Thread: 3.9 V8i MAF mesh

Originally Posted by BigJon

I have just cleaned the MAF which came with my engine. I notice the mesh screen which is fitted to the MAF is in slightly poor condition.

It looks like it has been pushed on in the middle, which has bowed it and caused some of the strands to part around the edges.

I have straightened it as best as possible and I am quite happy to refit it.

My question is: What is it there for? Can I leave it out, or is that a bad idea?

It is there to catch large debris. You can leave it out as your air cleaner should pick up any rubbish before it gets to the maf.
But i f the mesh is so distorted , it may have had a backfire from the air intake to damage it. So the Maf could be Suss, or some one has poked a finger in there before, or the screen was so dirty that the intake of air has pulled it in.

Thanks for that.

I was under the impression that the air filter should stop anything bad from going in there!

It is to spread air evenly. But you are fine without it

I decided to refit it anyway.

I decided to refit it anyway.

Good plan

It is there to straighten and homogenise the air flow across the whole MAF so that the sensor has an accurate sampling of the intake air mass.

The makers of the MAF specify that the mesh must be fitted if there is less than 30CM of straight tube prior to the MAF. AFAIK all injected Land Rovers have a sharp bend just before.

I did a lot of research on this as Autospeed was advocating removal.
Regards Philip A