View Full Version : Replacing 20VT MAF sensor
andyedwards
22-01-2004, 10:13
Hi,
Having had AmD check my car it seems the MAF is partially dead as I am running lean for higher revs. Looking at it it looks an easy swap but I just wanted to check the the removal of that big clip on the engine side of the MAF, not the filter side.
It looks like if you squeeze the top fixings it will expand and release? Is this correct? If so I take it it needs a damn good squeeze as mine seems very tight, almost as though something else must be released first?
Would you guys let the local dealer fit it or just swap it yourself? The money I save on dealer time I could spend on a trip down to AmD to check it on their rollers afterwards I suppose.
Thanks,
Andrew.
"squeeze the top fixings it will expand and release"
Yes, exactly. Anyway, if you have the special torx screwdriver, then you can replace the sensor itself only.
andyedwards
22-01-2004, 10:28
Oh, so the actual sensor can be removed from the housing? I have various torx screwdrivers so maybe that is an option. It depends on what Seat supply as the replacement, complete housing or just the sensor.
yep easy to replace either, the plug is usually very hard to undo and sometimes need a screwdriver in the little clip to get it to release.
you can use the security torx driver (ie its torx screws with a little spindle up the middle) to remove the actual sensor out of the casing if needs be. Be very careful with it, they are sensative to knocks and oil and contaminants.
Seat will supply you with the sensor in its casing.
You can replace the casing as well, if you want to then you will need to release the big pipe clamps with a pair of pliers and pull the pipe out, might be hard with only 2 hands, so get somehelp if u intend doing this.
what sort of price do seat charge for MAFs?
Mark
chriskaven
22-01-2004, 19:15
One of my mates who has a nasty pipercross induction kit has just had his maf fail. seat have quoted £230. I contacted stunstall in the eurocar parts section of this website and he said he could get one for £198.
Originally posted by chriskaven
One of my mates who has a nasty pipercross induction kit has just had his maf fail. seat have quoted £230. I contacted stunstall in the eurocar parts section of this website and he said he could get one for £198.
:eek: :eek:
I get the diesel ones for 150 euros a pop...:D
andyedwards
26-01-2004, 12:07
£230 from my local dealer, If I had a vagcom I'd fit myself but am getting them to fit just in case of problems.
Disconnecting the filter and I can see a small residue of oil around the base of the opening of the maf casing. From what I have heard about contamination this would seem bad? I have been running a Dynatwist but looking at my old airbox ALSO shows evidence of this residue around the join to the MAF housing.
Is this normal(ish)? I would have thought it's a long way for any form of engine oil to travel back through the intake, what with the intercooler and everything along the way. Could it be fumes codensing after the engine is switched off maybe?
right....
If i were you (and I'm not) I would do it myself (save labour on an already overly expensive part)
BUT first i'd try cleaning the old one (it could save you £230)
the original MAFs used a strand of wire to measure the air flow (hence they were sensative) ours are a ceramic chip and with care can be cleaned.
I used a cotton ear bud (clean :) ) and ISP Alcahol.
As for removing the old one - its a peice of cake.
TOP TIP - use a pair of molegrips to remove the spring clip and keep the clip in the mole grips - its an arse to get back on if its sprung closed.
once the whole unit is off you can clean up the 'tube' and remove the actual sensor from the housing (The screws arnt torx bits. they have 5 points not six and they have a 'pip' in the center - Torx bits dont fit)
I used a small 'Aston Super wrench' to grip the sides and un do the screws like that.
cleand the sensor and put it all back together...
takes about 30 mins start to finish...
What air flow readings did they see?
should be around 170mg/s
andyedwards
26-01-2004, 12:47
I didn't get the readings as at the time I was not expecting maf issues as I took it in for overboosting issues, hence hadn't read up on previous peoples problems with them and know what to ask, doh!
As I say if I had a vagcom it'd be much easier, I'll get the dealer to diagnose it themselves before anything is fitted though.
If I cleaned it myself I'd still be stuck as AmD reckon it's running lean and again I couldn't properly check this.
Bottom line seems to be buy a vagcom setup. I need the expensive 'hex' version though as I'd need USB :(
Originally posted by smithrc
right....
If i were you (and I'm not) I would do it myself (save labour on an already overly expensive part)
BUT first i'd try cleaning the old one (it could save you £230)
the original MAFs used a strand of wire to measure the air flow (hence they were sensative) ours are a ceramic chip and with care can be cleaned.
I used a cotton ear bud (clean :) ) and ISP Alcahol.
As for removing the old one - its a peice of cake.
TOP TIP - use a pair of molegrips to remove the spring clip and keep the clip in the mole grips - its an arse to get back on if its sprung closed.
once the whole unit is off you can clean up the 'tube' and remove the actual sensor from the housing (The screws arnt torx bits. they have 5 points not six and they have a 'pip' in the center - Torx bits dont fit)
I used a small 'Aston Super wrench' to grip the sides and un do the screws like that.
cleand the sensor and put it all back together...
takes about 30 mins start to finish...
What air flow readings did they see?
should be around 170mg/s
hi smithrc.
I'm gonna give mine a clean before i take it to a dealer to be replaced, although mine is under warrenty its still a hassle aint it.
just a couple of q's..
how did u know yours was faulty - were you getting symptoms, what were they? or was it just a check on vag com?what error message was it?
2nd, did cleaning it actually work for you? and for how long?
cheers
Mark B
i was getting lack of performance...
With VAG-COM i looked at the air flow figures and i was only getting 140 rather than 170ish... this dropped off to 120 before I started to swap things about...
I cleaned it up and the performance was back... (although at the moment the flow figures have dropped but performance hasn't)
I got the same running lean errors mentioned here so i changed the maf only to see the same flow figures :rolleyes: BUT the lean error hasn't comeback!
Ok. thanks.
ive just been for a run in my car, ive logged some figures, not sure what they are yet though:p or what to do with them now ive got them:p
did yours seem to be slower top end? a bit slugish at top end maybe?
think ill try giving mine a clean tomorrow, see if this really cold weather hits us or not!?
Cheers for your help dude
Mark
andyedwards
27-01-2004, 14:37
Mine was replaced this morning, seems much smoother. Maybe a touch less roar on full throttle, which I presume is as I'm not overfuelling so much, haven't seen 35-40 mpg at A road cruise speed for a long time!!
Overboosting seems to have gone as well. It now punches up to about 17 and then holds steady at 15psi.
I have also re-routed my Dynatwist intake into the stock wing position, previously tucked under the bottom lip of the bumper. Unfortunately any benefit of this cannot be identified as I did it just before getting the MAF tested and fitted, certainly no adverse effects.
Thanks for the advice everyone.
cool! welcome to the New Maf gang! :D
Originally posted by mk4polo
Ok. thanks.
ive just been for a run in my car, ive logged some figures, not sure what they are yet though:p or what to do with them now ive got them:p
did yours seem to be slower top end? a bit slugish at top end maybe?
think ill try giving mine a clean tomorrow, see if this really cold weather hits us or not!?
Cheers for your help dude
Mark
In all honesty, I dont even know what my top end is... I've had 140+ out of her once and that was enough for the pub talk...
Always seems to pull ok to 100... thats about as far as it normall goes.
ANDY BLUNT
28-01-2004, 09:52
Cheapest place for mafs VAGPARTS.COM just been quoted £146+vat,couldn't get one till monday,stuart from eurocarparts did it for £150+vat arriving today.Mine just went flat after 4000rpm ,no codes came up on vagcom though ,probably cause its not completely dead .Tried with maf disconnected and power was back but was overfueling.:cheers: Andy