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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! 19:07 - Sep 26 with 1749 viewsWicklowBlue

TL:DR - Clean your MAFs ladies and Gentlemen.

I had my Mazda CX5 serviced last month nothing unsual needed doing apart from rear pads and discs. Over the 3.3 years I've owned it, it's been bulletproof never let me down. However in the last couple of months I noticed a flat spot in acceleration most noticeable at low speed. I ran some diesel redex through it thinking injectors etc.

Fast forward to the weekend was taking a 3.5 hour journey down to Kerry and went through some really heavy rain showers on the motorway. Then circa 40 mins from our destination the dreaded yellow engine light came on. Engine still running ok so reduced speed and nursed it to my destination. I was dreading the car not making the 3.5 hour trip home on Sunday.

I carry a Bluetooth obd scanner in the car, so hooked that up and got a MAF error. I cleared the code in the off chance it was a glitch and car made it home yesterday no further errors.

Being mechanically minded I did a bit of googling and decided to clean the MAF sensor. Which despite all the cars I've owned I never thought of doing before!!

Spent 20 mins on it today, all I needed was a Phillips screwdriver and some electrical contact cleaner. Wow the difference it has made, smoother idling/acceleration, more power and not flat spot accelerating. It's completely changed the cars performance and super easy to do on most ice's.

Here's the CX5 video:


Disclaimer: MAFs are super delicate, if you break yours by using anything other than MAF cleaner or electric contact spray or by brushing then don't blame me.

So what do I need to apologise for?

Well when driving back to Wickow yesterday I listened to the game on sky go via Bluetooth in the car. I was suddenly informed that an urgent pee was required so had to divert to the nearest services. While said break was happening I watched the Sky game. As soon as picked up the phone, Plymouth scored, and then as the family returned to the car the second went in. I quickly put the phone down and hightailed it back onto the motorway but obviously I didn't leave enough time for us to equalise.

Sorry everyone!

Edit: Forgot to add this link describing what the MAF sensor does and symptoms when dirty or failed:

https://www.carsdirect.com/car-repair/how-to-tell-if-you-have-a-faulty-mass-airf
[Post edited 26 Sep 2022 19:11]
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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 22:06 - Sep 26 with 1597 viewsPendejo

Misread CX5 as MX5, then when you mentioned family thought eh?

Doh!

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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 22:11 - Sep 26 with 1592 viewsWicklowBlue

ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 22:06 - Sep 26 by Pendejo

Misread CX5 as MX5, then when you mentioned family thought eh?

Doh!


We're a very short, thin family. 3 in the back one in the boot.
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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 22:18 - Sep 26 with 1575 viewsjeera

I was driving a Vauxhall around for ages wondering why the thing was sluggish and eventually put it down to the car just being a bit crap.

Showed it to a mechanic who wasn't my usual by chance and he grinned and knew exactly what it was and did the same as you describe in no time at all.

The thing flew out of there like a different machine.

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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 23:31 - Sep 26 with 1522 viewsChurchman

ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 22:06 - Sep 26 by Pendejo

Misread CX5 as MX5, then when you mentioned family thought eh?

Doh!


I like Mazdas - really good cars. Driven and always wanted an MX5, but the nearest was a Mazda 2 for a couple of years which isn’t even close.

I suspect I’d look a bit of a sad old plonker in an MX5 anyway. Oh well…
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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 23:48 - Sep 26 with 1512 viewsSwansea_Blue

ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 22:06 - Sep 26 by Pendejo

Misread CX5 as MX5, then when you mentioned family thought eh?

Doh!


It was the “clean your MAF ladies” that threw me. I misread it first time and nearly went full Keno.
[Post edited 26 Sep 2022 23:55]

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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 23:52 - Sep 26 with 1507 viewsSwansea_Blue

ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 23:31 - Sep 26 by Churchman

I like Mazdas - really good cars. Driven and always wanted an MX5, but the nearest was a Mazda 2 for a couple of years which isn’t even close.

I suspect I’d look a bit of a sad old plonker in an MX5 anyway. Oh well…


I’ve always liked them, despite the infamous Men Behaving Badly sketch. I could easily see myself zipping round in an MX5. But not while doing the swim training run with 4 kids and 8 kit bags, which is why that’s not going to happen.

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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 09:20 - Sep 27 with 1363 viewsChurchman

ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 23:52 - Sep 26 by Swansea_Blue

I’ve always liked them, despite the infamous Men Behaving Badly sketch. I could easily see myself zipping round in an MX5. But not while doing the swim training run with 4 kids and 8 kit bags, which is why that’s not going to happen.


For me, it was golf clubs and skis. I could have one as a ‘toy’ I suppose, but that isn’t really my thing. A car has to have an element of practicality for me, sadly, being a boring old git.
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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 09:40 - Sep 27 with 1349 viewsSwansea_Blue

ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 09:20 - Sep 27 by Churchman

For me, it was golf clubs and skis. I could have one as a ‘toy’ I suppose, but that isn’t really my thing. A car has to have an element of practicality for me, sadly, being a boring old git.


You can’t be that old if you can play golf on skis. That must take some fitness and coordination!
[Post edited 27 Sep 2022 11:28]

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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 11:16 - Sep 27 with 1301 viewsronnyd

ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 22:18 - Sep 26 by jeera

I was driving a Vauxhall around for ages wondering why the thing was sluggish and eventually put it down to the car just being a bit crap.

Showed it to a mechanic who wasn't my usual by chance and he grinned and knew exactly what it was and did the same as you describe in no time at all.

The thing flew out of there like a different machine.


I take it that you never had a maintenance schedule? It's vital, whether you're DIY or get a a good indy place to do it, which i do.
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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 11:22 - Sep 27 with 1295 viewsChurchman

ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 09:40 - Sep 27 by Swansea_Blue

You can’t be that old if you can play golf on skis. That must take some fitness and coordination!
[Post edited 27 Sep 2022 11:28]


Haha, the way I hack at a golf ball, you’d think I was on skis!
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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 11:52 - Sep 27 with 1273 viewssolemio

ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 09:20 - Sep 27 by Churchman

For me, it was golf clubs and skis. I could have one as a ‘toy’ I suppose, but that isn’t really my thing. A car has to have an element of practicality for me, sadly, being a boring old git.


Delete 'boring'. Insert 'sensible' - in this particular case!
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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 12:04 - Sep 27 with 1266 viewsRyorry

ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 23:48 - Sep 26 by Swansea_Blue

It was the “clean your MAF ladies” that threw me. I misread it first time and nearly went full Keno.
[Post edited 26 Sep 2022 23:55]


I had to look it up, as I usually have a Man To Do That Car Stuff for me.

What really saddens me is that in the good old days when I had a Proper Vehicle, ie a Landrover Defender made in 1999, you didn't need any of this unnecessary digital nonsense - you stuck a metal key in the lock to open the door, the metal ignition key in the ignition, fired up, wound down the window or turned on one of two heater switches, and off you went.

Now - two digital keys costing over £100, about 20 different combinations for door opening which I still haven't got my head completely round after 2 years of owning this car (2nd hand Freelander) and a garage bill for £250 when I hadn't used the car for 2 weeks so the electronics completely shut down & needed to be reset 🤬

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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 12:20 - Sep 27 with 1235 viewsSwansea_Blue

ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 12:04 - Sep 27 by Ryorry

I had to look it up, as I usually have a Man To Do That Car Stuff for me.

What really saddens me is that in the good old days when I had a Proper Vehicle, ie a Landrover Defender made in 1999, you didn't need any of this unnecessary digital nonsense - you stuck a metal key in the lock to open the door, the metal ignition key in the ignition, fired up, wound down the window or turned on one of two heater switches, and off you went.

Now - two digital keys costing over £100, about 20 different combinations for door opening which I still haven't got my head completely round after 2 years of owning this car (2nd hand Freelander) and a garage bill for £250 when I hadn't used the car for 2 weeks so the electronics completely shut down & needed to be reset 🤬


I loved the simplicity of the old landies. I had a couple of the older Series II (one LWB, one SWB). Absolutely crap, but also wonderful at the same time. Not so much a car but a life experience. And yes certainly not many electronics to worry about (although on the SWB I did have to manually adjust the carburetor every time I tried to start it).

They were so simple even I could service them (and I know next to nothing about motor mechanics).

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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 12:30 - Sep 27 with 1217 viewsRyorry

ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 12:20 - Sep 27 by Swansea_Blue

I loved the simplicity of the old landies. I had a couple of the older Series II (one LWB, one SWB). Absolutely crap, but also wonderful at the same time. Not so much a car but a life experience. And yes certainly not many electronics to worry about (although on the SWB I did have to manually adjust the carburetor every time I tried to start it).

They were so simple even I could service them (and I know next to nothing about motor mechanics).


Yes, sadly the only problem with them tended to be the terminal one of chassis going - those cross-members!!

Made the decision not to plough £5K into new chassis when my last one went, though I'd expected & saved for the repair - the stream of water onto driver's seat/lap from the poorly designed sill was the deal breaker! Also no ABS or airbag, thought I should get up to date. But have regretted it ever since, didn't realise what a pain the electronics are, and the seat's never been comfortable with my back problems, so journeys are restricted.

Thinking of changing back, but 2nd hand landies are now like gold dust of course :(

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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 12:46 - Sep 27 with 1194 viewsWicklowBlue

ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 12:30 - Sep 27 by Ryorry

Yes, sadly the only problem with them tended to be the terminal one of chassis going - those cross-members!!

Made the decision not to plough £5K into new chassis when my last one went, though I'd expected & saved for the repair - the stream of water onto driver's seat/lap from the poorly designed sill was the deal breaker! Also no ABS or airbag, thought I should get up to date. But have regretted it ever since, didn't realise what a pain the electronics are, and the seat's never been comfortable with my back problems, so journeys are restricted.

Thinking of changing back, but 2nd hand landies are now like gold dust of course :(


My neighbour has a 95 Defender and spends most of his weekends fixing it. Never owned one but say they are great fun off road. Having owned a Rover 45 diesel years ago then an Alfa 147 and spending so much time keeping those functioning (suspension bushes, radiators, timing belts etc) I'm all in for modern electronics as long as reliable. I just don't have the time nor the energy to spend my weekends covered in oil and grime anymore.

You deffo need an OBD2 code reader these days to figure out what ails the car and even then it can be difficult. Can get them on Amazon for around a tenner.
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ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 13:56 - Sep 27 with 1174 viewsChurchman

ICE motoring top tip and apologies!!! on 12:20 - Sep 27 by Swansea_Blue

I loved the simplicity of the old landies. I had a couple of the older Series II (one LWB, one SWB). Absolutely crap, but also wonderful at the same time. Not so much a car but a life experience. And yes certainly not many electronics to worry about (although on the SWB I did have to manually adjust the carburetor every time I tried to start it).

They were so simple even I could service them (and I know next to nothing about motor mechanics).


I have always fancied one for their look, design and simplicity but never lived anywhere where they made a lot of sense for me. A Master at school had a beige LWB one and was used as a school transport. I thought it was brilliant but awful to travel in. I fully understand why people love them.
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