Sorry, no pictures, but here are the steps for other newbies.
Overall, the job is fairly easy, but is complicated by ***-BACKWARDS design of the airbox.

1. Work when car is cold.
2. Remove top airbox plastic cover (just pull up)
3. Unscrew two screws that hold the snorkel to the front radiator support. Pull up on the side of the snorkel by the fender, and wiggle the whole thing out.
3. Remove 4 screws holding aluminum heat shield attached to the engine side of the air box (pain in the ***).
4. Remove two hose clamps on the front side of the airbox holding a big and a small hose coming out of the bottom of the airbox. Be carefull not to loose rubber O rings.
5. On the firewall side of the airbox undo small clamp to separate the hard hose and move it out of the way.
6. Undo 4 clips holding the top of the airbox to the bottom.
7.Spend 20 minutes trying to wiggle the top of the aibox out without damaging anything. Once top of airbox is free flip it over.
8. Undo 2 screws holding MAF inside.
9. Seperate MAF extension from MAF by pulling them apart.
10. Flip MAF over and disconnect the electrical connector. Jam small screw driver into the slit and pull up. It will click and release the connector.
11. When you remove the old MAF, it will have an O ring that you will need to remove from it and put on the new MAF.
12. Reassemble in reverse order.

Like I said, this should have taken 20 min to do, but it will take about 1.5hr realistically. Had all wires been routed on the side of the airbox and on top - it would have been a much better design.

 

nice thanks!

 

The MAF harness should be unplugged before taking the top of the air box off. This is a 10 minute job at most, it should not take anyome 1.5 hrs to swap the MAF. It takes me 1 hr to remove the transmission out of my A4, thats on my back with just 2 floor jacks and some jack stands.

 

I agree with Mike.

I just did mine the other day, had most of it back together, realized i forgot to put the O-ring back on the new one. Oops. Still took only 30 minutes, basically doing it twice. I'm no expert either, by any means.

 

.... do you mean unplug the MAF harness on the other end... not on the MAF side?

 

Unplug the maf harness that plugs into the top of the maf housing. The maf sensor harness goes thru the top of the air box and covered with a rubber seal. You just pull the rubber seal off and unplug the maf plug using the button tab on it. You then unclip the top of the air box and pull it off. Once your done with that you remove the 2 screws to take the maf housing and horn out of the air box top.

 

I see what you are saying. On my car (2001) that rubber seal on top of the airbox with wire going through it is fused to the plastic. First I thought it is removable, but after trying to pry it off carefully I decided not to, as it looked like I would damage it and I did not have a new one on hand.....so I was left with having to keep it on ....

 

Yeah it comes off. Sounds like someone might have put some sealant on it for some reason.

 

Do anyway of you guys live in Quebec?
I'd be willing to pay for your services..