1993 Camry (V6) MAF, particular problems pertaining to

[cycliste]

I have a 1993 Toyota Camry (wagon, V6) with 180,000 miles (have owned since 165,000).

I am trying to clean the MAF. I'm wasting more bytes on the popular subject of "How to Clean an MAF" only after considerable research, and state my reasons below.

Picture here:



SHORT VERSION: How exactly does one clean the MAF on a 1993 (Gen 3) Camry?

LONG VERSION: I know the importance of, and what are generally the procedures for, cleaning an MAF. But in all pictures of all MAFs for all other cars and even for later model Camrys, the MAF sensor wire(s) is at least somewhat exposed, making it easy to spray MAF cleaner on the sensor wire. I just learned this stuff and I "get it" in principle, so if you know anything about cleaning MAFs I know you'll understand what I'm referring to in general. However, in the case of 3rd Generation Camrys, the sensor wires are enclosed in a little plastic enclosure, as seen in picture above. How to I get access to the sensor wire(s) to spray them? I have half a mind to poke a hole at the end of the enclosure and squirt the stuff in there, but that is a risk. Yes of course I'd like to take the MAF body apart more than I already have, but doing that requires tearing up some sealant, not merely unscrewing a few things (sorry to make anyone do work, but any google image search of 1993+camry+maf and a look at the top part of the MAF body will show those who don't know what I mean).

BACKGROUND NARRATIVE: Car began to stall when idling hot (starts fine) and seemingly more so in wet weather (have seen this later fact mentioned in several places online, so worth mentioning). I have no auto repair experience but I'm broke at the moment and will only try to spend the money on a part if I really know that'll fix it, so I wanted to eliminate the possibilities. A couple weeks of research suggested the IAC and EGR are the most likely culprits... and they might still be, since while I've cleaned them both, I can't say with confidence that I cleaned them adequately or properly. At any rate, cleaning both the IAC and EGR hasn't made the problem go away, so - according to endless research surfing on the WWW - the next likely culprit is the MAF. The engine did sound a whole lot better, actually sorta began to purr like it did when I bought it, after I cleaned the IAC, but while for days I'd thought I'd FINALLY FIXED A CAR (I'm 41 and lived most my life without owning one) the original problem persists. I'd also be grateful for any advice on solutions to the original "stalling while idle" issue, but even if the MAF isn't causing the problem at hand I'd still like to get it cleaned while I'm at it. I've searched far and wide and surprisingly found no evidence that anyone has actually cleaned the MAF sensor wire(s?) on this exact type of MAF. It only intermittently gives me a check engine light; naturally I'll get that read properly next time it stays that way. Thanks to you wise gurus for your time and patience.

[hill8570]

Color me clueless (I'm working from memory here), but IIRC the 3VZ-FE in that rig uses an AFM, not a MAF -- the airflow is sensed by the movement of a flap in the airflow, not by a hot wire like a MAF. Nothing to clean, and they hardly ever fail. I think the thing you're doing the close-up on is the intake air temp probe, which, again, IIRC is built into the AFM.

[cycliste]

Many thanks for your time,hill8570. I don't know enough to say you're wrong, but even if you are correct I'm rather confident that what I'm dealing with is at least called an MAF, ie, a mass air flow doohickey. Any internet search of things like 1993+camry+maf reveals images of exactly the same thing I've got, not just pages about DYI but also sales pages, and for that matter ye ole Chiltons and Haynes.

[hill8570]

Originally Posted by cycliste

Many thanks for your time,hill8570. I don't know enough to say you're wrong, but even if you are correct I'm rather confident that what I'm dealing with is at least called an MAF, ie, a mass air flow doohickey. Any internet search of things like 1993+camry+maf reveals images of exactly the same thing I've got, not just pages about DYI but also sales pages, and for that matter ye ole Chiltons and Haynes.

Guess it's a matter of semantics. The function of the AFM is to measure mass airflow, so technically it's a MAF. However, most DIYs that reference cleaning a "MAF" are referring to cleaning a hot-wire MAF. A hot-wire MAF senses mass airflow by the cooling of a hot wire that's in the air stream; after a while the hot wire gets build-up on it, and under-senses the amount of airflow. In contrast, an AFM senses mass airflow by how much a flap in the air stream gets deflected by the air stream through the opening where the flap is. Not prone to build-up, and nothing to clean.

[cycliste]

Many thanks.

BTW I'm still on the hunt for the ultimate reason I had the problems that, among other things, had me looking at the MAF.

Currently I'm trying to replace the coolant sensor. http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/sh...45#post3076645

I'll post a complete account of the problems and solution(ssss) when I really think I've got the problem solved.