Mass Air Flow (MAF) cleaner: Any good?

[VanguardLH]

Subaru Legacy 1992 wagon

I got a salvage air cleaner box. The car shop jockies have, over the
years, cranked the bolts too tight which resulted in the plastic box
breaking where are the nuts inside recessed holes that hold them in
place. I'm on the last good screw and the one diagonal from it holds
just enough to keep the top onto the bottom half of the box. I got a
box from the salvage yard and it looks okay so I figure on popping out
the old one and use the salvaged one.

On the box or attached to it is the MAF (mass air flow) sensor. I also
got that with the salvaged air cleaner box but obviously I don't know
its condition. I've always had a cool+wet weather running problem where
sometimes the engine just gets way too much fuel so it is running rich.
Not only does the engine have to get up to temperature but it has to be
at running temperature for quite awhile. I'll get to work and it's
still running rough. Then it sits for a couple hours, I go use it
again, and it's running fine again. It will stall at lights because it
chokes on seem to be getting too much fuel (I can smell the fuel stink
even after driving 10 miles, or maybe it isn't firing because it's too
lean and the unburnt gas is getting pumped out the tail pipe). Had lots
of stuff looked and replaced over the years but no one came up with a
solution, plus everytime I left it at the shop so they could start it
cold then problem didn't show up. It is highly erratic when this
happens. I'll go out to start the car, it's heaving trying to stay
running, I put in neutral and rev the engine to 2800 RPM and leave it
there for 10-15 minutes (so it gets up to running temperature and been
there for 5 minutes), turn it off, go back inside for an hour, come out
and it's running okay again. Very frustrating. I suppose it could be
the computer but I'd rather try something cheaper (and easier). Maybe
the MAF sensor is malfunctioning or dirty so the computer sees the wrong
amount of air getting delivered.

Usually the answer (by the dealers) to replace the MAF sensor. Yeah,
but expensive. And I'll have 2 of them: my original and the salvaged
one. So I'm thinking of using CRC MAF cleaner spray on the salvaged one
and see if cleaning it helps. If not or it gets worse, I'll just put my
old one back (and uncleaned so it's in the same state as when removed).
Apparently when you turn the engine off, the wire inside is heated to
burn off any contaminants but it doesn't always work so a film accrues
on it. I figure I don't have much to lose on cleaning the salvaged one
other than the cost of this special cleaner spray. However, I'm
wondering if there is any calibration to the MAF sensor or if it is just
swap and use (when, for example, you install a new one at full cost).

Is this CRC MAF cleaner any good? (Found an example listing at
http://www.autobarn.net/maairflsecl1.html). Rough idle (and mine can be
sometimes very rough) is one of the things that cleaning the MAF sensor
is supposed to fix. I'm kinda in shotgun troubleshooting mode since the
problem just won't show up when I leave it at the car shop or dealer.
Since I'm replacing the air cleaner box which has the MAF atop of it, I
was wondering if anyone had good luck using this stuff.

 

[Bob Bailin]

Subaru Legacy 1992 wagon

I got a salvage air cleaner box. The car shop jockies have, over the
years, cranked the bolts too tight which resulted in the plastic box
breaking where are the nuts inside recessed holes that hold them in
place. I'm on the last good screw and the one diagonal from it holds
just enough to keep the top onto the bottom half of the box. I got a
box from the salvage yard and it looks okay so I figure on popping out
the old one and use the salvaged one.

On the box or attached to it is the MAF (mass air flow) sensor. I also
got that with the salvaged air cleaner box but obviously I don't know
its condition. I've always had a cool+wet weather running problem where
sometimes the engine just gets way too much fuel so it is running rich.
Not only does the engine have to get up to temperature but it has to be
at running temperature for quite awhile. I'll get to work and it's
still running rough. Then it sits for a couple hours, I go use it
again, and it's running fine again. It will stall at lights because it
chokes on seem to be getting too much fuel (I can smell the fuel stink
even after driving 10 miles, or maybe it isn't firing because it's too
lean and the unburnt gas is getting pumped out the tail pipe). Had lots
of stuff looked and replaced over the years but no one came up with a
solution, plus everytime I left it at the shop so they could start it
cold then problem didn't show up. It is highly erratic when this
happens. I'll go out to start the car, it's heaving trying to stay
running, I put in neutral and rev the engine to 2800 RPM and leave it
there for 10-15 minutes (so it gets up to running temperature and been
there for 5 minutes), turn it off, go back inside for an hour, come out
and it's running okay again. Very frustrating. I suppose it could be
the computer but I'd rather try something cheaper (and easier). Maybe
the MAF sensor is malfunctioning or dirty so the computer sees the wrong
amount of air getting delivered.

Usually the answer (by the dealers) to replace the MAF sensor. Yeah,
but expensive. And I'll have 2 of them: my original and the salvaged
one. So I'm thinking of using CRC MAF cleaner spray on the salvaged one
and see if cleaning it helps. If not or it gets worse, I'll just put my
old one back (and uncleaned so it's in the same state as when removed).
Apparently when you turn the engine off, the wire inside is heated to
burn off any contaminants but it doesn't always work so a film accrues
on it. I figure I don't have much to lose on cleaning the salvaged one
other than the cost of this special cleaner spray. However, I'm
wondering if there is any calibration to the MAF sensor or if it is just
swap and use (when, for example, you install a new one at full cost).

Is this CRC MAF cleaner any good? (Found an example listing at
http://www.autobarn.net/maairflsecl1.html). Rough idle (and mine can be
sometimes very rough) is one of the things that cleaning the MAF sensor
is supposed to fix. I'm kinda in shotgun troubleshooting mode since the
problem just won't show up when I leave it at the car shop or dealer.
Since I'm replacing the air cleaner box which has the MAF atop of it, I
was wondering if anyone had good luck using this stuff.

CRC MAF cleaner is just alcohol in an aerosol can. A very, very gentle
cleaner, unlike brake cleaner or, especially, carb cleaner. FYI, MAF
cleaner and throttle body cleaner are the same product, alcohol. After
cleaning the crud off the wire sensor, spray some on the throttle bore
near the butterfly plate to clean away the accumulated ridge of carbon
crud, using a soft cloth or cotton swab.

I would disconnect the battery after replacing the MAF to clear
the saved settings.

If your engine runs well cold but not hot I would suspect a bad O2
sensor, but you've probably already replaced that. Another possibility
would be leaking fuel injectors, but that would also cause rough running
at start up for 10-20 seconds when the car has been off for only an hour
or two. Poor running in cold/wet weather points to bad plug wires,
and possibly a bad coil.

My brother had an old Excel that had similar problems that turned out
to be a bad fuel pump that acted up randomly, usually in hot weather.

Bob

 

[VanguardLH]

CRC MAF cleaner is just alcohol in an aerosol can.

Haven't seen any aerosol alcohol products (or don't remember seeing any)
but then I haven't been looking for that stuff. So I'll probably use
the CRC stuff.

A very, very gentle
cleaner, unlike brake cleaner or, especially, carb cleaner. FYI, MAF
cleaner and throttle body cleaner are the same product, alcohol. After
cleaning the crud off the wire sensor, spray some on the throttle bore
near the butterfly plate to clean away the accumulated ridge of carbon
crud, using a soft cloth or cotton swab.

Hmm, I'm pretty sure that I've looked there (throttle body) at some
point but can't recall it now.

I would disconnect the battery after replacing the MAF to clear
the saved settings.

Thanks for the reminder.

If your engine runs well cold but not hot I would suspect a bad O2
sensor, but you've probably already replaced that.

The O2 sensor got replaced around 5 years ago. Condition existed before
and after the change.

When it gets hot, and after it's been hot for awhile, it runs great.
When it's near freezing or lower, runs great. It's during cool and damp
conditions when it *might* decide to run rough. I can drive 5 miles and
it is still rough. I'll smell gas from the tail pipe but I'm not if
that is because the mixture is too rich and that's what I'm smelling or
a not-firing condition so the unburnt fuel is getting ejected. It is a
sometimes problem but almost always after it's been sitting outside
unused for hours or overnight and it is damp or raining (but it also has
to be cool, not hot outside).

At it's worst, it happens all of once per week but I can never really
plan on when it will happen. Under the same weather conditions and with
it sitting overnight, I won't know when it will falter and stutter for
something like 20 minutes, or longer. It's a crap shoot. It only
happens when the car has sat idle for many hours. It only happens in
cool and damp/wet weather. But it doesn't always happen. In fact, it
happens just enough to catch me off-guard when it does happen;
otherwise, I could maybe plan for when it might act up.

Another possibility
would be leaking fuel injectors, but that would also cause rough running
at start up for 10-20 seconds when the car has been off for only an hour
or two.

But this rough running (and not just when idling) will occur for 15-20
minutes. The car has to start cold. It has to be cool and damp. And
not only must the car get up to running or working temperature but it
must be there for around 15 minutes. Once it goes away, it's gone
during that drive. I can park and go out an hour or two later and it's
still okay. I can let it sit overnight and it's another cool and damp
day and it still runs okay. Then anywhere from 4 to 9 days elapse and
it happens again (if cool and damp again). It's just so irregular when
it happens that I can't give a repeatable situation under which to test.

Poor running in cold/wet weather points to bad plug wires,
and possibly a bad coil.

The plugs have been replaced (twice over the 15 years that I've had the
17-year old car). Each time, the problem would reappear after the
change. I don't recall the coil ever getting replaced. However, if
cool+damp weather was the problem, like humid air getting inside and not
getting vented out and lowering the dielectric resistance of the air
inside, it would seem that the problem would occur all the time under
the same weather conditions and with the same setup of letting the car
sit idle in that weather for many hours, like overnight.

My brother had an old Excel that had similar problems that turned out
to be a bad fuel pump that acted up randomly, usually in hot weather.

Sounds something akin to vapor-lock. Again, hot is not when the rough
running occurs. It's the unpredictable cold starting condition in
cool+damp weather. Once the engine gets hot, but only after it has been
hot for quite awhile, then further driving is fine. I've had it where
the next cool+damp morning it does the same thing but more typical is
that it wouldn't happen for several more days or might be weeks before
it happens again. But when it does, it's a bitch to drive in trying to
use both feet: one to keep the RPMs up so the engine doesn't die and
another on the brake to stop at lights while maintaining high RPM.

When it decides to run rough, it will run okay if I keep the RPM above
2400 (that's from memory; I just remember that I have to keep it revved
up but it's somewhere over 2400 but I don't need to go higher than
3000). It seems to get enough air with the fuel. When I've over that
RPM, I can accelerate okay and there's no backfiring inside the exhaust
when slowing down (by taking my foot off the accelerator). Below that,
I can feel the shuddering or hesitation. Once below 1200, it's very
noticeable and it will not stay running when idling at a stop (and why I
need to press the brake harder while revving the engine or put the car
in neutral at the stop and keep it revved up to keep it running).

I saw mention of a throttle position sensor (TPS) and idle air control
(IAC) solenoid valve with an air bypass hose. Huh? Never heard of them
for this car. It's an old '92 so I don't know if those items exist. If
so, I suppose they could also be screwing up the mixture or timing.
I'll have to head back to the Chilton book to see if there's any mention
of these.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Haven't seen any aerosol alcohol products (or don't remember seeing any)
but then I haven't been looking for that stuff. So I'll probably use
the CRC stuff.


Hmm, I'm pretty sure that I've looked there (throttle body) at some
point but can't recall it now.


Thanks for the reminder.


The O2 sensor got replaced around 5 years ago. Condition existed before
and after the change.

When it gets hot, and after it's been hot for awhile, it runs great.
When it's near freezing or lower, runs great. It's during cool and damp
conditions when it *might* decide to run rough. I can drive 5 miles and
it is still rough. I'll smell gas from the tail pipe but I'm not if
that is because the mixture is too rich and that's what I'm smelling or
a not-firing condition so the unburnt fuel is getting ejected. It is a
sometimes problem but almost always after it's been sitting outside
unused for hours or overnight and it is damp or raining (but it also has
to be cool, not hot outside).

At it's worst, it happens all of once per week but I can never really
plan on when it will happen. Under the same weather conditions and with
it sitting overnight, I won't know when it will falter and stutter for
something like 20 minutes, or longer. It's a crap shoot. It only
happens when the car has sat idle for many hours. It only happens in
cool and damp/wet weather. But it doesn't always happen. In fact, it
happens just enough to catch me off-guard when it does happen;
otherwise, I could maybe plan for when it might act up.


But this rough running (and not just when idling) will occur for 15-20
minutes. The car has to start cold. It has to be cool and damp. And
not only must the car get up to running or working temperature but it
must be there for around 15 minutes. Once it goes away, it's gone
during that drive. I can park and go out an hour or two later and it's
still okay. I can let it sit overnight and it's another cool and damp
day and it still runs okay. Then anywhere from 4 to 9 days elapse and
it happens again (if cool and damp again). It's just so irregular when
it happens that I can't give a repeatable situation under which to test.


The plugs have been replaced (twice over the 15 years that I've had the
17-year old car). Each time, the problem would reappear after the
change. I don't recall the coil ever getting replaced. However, if
cool+damp weather was the problem, like humid air getting inside and not
getting vented out and lowering the dielectric resistance of the air
inside, it would seem that the problem would occur all the time under
the same weather conditions and with the same setup of letting the car
sit idle in that weather for many hours, like overnight.


Sounds something akin to vapor-lock. Again, hot is not when the rough
running occurs. It's the unpredictable cold starting condition in
cool+damp weather. Once the engine gets hot, but only after it has been
hot for quite awhile, then further driving is fine. I've had it where
the next cool+damp morning it does the same thing but more typical is
that it wouldn't happen for several more days or might be weeks before
it happens again. But when it does, it's a bitch to drive in trying to
use both feet: one to keep the RPMs up so the engine doesn't die and
another on the brake to stop at lights while maintaining high RPM.

When it decides to run rough, it will run okay if I keep the RPM above
2400 (that's from memory; I just remember that I have to keep it revved
up but it's somewhere over 2400 but I don't need to go higher than
3000). It seems to get enough air with the fuel. When I've over that
RPM, I can accelerate okay and there's no backfiring inside the exhaust
when slowing down (by taking my foot off the accelerator). Below that,
I can feel the shuddering or hesitation. Once below 1200, it's very
noticeable and it will not stay running when idling at a stop (and why I
need to press the brake harder while revving the engine or put the car
in neutral at the stop and keep it revved up to keep it running).

I saw mention of a throttle position sensor (TPS) and idle air control
(IAC) solenoid valve with an air bypass hose. Huh? Never heard of them
for this car. It's an old '92 so I don't know if those items exist. If
so, I suppose they could also be screwing up the mixture or timing.
I'll have to head back to the Chilton book to see if there's any mention
of these.

At night, look for sparking under the hood while idling. Or, after it
has started running well, spritz some water around the spark plug wires
and see if rough running condition returns.

How old are the wires?


Carl

 

[Bob Bailin]

Haven't seen any aerosol alcohol products (or don't remember seeing any)
but then I haven't been looking for that stuff. So I'll probably use
the CRC stuff.


Hmm, I'm pretty sure that I've looked there (throttle body) at some
point but can't recall it now.


Thanks for the reminder.


The O2 sensor got replaced around 5 years ago. Condition existed before
and after the change.

When it gets hot, and after it's been hot for awhile, it runs great.
When it's near freezing or lower, runs great. It's during cool and damp
conditions when it *might* decide to run rough. I can drive 5 miles and
it is still rough. I'll smell gas from the tail pipe but I'm not if
that is because the mixture is too rich and that's what I'm smelling or
a not-firing condition so the unburnt fuel is getting ejected. It is a
sometimes problem but almost always after it's been sitting outside
unused for hours or overnight and it is damp or raining (but it also has
to be cool, not hot outside).

At it's worst, it happens all of once per week but I can never really
plan on when it will happen. Under the same weather conditions and with
it sitting overnight, I won't know when it will falter and stutter for
something like 20 minutes, or longer. It's a crap shoot. It only
happens when the car has sat idle for many hours. It only happens in
cool and damp/wet weather. But it doesn't always happen. In fact, it
happens just enough to catch me off-guard when it does happen;
otherwise, I could maybe plan for when it might act up.


But this rough running (and not just when idling) will occur for 15-20
minutes. The car has to start cold. It has to be cool and damp. And
not only must the car get up to running or working temperature but it
must be there for around 15 minutes. Once it goes away, it's gone
during that drive. I can park and go out an hour or two later and it's
still okay. I can let it sit overnight and it's another cool and damp
day and it still runs okay. Then anywhere from 4 to 9 days elapse and
it happens again (if cool and damp again). It's just so irregular when
it happens that I can't give a repeatable situation under which to test.


The plugs have been replaced (twice over the 15 years that I've had the
17-year old car). Each time, the problem would reappear after the
change. I don't recall the coil ever getting replaced. However, if
cool+damp weather was the problem, like humid air getting inside and not
getting vented out and lowering the dielectric resistance of the air
inside, it would seem that the problem would occur all the time under
the same weather conditions and with the same setup of letting the car
sit idle in that weather for many hours, like overnight.


Sounds something akin to vapor-lock. Again, hot is not when the rough
running occurs. It's the unpredictable cold starting condition in
cool+damp weather. Once the engine gets hot, but only after it has been
hot for quite awhile, then further driving is fine. I've had it where
the next cool+damp morning it does the same thing but more typical is
that it wouldn't happen for several more days or might be weeks before
it happens again. But when it does, it's a bitch to drive in trying to
use both feet: one to keep the RPMs up so the engine doesn't die and
another on the brake to stop at lights while maintaining high RPM.

When it decides to run rough, it will run okay if I keep the RPM above
2400 (that's from memory; I just remember that I have to keep it revved
up but it's somewhere over 2400 but I don't need to go higher than
3000). It seems to get enough air with the fuel. When I've over that
RPM, I can accelerate okay and there's no backfiring inside the exhaust
when slowing down (by taking my foot off the accelerator). Below that,
I can feel the shuddering or hesitation. Once below 1200, it's very
noticeable and it will not stay running when idling at a stop (and why I
need to press the brake harder while revving the engine or put the car
in neutral at the stop and keep it revved up to keep it running).

I saw mention of a throttle position sensor (TPS) and idle air control
(IAC) solenoid valve with an air bypass hose. Huh? Never heard of them
for this car. It's an old '92 so I don't know if those items exist. If
so, I suppose they could also be screwing up the mixture or timing.
I'll have to head back to the Chilton book to see if there's any mention
of these.

If you have a fuel injected engine, then you have a TPS and an IAC.
(You do.) If you had an older carbureted engine, your symptoms sound
just like carb icing, but obviously that's not a problem with FI. The
TPS lets the computer know how much you've stepped on the gas,
the IAC controls the idle speed by controlling the amount of air
allowed into the engine when it's at idle and the throttle plate is
almost fully closed. If the IAC is clogged, it can't control the idle
speed very well.

You said you changed the plugs twice, but didn't mention whether the
plug wires were ever changed. They perform less well in damp weather
also. An easy way to check them is to find a very dark place at night,
open the hood, kill the headlights, and with the aid of a flashlight so
you don't lose any fingers, find the plug wires (engine still running).
As you place your fingers on or near the wires, if you notice any
arcing or glowing or other evidence of stray voltage seeking a
ground (you) then you need new wires. If you haven't changed the
wires in 50K miles, do so. If it's not a financial hardship, use a
Subaru wire set (aftermarket is a crap shoot).

Clean the throttle body bore near the throttle plate with alcohol
and a soft rag until it comes out clean and smooth. A pronounced
ridge near the plate could ice up at idle (but wouldn't affect normal
driving).

 

[VanguardLH]

At night, look for sparking under the hood while idling. Or, after it
has started running well, spritz some water around the spark plug wires
and see if rough running condition returns.

How old are the wires?

Just checked my records. Spark plug wires were replaced in 2000 (car
was bought in 1994). Although this is a 17-year old car, it only has
135K on it. I've had this rough running problem for a long time but I
don't remember back 9 years ago to know if the problem existed before
the wire change. So maybe they put in crappy wires that don't have
decent insulation and the problem showed up afterward.

The price for a good spark plug wire set would be cheaper than the $250
for the MAF.

 

[Bob Bailin]

Just checked my records. Spark plug wires were replaced in 2000 (car
was bought in 1994). Although this is a 17-year old car, it only has
135K on it. I've had this rough running problem for a long time but I
don't remember back 9 years ago to know if the problem existed before
the wire change. So maybe they put in crappy wires that don't have
decent insulation and the problem showed up afterward.

The price for a good spark plug wire set would be cheaper than the $250
for the MAF.

And while you're at it, spend $10-15 or so for new set of NGK V-power plugs.
They seem to work best for me in Japanese cars. Pricier NGK or other
brands just aren't worth the money. You didn't mention what brand of
plugs you're using. I hope it's not Bosch platinum.

 

[VanguardLH]

If you have a fuel injected engine, then you have a TPS and an IAC.

I started to wonder what part the TPS and/or IAC might play in this
problem. Yes, idling is so rough while the car is bucking trying to
keep running but it won't and will die unless I press the accelerator
pedal to raise the RPM to around 1400. Tis a bit embarassing to be
sitting in neutral at a stop while running the engine at a
higher-than-normal RPM.

I found an article that describes how to test the TPS in a forum at
http://www.justanswer.com/questions/t6g2-1992-subaru-legacy-2-liter.
When I get to replacing the air cleaner box and playing around with the
MAF cleaning and do the throttle body cleaning mentioned by others, I
can check if the TPS resistance matches what is described here. There
have been no codes, like the 42 mentioned in the article.

(You do.) If you had an older carbureted engine, your symptoms sound
just like carb icing, but obviously that's not a problem with FI. The
TPS lets the computer know how much you've stepped on the gas,
the IAC controls the idle speed by controlling the amount of air
allowed into the engine when it's at idle and the throttle plate is
almost fully closed. If the IAC is clogged, it can't control the idle
speed very well.

But the rough running still happens when I crank the RPM up from 600-800
(idling) to around 2200. That's why when I'm at a stop (in neutral so I
can keep the RPM up), I rev the engine before trying to take off from
the stop so it won't bog down and try to die. I'm a long ways away from
idle RPM.

You said you changed the plugs twice, but didn't mention whether the
plug wires were ever changed. They perform less well in damp weather
also. An easy way to check them is to find a very dark place at night,
open the hood, kill the headlights, and with the aid of a flashlight so
you don't lose any fingers, find the plug wires (engine still running).
As you place your fingers on or near the wires, if you notice any
arcing or glowing or other evidence of stray voltage seeking a
ground (you) then you need new wires. If you haven't changed the
wires in 50K miles, do so. If it's not a financial hardship, use a
Subaru wire set (aftermarket is a crap shoot).

Carl mentioned the wires, too. They're old. Bought in 2000; however, I
don't put much mileage on this car (about 8K/year). While the rough
running has been occurring a long time, that's too long ago for me to
remember if it was happening before the wire change. So I'll probably
toss in a new wire set (and use some dielectric grease inside the boots,
too).

Clean the throttle body bore near the throttle plate with alcohol
and a soft rag until it comes out clean and smooth. A pronounced
ridge near the plate could ice up at idle (but wouldn't affect normal
driving).

Since I'm getting the CRC alcohol spray for the MAF, I'll use it to wet
a rag to clean out the throttle body.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

At night, look for sparking under the hood while idling. Or, after it
has started running well, spritz some water around the spark plug wires
and see if rough running condition returns.

How old are the wires?


Carl

Have you checked for stored codes? Might be a clue.

instructions for reading codes (in case you don't already know) at
www.troublecodes.net IIRC.

Carl

 

[VanguardLH]

Have you checked for stored codes? Might be a clue.

instructions for reading codes (in case you don't already know) at
www.troublecodes.net IIRC.

Carl

I've had a car shop and dealer check for codes. None.

I've had the car show the "Check Engine" light (it's highly erratic when
it might appear). Took it to the car shop and dealer. No codes
recorded.

I even had the car show the "Check Engine" light right at the car shop
when picking it up for repair (tire change, I think), ran back in, got
them to interrupt everything and run out with their code reader, plug it
in, and still no codes were found (and the Check Engine light was off,
too).

So even when the "Check Engine" has come on, no one can find any
recorded codes to indicate where might be the problem. When it shows up
is highly erratic. Could be on a cold start (on a cold or hot day, or a
wet or dry day), after it's been running awhile and the engine has been
at running temperature for 10 minutes, or more, or <name-a-scenario>. I
even banged on the dash and ran my fingers underneath to jostle the
cabling to see if there was a flaky connection that was sometimes hiding
the light. It's exasperating because I'll see it but can NEVER
reproduce it and no one finds any codes for it.

If it gets down to replacement the computer (ECM) then I'll probably
wait until I can grab a salvaged one at the salvage yard that
specializes in old foreign-brand cars (www.upullrparts.com). I can
check when they have one to match my vehicle but have to be quick when
it shows up; otherwise, they get stripped pretty quick (although they
provide no "e-mail alert" service for a saved search). It's busy
everyday that I've been there. Their parts are pretty cheap (because
it's your labor to remove the stuff). I have a large under-paint rust
bubble in the passenger door under the outside rear view mirror.
Instead of fixing that, I just got an entire door (with mirror, panel,
glass, lock, everything) for around $30 - but I have to wait until I can
schedule with my buddy to hold the replacement door while I position it.
There are other salvage shops (http://www.abcofridleyautoparts.com/) but
more costly yet they do include a 1-year warranty but they aren't so
specialized so often they don't have what I need: they list the LHD ECM
for $40 but not the TPS or IAC parts. They list a MAF for only $25 (a
tenth the cost) but, as mentioned, I already got one included (free)
with the salvaged air cleaner box that I'll try first (but figure it
needs to be cleaned).