Is my MAF F'd up?

[Ebbsnflows]

Is my MAF F'd up? (UPDATED!)

I've had a check engine light for the past 4 months. I can't figure out what the hell is causing it. My gas mileage has been uneffected (I still get 19-20 mpg during mixed Hwy/City driving), so I don't think it's an 02 sensor.

Anyway, today while doing the Deck Lid intake mod, I examined my MAF. I noticed that the wire filament in the MAF has a "rosin-like" substance on the end of it. Is this normal? Or should the wire filament be completely clean at the tip? I'm guessing that it's normal and my CEL lies somewhere else, but I just want to make 100% sure. FWIW, I sprayed some electronics cleaner onto the rosin...it didn't come off. LOL

UPDATE:
Ok after some research on another "Yota" forum, I was able to get the answers to all of my questions.

-I was cleaning the wrong thing by cleaning the "Resin bulby" thing. The 2 MAF wires with tiny resistors (that I'm used to seeing on my other vehicles) is actually hidden down in the Sampling tube. They're not so obvious unless you're looking for them. They were in fact covered in grime. I used my electronics cleaner to spray them off. Then I disconnected the battery for an instant "re-learn". 3 days (and 175 miles) later the CEL is still extenguished. I've noticed that the standing idle is MUCH improved (I didn't realize how choppy it had slowly gotten). She's as smooth as butter now.

 

[Ebbsnflows]

Wow...36 views and nobody has ever looked at their MAF to see if it has the "rosin" substance that I'm talking about?

How about this...can someone take a look for me to see if your MAF wires are like mine? Please...with sugar on top.

 

[greasefingers]

The MAF sensor is one of the most critical sensors for keeping the air to fuel ratio correct. I would recommend cleaning this every 30 k miles. Otherwise the resin will thermally insulate the heated wire and thermister. The will cause the engine to think that more air is actually entering the intake. Remove it and spray contact cleaner in it. CRC makes an aerosol Electrical Cleaner that does a good job for this. Do not touch the wires but spray the cleaner several times into the MAF. Let it dry in the sun for several minutes. It should not throw a code unless it

 

[Ebbsnflows]

The MAF sensor is one of the most critical sensors for keeping the air to fuel ratio correct. I would recommend cleaning this every 30 k miles. Otherwise the resin will thermally insulate the heated wire and thermister. The will cause the engine to think that more air is actually entering the intake. Remove it and spray contact cleaner in it. CRC makes an aerosol Electrical Cleaner that does a good job for this. Do not touch the wires but spray the cleaner several times into the MAF. Let it dry in the sun for several minutes. It should not throw a code unless it

 

[greasefingers]

Yea I do not believe you have a MAF issue, I just wanted to stress the fact that it should be cleaned on some type of periodic schedule.

On some Toyota

 

[MsMarine]

Techno Babble

Now I know how my users feel when I start talking techie with them. I see so many achronyms here I can't say I ever have a clue what the heck you all are talking about. And I'm not mechanically challenged.

Can someone recomend the best manual so I can keep up. Chiltons?

 

[Ebbsnflows]

Re: Techno Babble

Now I know how my users feel when I start talking techie with them. I see so many achronyms here I can't say I ever have a clue what the heck you all are talking about. And I'm not mechanically challenged.

Can someone recomend the best manual so I can keep up. Chiltons?

Most of the acronyms you see on this board (and countless others) are forum related/forum generated. Since many of them are simply used for ease of typing (lazy fingers) and they're not actual manufacturer specific terms/acronyms you probably won't see them mentioned in most of the actual Tech Manuals. So buying a Chiltons just to understand the slang terms won't do much good.

The easiest way to find out what the acronyms mean is to:
1. Ask
2. Use deductive reasoning based on the context that its used in.

In this lesson we covered:
MAF: Mass Air Flow sensor (it's purpose is described in an earlier post)
CEL: Check engine light (aka: SES: Service Engine Soon light)
PCM: Performance Control Module (aka: ECM - Electronic Control Module)

Hope that helps

 

[kevin444]

If your maf was fubared this would happen: When you would start the truck it would only be on for about couple secs and than sputter and die.

 

[RunnerUp]

alright, first off, if your running a non-OEM air filter, like a k&N, then the oil you spray on it will resonate your MAF, this can lead to a number of diff. problems, including triggering your CEL. there is a cleaner out there, (cant remember the name right now) that you can spray on it and clean it with, it should be two perfectly clean looking sensors. while you are doing that, depending on mileage and driving conditions, you may want to check your throttle body and clean any black gummy stuff off the edges, after you are done with this, you can pull your ECU fuse and after about 10-30 seconds, put it back in and that will clear any codes that you might have fixed. i started a thread on YT and ill get the link for you next time i check this thread, good luck

 

[RunnerUp]

and as far as your maf keeping your vehicle from running, i disproved that one awhile back, during a severely rough offroading expedition, i somehow popped my airbox off and it pulled everything off leaving the throttle body exposed, (no maf, no snorkel, def. no filter) it didnt start and so being in the middle of a swamp at 2 am didnt leave me with a whole bunch of choices, so i could get it started but when i would press the gas it would shut off, so this continued for about 30 minutes until the check engine light came on, and then i turned it on and let it idle for a little and then turned it off, floored it and turned it on and it kicked on and stayed on, i limped home, but i got home, and that is why you buy a TOY!!!

 

[Ebbsnflows]

alright, first off, if your running a non-OEM air filter, like a k&N, then the oil you spray on it will resonate your MAF, this can lead to a number of diff. problems, including triggering your CEL. there is a cleaner out there, (cant remember the name right now) that you can spray on it and clean it with, it should be two perfectly clean looking sensors.

Still running an OEM paper filter (but I am familiar w/ the issues caused by K&N's and the oil residue coating MAF sensors).

Ok so are you saying that my MAF sensors should be BARE wires with NO resin "bulb" coating the ends? I don't have a picture but imagine 2 wires coming out of the plastic sensor housing...at the end of those 2 wires is a yellowish-brown "bulb" like coating (seems like a hard plastic resin material). Should that be there? or should the wires be perfectly clean and bare at the end? I'll see about taking a picture of it this weekend and posting on this thread.