That sucks but you need a new one now. I just spray the crap out of mine with the cleaner through the screens. I never touch them.
also clean the pins on the terminal make sure the connection is clean and tight.

If you need a security torx with the hole try Snap on or Mac on line or around town.

 

this can be better seen .. i made pics with cell phone..



and by the way....we dont have god damn MAF sensor cleaner in Croatia
so i used this one:


even with just spraying, i used cuetips to clean all around the sensor and still is dirty...
is there a posibility that MAF sensor for 4.2 (97') and MAF sensor from newer Audis are the same? (like 1.8T?)

you guys dont know how lucky u are..your prices are ridiculously low , even tough I live few hundred km from the main factory...

 

i finally got torx t20 secure, removed the MAF sensor out:


and then I took this one for cleaning:


now, as I understood, is there posibility that the same sensor is used for different engines?anyone has the same one? are they in any way programed different?

 

oh, regrading compatibility..

number is:

671 21 1 B
512

 

now, I am looking to replace my MAF sensor just in case mine is dead.
here comes news:
1.
I called BOSCH representative in Croatia:
"Hi, do u have MAF sensor for Audi A8 4.2 1997. ?"
-"what? MAFFFF??? whats that?"
"khmm? you dotn know your products? its mass air flow sensor made by BOSCH"
-"nope, that doesnt exist..bye" klik
"hellooo???twilight zone!"

2.
INTERCARS
-they sell aftermarket products , and replacables
-never heard about MAF sensor..and espacially when I told its A8 4.2 ..like I said its PAGANI ZONDA or similar exotic...

3. I send email to Audi Ingolstadt in Germany..thinking they cant be wrong
here is short message from a SPECIALIST:

Hi Daniel,

what do you mean with "MAF"-Sensor??

The Bosch number isn`t correct. Is there maybe a audi number also?

Do you have a car-ident number? (WAUZZZ??)

kind regards,

Norbert Gall

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Norbert Gall

Teile & Zubehör (PARTS AND ACCESORIES)

Audi Zentrum Ingolstadt
Neuburger Str. 75, 85057 Ingolstadt
Tel. 0841 4914 183
Fax 0841 4914 274
NGall@audi-zentrum-ingolstadt.de

-I sent him pictures of sensor and all the numbers writen on the damn sensor...
-Do you still think you are alone in twilight zone while fixing Audi??

 

there could be a heaven fro Audi's

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-air-flow-m...item3ef7e3cc89

just to chekc the numbers and we are in play....

 

Maybe if you tried explaing that MAF stands for "Mass Air-Flow." Something like: Massenluftablauf

(but it's been zehn jahren since hab ich lebel auf Deutchlandt gelebt, jetz und so meine Deutche ist sehr veck, sofort)

 

well, if you type on net MAF sensor..u got only this option, so I tought he should know international name for this sensor.
now , I have snet him all the numbers from sensor and casing..we will see, also I found on ebay for 65 pounds, waiting for check..

I felt like I have PAGANI ZONDA or Aston Martin while tracking this part...

Ich weis was du wurdest sagen, mein deutsch is auch sehr schleht, hehehe

 

Wow, there are some sharp folks over there. Maybe they play dumb so you can only get it fixed at audi? Thats wierd.

 

Nah, that's not it. German techs will ONLY talk with you on THEIR terms, and, more importantly, their TERMINOLOGY. Get one word wrong and they act like you either don't know WTF you are talking about, or they act like they don't know WTF you are talking about. Their like IT folks, here. If you're not IN teh club, they ignore the fact of your existance. You may as well be one of teh Adults in a Charlie-Brown Christmas Special: Whaa-wa-waa, wah-wa-waaah, wa wahhh... Is about all they hear. meanwhile, the labor-clock is ticking, while you try to explain, in CHERR-munn tech-speak, something you don't understand in <insert your native language, here> tech-speak.

Ask your local IT guy to explain IP-octets, or, better yet, the OSI model, and you'll see what I mean.