MAF Cleaner

[djmatt79]

Is it ok to use carb cleaner... one of those brake clean type of cans to clean your mafs?

96 240sx ka24de stock. Just want to try cleaning my mafs. I did look at it and didn't find the wires gunked or anything...

Just want to clean it cause my cars acting funny.

Changed your title to generate better hits - Hijacker

[zachattack_5491]

I think I have some sea foam brand carb cleaner in my garage that says it's ok for MAFs. Does it say anything on the label? I think you would probably be okay using it.

Make sure you let it dry completely before turning it on though. I heard that here somewhere before.

[dccse3k]

I recommend just buying MAF cleaner from any auto parts store. 5 bucks

[djmatt79]

Thanks dudes..

damn car is stressing me... i did everything and still feel there might me something wrong... last thing i did was change the fuel filter but still jerking around violently once in a while randomly.

getting fet up with this.. might end up tossing this car. So clean and its stock too. but a piss off.

[zachattack_5491]

Give us some more details maybe we can help.

If you toss it, toss it this way

[djmatt79]

well... as I posted before.. My car one day started jerking real hard. I ran it a bit hard but I've done that before without any problems... anyways.. Its when I'm cruising on the highway.. about 120km/hr. at around 2800 rpm the car starts to jerk real hard as if its missfiring. I let off the throttle and ease back into it and its ok.. sometimes still jerks...

This happens so randomly I don't know what it is... I don't know when its gonna happen again.

Here are the things I've done trying to get rid of this problem.

- Full tune up.. wire, plugs, rotor, cap.
- change fuel filter
- clean out maf sensor and changed my air filter cause it was getting dirty.

Now I'm sorta clueless... ever since I did all this it hasn't acted up yet.. but I know I could feel the engine isn't the same as before... just feels like its got a slight missfire at idle nothing crazy noticeable.

could it be the idle air control valve?

anything and everything can help.. please... its my only source of ride at the moment.

Thanks in advance.

[zachattack_5491]

Could be the IACV. But it could be a million things. Check the ECU for trouble codes, and test engine compression. That way we can rule out all the big stuff.

[djmatt79]

ecu dtc shows 1445 thats evap system code.. thats not it..
cyl compression... well if that was the case.. I'd think the engine would act up on a regular basis.. thats not it either.. i don't think.

fuel pump?? on its way? maybe getting weak... where is that located anyways?

[stagen]

I have (had) a similar problem, haven't had it happen on the hwy, but cruising around town it sometimes jerks, really random. I also have an EVAP code, one for the evap valve and one for the leak because of the valve. I did just clean my throttle body and gently wiped the MAF mesh off with an old t-shirt and I haven't noticed the problem in awhile.

[the converted]

O2 sensor on it's way out?

[ColumbusLivin]

I had a car jerk around like that before and it turned out to be cat converter.. just a thought.

[stagen]

Well mines back again, thought I had it. It does it after I've driven it, shut it off, then go to drive again. Doesnt do it at all during the first start up, no matter how long I've been driving. It jerks around more at really low speeds (like in a parking lot which is kinda embarrassing :P) but occasionaly when cruising at 25-30 mph.

[djmatt79]

stagen your problem sounds simmilar. although mine happens randomly.. sometimes its after a long long drive then shut off for a bit and driven again.. anyways... can't seem to find a pattern and still don't know what it is... Now i'm thinking even.. distributor itself... maybe the coil on its way out??? I did the same thing you did.. clean the maf and the mesh... thats not it... errrrrrrrr.

The Converted said... O2 sensor.. hmmm would that do it?? Columbuslivin said cat converter. Could be so many things...

O2 sensor will either read lean or rich in fuel mixture... I guess too lean and the car could jerk...
Converter being bad... i don't know how that would make the car jerk...

Keep in mind this is while going 65mph or so... seems to happen around 2800 rpm.. or speeds could vary....

2800-2900rpm seems to be the noticeble time.. but randomly.


THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INPUTS... STILL ANYMORE THOUGHTS ARE WELCOME OR MORE EXPLAINATIONS ON CURRENT IDEAS WOULD BE GREAT.

Its one of those things I gotta figure out... All of you should understand when you love your car and it isn't working right, you don't feel good. Need a little more insight. Thanks again.

[the converted]

If your cat is bad, one way to tell is to drive it around and get it warmed up, then put your hand behind your exhaust, and you should feel individual pulses. I'm thinking O2 sensor, because it could lean your car out to much causing a miss-fire. If you floor it when it starts doing this, it should pull away nice and strong.

[djmatt79]

Thanks converted. I'll give it a try... If it works I'll let you know.

[djmatt79]

Oh and if I get a good OBDII scanner... shouldn't I be able to tell by the readings if its to lean or rich?? plus is there any codes for O2 sensor? cause I haven't got O2sensor code. Just wondering if I could go by the reading from the scanner...

guessing there should be a set parameters for those readings.. ?

[tumolt]

I've cured my bucking by adding Marvel Mystery Oil to the gas tank and oil. I now run high test gas instead of regular. I've been noticing better gas mileage to my 93' KA 24. With 125K miles I am now getting oil on the number 3 plug. Which means I need new valve seals. You have to know the gas-a-hol is crap and can be a root cause as well as a bad cat. Drop the cat and take it for a spin. If the cat is clogged it will inhibit performance. O2 sensors screw up the total range of performance when they go out. And gas mileage is poor. Most shops have computers but some do not pick up the codes properly. I've taken mine to two shops and the second shop said cat was clogged. Took the stuffing out and the performance was fine. I replaced the cat afterwards. The trouble with computer controlled cars is that there are more things that go wrong so that handy do it yourselfers are at odds with the manufacturer and have to sometimes rely on the dealer to find and cure the problem.