Mass Air Flow Sensor cleaning!

[ksmack1940]

1999 SL500 70,000 miles.
I had the check engine light come on then go off, then on. The code said the mass airflow sensor was the problem. They wanted $390.00 for the part and 1 hr. labor to replace.
The local European parts store told me to try to clean it. $6.00 for the cleaner and about 30 minutes to do the job.
No more check engine light and the performance difference is astounding.

[RedLiner]

It's always worth cleaning the MAF before replacing. I cleaned mine when the car was misfiring and the ASR light was coming on and it completely cured all of the faults.
I just used 96º alcohol to clean the very fine filament by squirting the alcohol from a plastic bottle with a very fine hole directly on to the fine filament.

[1992300SL]

where is the maf?? do you have any pics of it, im wondering if i would need to clean mine. thanks

[msbarsi]

Originally Posted by 1992300SL

where is the maf?? do you have any pics of it, im wondering if i would need to clean mine. thanks

Hi 1992300SL if my memory assists me but I might be wrong I don't think you car has a MAF.
Please correct me if I am wrong and in case I am I'm apologizing in advance.

Cheers.

[wayneg]

This is a great DIY post from another forum, I presume it will relate to our cars although the the Maf is located in another spot on our engines

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210...-cleaning.html

[Musikmann]

wayneg is correct. My hangout is on the W210 forum and there are a lot of owners there who have gotten good results from cleaning theirs. As you'll notice from the DIY, there is a specific cleaner for them. Other things might work, but I'd advise the one recommended in our Sticky.

[chriswufgator]

CRC Mass Air Flow cleaner is the commercial product, and it worked well when I used it.

They don't give you the formula on the can, but I'd be willing to bet it's probably just re-packaged electrical contact cleaner.

[nt-j]

BEWARE some electrical contact cleaners can damage plastic - Servisol for one. Always test before use.
I have had some switches lock up solid after some cleaners.

[ctaylor738]

If you decide to go the replacement route, which I did because I had a hard failure code, AutohausAZ has them for $265 and free shipping for genuine German-made in the yellow box. I'm told that you need to avoid the ones made in South Africa that come in a gray box.

[agopsill]

I got my new MAF on ebay, I think I paid $81 plus $15 shipping.
The seller was in Davie, Florida.