has anyone got any guides with photos? as i am not very mechanical
also will brake cleaner do the job? contact cleaner seems to be recommended but i have some brake cleaner so will that do the same job?
cheers all

 

brake cleaner will be fine as its a high flash point solvent. just be careful with it as there fragile items

 

What year car?

Tony

 

95/96 n reg wrx mate

 

Tim, your car should be running an oil filter capable of trapping micron-sized particles. Can you tell us why you think your sensor needs "cleaning"?

 

sure,
i am relatively new to subarus and engines in general i have a cold starting issue which affects the idle until warm when all is ok,from reading various posts for classics etc i have noticed the problem could be down to either the afm,coolant temperature sensor or something else?hence why i was going to try clean the afm first before i try a different one.
i am going to embark on my first home service soon so all filters plugs etc will be changed

 

Okay. The likeliest cause for your idle issue is, as you've already speculated, the coolant temp sensor feeding the ECU. If your airflow meter was causing it, chances are the idle would muck about to some extent irrespective of engine temperature.

Given that the airflow meter should be comprehensively protected by the air filter there is likely to be little if any advantage in "cleaning" it, but if you want to give it a try, just spray a little brake cleaner gently through the element and allow it to evaporate off naturally.

In the circumstances though the obvious thing to try would be to unplug the ECU coolant temp sensor when the engine's cold and then start up. If the character of the problem changes or disappears.

Don't forget to have a good read up round here on some of the do's and don't's of servicing before you get stuck in. Especially when it comes to the oil change.

 

thanks a lot mate that helps
also the car on cold start seems to missfire also till warm forgot that bit.also smells of fuel quite a bit and seems to be eating a lot!!
where would i find the coolant temp sensor then and what do i clean it with???

 

You can't clean the coolant temperature sensor, you can only either disconnect or replace it. Your car will have two, a small one feeding the needle in the instrument cluster and a bigger one feeding the ECU. Both are in the coolant distributor main that runs beneath the inlet manifold. You'll see them sticking out forward if you peek behind the alternator.

 

excellent so which one is the offender? and is it easy to get at?