Originally posted by Lance Kinley:
You should not be building up crud on the MAF unless unfiltered air is getting into the airstream. Oxidation on the element is understandable, however, since it is a heated element. Check for leaks.
It somehow got more crud in the last two months than in the whole previous lifespan of the car. But the CTA cone filter goes right onto the MAF and there are no places for gaps to happen. Unless the filter is torn somewhere that doesn't show, I suspect that it just isn't filtering all that well. But it was on since last fall, and there was no drastic dirt buildup in its first six months. Maybe there was a one-time incident of some kind of contaminant getting in.
