A mass air flow sensor chevy Silverado observes and reports the weight of air and temperature which enters the vehicle engine. This information helps to determine how much fuel injection is needed for your engine’s operation.
However, over time, the MAF sensor may get dirty or clogged because of dust, oil, and other contaminants. If the condition gets worst, you may need to replace it. But replacing the mass airflow sensor can be an expensive deal.
That is why instead of replacing it, I recommend cleaning the mass air flow sensor each time you change the air filter.
So, let’s learn how to clean mass air flow sensor chevy Silverado:
You will need a Mass Air Flow Sensor Cleaner for cleaning MAF sensor of your vehicle. First, remove your mass airflow sensor from the air tube or pipe very carefully. Then disconnect the electrical connector and spray 10 to 15 spurts of the cleaner onto the wire/plate.
However, remember the wire or plates are delicate so, avoid rubbing or scrubbing them. Otherwise, you may break or damage the connecting wire and parts of your MAF sensor.
You already got an overall idea of how to clean a dirty mass airflow sensor, let’s learn the detailed procedures for the specific version of the Chevy Silverado sensors.
But before that have a glance at what tools you will need to clean your mass air flow sensor-
| For MAF sensor 2004-2006 Chevy Silverado | For MAF sensor 2007-2013 Chevy Silverado |
| Flat head screwdriver | CRC Mass Air Flow Sensor Cleaner |
| Mass airflow sensor cleaner | T-10 torx or T15 Torx screwdriver |
| Shop rags |
How To Clean Mass Air Flow Sensor Chevy Silverado 2004-2006?
When your airflow sensor gets clogged with contaminants, it causes bad gas mileage and poor performance, which decreases vehicle drivability. To get rid of those problem, you should clean your dirty airflow sensor each time you change the air filters. If your MAF sensor is within version 2004 to 2006 Chevy Silverado, then follow the step by step instructions given here to clean dirty MAF sensor-
Step 1 – Locating Your Mass airflow sensor:
The first task is finding out where your MAF sensor is located, and generally, you will find your mass air flow sensor in between the air filter and air inlet hose part.
Step 2 – Disconnecting the MAF sensor connectors:
Now that you have successfully located your dirty MAF sensor, time to dispatch it carefully. Look over the top part of your sensor, you will see a delicate wire harness connector attached next to the MAF sensor module. Now push down on tabs and pull it straight out to disconnect the connector.
While disconnecting the tabs and connectors, be extra careful because, over time, those may become brittle. If you put too much force or pressure on them, they may tear up or get damaged.
Step 3 – Removing your entire Mass air sensor:
After you have disconnected the connectors and tabs successfully, see around you will see two hose clamps on each side of your mass airflow sensor. Those two clamps mainly hold the MAF in place and consider as security screws.
Now, bring your flathead screwdriver and use it to slacken the hose clamp screws. Then, drag the air inlet hose to pull the sensor away from the air filter housing.
Step 4 – Clean your dirty mass air sensor:
After removing the mass airflow sensor, make sure not to touch or damage any sensor elements. Now take out your Mass airflow sensor cleaner and spray it inside of the sensor. Do not spray too much and spray twice or thrice at a time. Then let the cleaner sit for few seconds. When you are done with spraying, wipe off the excess cleaner from the inner and outer edges. Your sensor is ready and cleaned.
Step 5 – Re-install and do a test drive:
When your cleaning task is finished successfully, install your sensor in its original place securely. Then, start your car and let your engine idle for a minimum of five minutes. Do a test drive to make sure that your MAF sensor is cleaned well and working correctly.
How To Clean Mass Air Flow Sensor 2007-2013 Chevy Silverado?
If your MAF sensor is within version 2007 to 2013 Chevy Silverado, then follow the below-mentioned instructions to clean dirty mass airflow sensor-
Step 1 – Locating and Removing your MAF sensor:
First, open the hood on your air intake filter area, and search for a little black box (air intake box) connected to the air intake hose. After locating the box, look over there must be a large electrical wire connector plugged into it.
Now, you need to push in on the harness connector tabs to unplug it from your MAF sensor. Then, you will find two T15 Torx screws on each opposite corner of the air sensor and use your T15 screwdriver to remove those T15 torx screws.
After that, remove the air intake tubing. Now you must be able to pull your sensor out from the air intake hose so, do that carefully.
Step 2 – Cleaning your MAF sensor with sensor cleaning spray:
After removing the mass airflow sensor, set it on a table or desk. Look inside of your sensor, and you will find a pair of wires inside. That’s the part you need to clean properly to get rid of poor gas mileage or shitty mileage issue on your vehicle.
Now bring your Mass Airflow Sensor Cleaner and spray it to clean the MAF sensors inside the area thoroughly. Make sure you are using a special MAF sensor cleaner that suits your MAF sensor best, and also, the cleaner reaches each part of the delicate platinum wires. After spraying, wait for few seconds so that your sensor can dry off properly.
Step 3 – Reinstalling your MAF sensor and test driving:
When the sensor’s inside is fully dried, re-insert the MAF sensor into the air intake hose and tighten the Torx screws with the screwdriver. Then, re-connect the harness connector or electrical connector and finish the re-installation process.
To check the cleaned sensor’s performance on your vehicle’s performance screens, do a little test drive. If you observe a significant difference in performance, it means your sensor is cleaned properly.
Dirty Mass Air Flow Indicating Symptoms
Now, let’s glance at the symptoms, which indicate that your mass airflow sensor needs a cleaning session. Otherwise, you may need to replace it soon.
- While starting and turning over, if the engine is not working smoothly.
- If you are experiencing trouble such as hesitation or jerking while accelerating into highway traffic, most probably it is because of your faulty MAF sensor.
- In some cases, black smoke comes out of the exhaust, which can overload the catalytic converter.
- If you notice fuel trim or misfire codes on your engine’s onboard screen, your MAF sensor may be the reason.
- While idling, if the engine is not running smoothly, you need to check on your mass airflow sensor.
Ending Notes
If your vehicle’s engine is not responding promptly or giving poor performance and low mileage issues, it can be happening because of a faulty or dirty mass airflow sensor. The easiest and cheapest way of getting rid of those issues is to clean it every time you change the air intake filters.
Therefore, learn how to clean mass air flow sensor Chevy Silverado first and then follow the instructions thoroughly to clean your MAF sensor.
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