Vw 1.8T problem.

[v8 jago]

I have a passat 1.8 turbo model, I have fitted a piper x pannel filter to it and since i did the change of filters the car wont tick over smooth and sometime cuts out and is averageing 21mpg. I have been told that pannel filters have a small amount of oil on them and in this case the oil has gone on my MAF sensor and the car is running in limp mode. Ive been told to spray the MAF sensor with carb cleaner to get the oil off. Can anyone tel me if this is true and if so where i will find the MAF and what it looks like (i know its under the bonnet) The car is a 2000 model if that helps.

[Mr2Mike]

The MAF (mass air flow) sensor on the VW engines is unreliable at best, they fail in their thousands, so it's quite possible that it has died of natural causes rather than the addition of an air filter.

That said, MAF problems have been caused by oiled cotton gauze filters in the past so worth a go. The MAF sensor is a short tubular shaped object, maybe 4" long and around 3" in diamter which a square section on one side with a connector. It is located in the ducting leading from throttle body to the air filter. Most often the air filter is clamped straight onto the MAF sensor.

[Mikey G]

Deffo sounds like MAF problem. It is situated just after the airbox in the pipe which goes down to the turbo. It should have 2 security type star (torx) screws holding it into its housing, the MAF is like a cartridge and slides into its housing.
If you pull the connector off the MAF and take the car for a spin you may find the car go into closed loop situation and runs a safe mode, most of the time with this problem you will find the car runs a little better but you get a check light on the dash though!

Mike

[cptsideways]

From memeory carb cleaner kills MAF sensosrs

[edc]

To clean - isopropanolm some ppl use electrical contacts cleaner.

I'm told it's not that they are unreliable but it is poor design that causes them to become contaminated or they vibrate they kind of self destruct.

[Mr2Mike]

edc said:

To clean - isopropanolm some ppl use electrical contacts cleaner. I'm told it's not that they are unreliable but it is poor design that causes them to become contaminated or they vibrate they kind of self destruct.

That sounds very much like unreliability to me

[edc]

Mr2Mike said:

edc said: To clean - isopropanolm some ppl use electrical contacts cleaner. I'm told it's not that they are unreliable but it is poor design that causes them to become contaminated or they vibrate they kind of self destruct. That sounds very much like unreliability to me

It's down to where it is located in the inlet that allows oil to be blown on to it. I'm sure any MAF that got covered in crud couldn't take a proper reading, Bosch or not.