the failure, so I won't even bother with that.

 

Missed that LOL. You could try cleaning it first before buying one nothing lost but a bit of time.

But was there anything unusual that happened when it started throwing a MIL like driving through water etc?

I would try cleaning it then reset the ECM and see if the code goes away.

 

Tried it yesterday, but no go. Threw the code on my way to work again.

There was some green corrosion on the one piece inside the sensor. I used some alcohol and cleaned it off as best I could, but I think its shot.

I wasn't driving in any worse rain or conditions than I have before, so not sure why it happened now. I have over 30,000 miles with my CAI on, so maybe it just failed.

 

Just wanted to give an update. I attempted a second time to clean the sensor, and it seemed to work CEL went off.

I do have an ultra gauge however, and it would still throw the code in part to wide open throttle only.

Replaced the MAF, and everything is good, no more code.

 

good information.

 

My maf sensor got fouled after some oil from the KN filter got on it.....my fault though since I should have let it dry overnight and placed a paper filter in there in the interim....

However I do recommend carrying a can of MAF sensor cleaner in your trunk. If I had this I probably could have avoided the costly repair that resulted by letting the dealership take over....they denied me MAF sensor cleaner and offered brake cleaner (which would have killed the sensor anyway).

These MAF sensors do have a shelf life and buying an extra one at around the 3 yr mark would be prudent.

 

filter cleaning oil doesnt screw anything up, especially brand name stuff like K&N

Ive cleaned a few friends' filters for them over the years, and Ive even sprayed directly on the MAF.

No issues.


best way to clean a MAF is dipping it into a cleaning solution that is safe for electronics, and use a Q tip and be careful

 

Yea another urban myth about over oiling. There is a video on here somewhere where they even dunk the maf sensor right into a cup of filter oil, cover the whole thing dripping with oil, then put it right back on the car and guess what no problems.

 

Link, please?

Sorry, it's easy to understand that the MAF's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_flow_sensor and how any contamination could affect its output.

As Santiad can attest, K&N is a little less than forthright about the oiling issue.

K&N's website puts their virtual foot in their mouth calling into question other manufacturer's factory oiled filters as a possible culprit after stating their own user-oiled filters could not possibly cause this.

There's lots of evidence that oil fouling is the cause, and just K&N's weak response that it's "impossible" while saying it's possible other filters cause oil fouling. Credibility issue, much?

 

It's on here in one of the threads. MAF sensor completely SUBMERGED in oil and placed back on the vehicle and started and guess what NO PROBLEM. It's easy to be swayed by mis-information from the competition.

Any problems have come from OWNER ERROR not the filters.

 

No shortage of owner error... Lots of factory oiled K&Ns that appear to be fouling MAFs.

K&N is doing damage control. Their efforts strike me as insincere. It was Santiad whose MAF became fouled and unusable after over-oiling his K&N to the point of oil dripping from the MAF. K&N "analyzed" it and determined they were blameless.

If anything, reading about how sensitive the MAFs are to foreign material, including paper from aftermarket non-oiled filters, has convinced me to buy only Honda engine air filters.

If it makes you happy to maintain an air filter, I guess it's good therapy. Personally the idea of of cleaning, oiling, and risk fouling MAFs for an air filter while rationalizing saves money over a $20 Honda filter makes me nuts.

 

Yea sure never believe anything steve is back. Like I said they tested mafs FULL of OIL after being totally immersed in it with no problems. Don't want to bother looking up the link yourself?

Anyway steve will never be convinced but $50.00 for a filter and cleaning kit that will last years and a $15.00 refill of the cleaning and oil kit after the 5 or 6 times the kit is good for will still save you money over 5 or 6 stock filters that would have been replaced unless you are like steve and only change them once in a blue moon.

 

Wow this went way off topic. Just to point out, my intake uses an oil-less filter, so that would have nothing to do with my problem.

It was entirely caused by moisture, and a build up of corrosion on the IAT sensor.

 

It's your point. Show it.

5 or 6 stock filters will last 180,000 miles with scheduled maintenance. What's your point?

Check Santiad's costs using K&N ($1080 if you're too lazy to follow the link).

Thanks for the good information!

 

I do those $3-5 ebay filters every 15k miles or so

Fake K&Ns FTW

 

It's your lack of knowledge look it up yourself.

The cost of 5 or 6 stock filters will be more than one K&N and kit.

Santiad has already shown he does not know what he is doing and his garage left out an intake manifold bolt causing a massive vacuum leak.

I wouldn't trust anything they said caused his problem that he said HE caused by over oiling.