Air Flow Meter advice please

[Mopar]

Hello,

I have a 1998 Q45 with 120K miles, I tried cleaning my MAF sensor (aka Air Flow Meter, or Mass air Flow), I cleaned it with electronic parts cleaner, and then decided to go deeper and unscrew these ( http://i13.photobucket.com/alb...1.jpg ) 4 screws to clean inside. Little did I know I wasn't supposed to do that?

So my question is, is it ok if I drive around like that? Because it looked like i broke the contacts. I put it back together and the car drives perfectly.

The reason I did this was because my car was "shaking" and "vibrating" while stopping at red lights so I followed this guide ( http://www.q45.org/maf.html ) but don't know why I felt to go deeper.

So do I need a new Air Flow Meter?

Thanks

Mike S.

[elwesso]

You could take it to someone who can solder and resolder the joints.

[Mopar]

Ok, but will it hurt if I leave it like it is?

[maxnix]

MAF does not cause that problem. Coil packs, dirty intake paths, wrong plugs usually are the culprits.

[Mopar]

Well I just went along with the guide that said those "shocks" could be caused by having a dirty MAF sensor

[96Qowner]

Heheh, you're not the first one to admit to doing this. The first pics are missing because the host site crashed a few months ago, but you'll get the idea.

zerothread?id=131893

And your problem doesn't sound like a bad MAF - more likely injectors. You can ohm them according to instructions on Q45.org:

http://www.q45.org/ohminjectors.html

[louiegz]

I was watching Motor Week once and Pat Goss was saying that you should never spray anything in the MAF to clean it. He was also saying about not using carb cleaner on your TB. He was saying about some coating that the doors of the TB that can be damaged with the spray. Makes me wonder which info is correct considering that it's been a practice in this forum to do these 2 things.

[qship96]

I have never had maf cleaned in 190,000+ miles-no need to if you stay away from oiled filters.

[Q45tech]

DRIVE BY WIRE is entirely different from the old cable controlled throttle bodies. THESE SHOULD NOT BE TOUCHED BY OWNERS as even manually forcing the plate open can destroy the unit!

90-96 Q45 MAF are different from 97-01 MAF and EXTREMELY different from 2002+ MAF which have a replaceable insert MAF module.

All our historical experience is with 90-96 Q which are bullet proof spray cleaning wise [assumming the correct solvent [CRC spray for MAF and BG TB cleaner for TB] are used with care.

The wrong solvent on any MAF can cause damage since the thin film resistor is coated with a plastic protective film which can be dissolved with the wrong product.

Cleaning a MAF is best done after you data log its voltage and note something wrong [job for an expert to evaluate minute 0.05 volt errors].

OR are prepared to buy a brand new one. " Before I buy I'll try cleaning, maybe that will work"

AS with anything here members are on their own in developing their automotive engineering skill set. Sorting the fables and errors from the truth.

[Q45tech]

I would say nothing applies generically! Maybe Japanese/Koreans all use similar engineering methods, but they are very different from Germans or US designers.

Why techs can easily rotate between Honda, Nissan, and Toyota and be lost on US or German.

Things like Karman Vortex MAF which use ultrasound instead of heat to measure air flow or MAP + MAF vs MAF alone or the converse. Or separate start injector vs just 8.

Just because GM uses a MAF BURNOFF system that cleans the maf after every shut down doesn't mean the Japanese do. Yet US mechanic will swear ever MAF does.

Too many US mechanic are just plan lost on Japanese. Too many autoshow actors are just plan lost and read the script.