I have just removed, cleaned and put back in my K and N air filters on my 2008MY XKR.
I then read that cleaning the MAF sensors was a good idea. I've never cleaned or replaced them in the 5 years Ive owned the car and I imagine that the previous owners didnt either, as they are not service items.
ANYWAY...Jaguar have already made a simple job so difficult - wheels off, wheel are liners almost off, etc.. just to change air filters, removing the MAF sensors looks so laborious and long winded I gave up.
Has anyone a simple step by step guide to removing the MAF sensors. I got as far as taking the one visible bolt on the air filter box out, but the box was still solid. I think that the undertray will have to come off as well, but what else.....I dont want to start this job without knowing how to complete it, afterall it is a job that is maybe not even necessary.
Any useful info on how to remove the sensors will be much appreciated
Thanks
Jim

 

You took the LONG way 'round just to change air filters. It can be easily managed by lifting one side of the front, turning the wheel full-lock and folding back the leading part of the inner fender a ways. Ditto other side.
As for the MAFs, I have no idea (yet).

 

The repair manual indicates the need to remove the tire, the radiator splash shield, partially remove the fender splash shield, remove the front bumper air ducting, and disconnect the intake air resonator, the MAF sensor electrical connector, and the intake air duct.

Then in principle the air cleaner housing can be removed. As you pointed out there is one bolt holding it, plus a locating grommet holding the housing.

Then the MAF sensor can be removed from the air cleaner housing, but make sure not to damage the O-ring seal, or else be ready to install a new one.

I haven't had to do this yet, but noticed it is possible to see the MAF sensor from the top, after disconnecting the air inlet tube near the power steering fluid reservoir (on my NA XK engine.) If you can do the same, then you can look at the ambient air temp sensor bulb to see if it is amber, which means the bulb is clean, or if it is greyish which means it as well as the MAF sensor wires could use cleaning with MAF cleaner spray.

 

I don't think the job is horrible. If you feel the need to do it, just do it. Pic of mine naked. Should be easy enough to put the car on stands, pull the front tires and inner fender liners. Remove the air tubing and unbolt the MAF. Kind of a PITA that the electronics are towards the back or you could just remove the electronics package from the meter housing.

 

Thankyou everyone. Ranchero50's image is very useful, it is the opposite side of the car to the one which I was starting on. it's interesting to note that it appears that Jaguar, in their usual way of cost saving didn't make the pipes - to which the sensor is bolted - in pairs; they just used one pipe/same part no. for both sides (meaning the sensor is situated on the outer edge of the pipe - against the air box on passenger side, whereas on the drivers' side the sensor is in inboard - as photo. (RH drive car).

I dont want to seem daft, but I was hoping that if - what I call the undertray (radiator splash guard??) is removed this will allow the front grommet fxing of the air filter box to become accessible and allow removal of the box which in turn will allow access to the sensor.

Just as a side issue...I am unsure if it is a worthwhile excercise to clean the MAF sensors anyway. The car runs fine with no error messages, it;s a bit lumpy on tickover and at 1800rpm approx if held there. but it has been that way since i had the car and Jaguar changed various parts, incl plugs under warranty to rectifiy this to no avail. I am not expecting that cleaning of the MAF sensors will cure this, but just pointing out I have no current issues, so wondering whether I should mess around with it.

 

Not necessary to remove the horizontal undertray to access air filter and MAF. Just remove the fender inner liners.
If you remove the MAF from its tube, note the condition of the O-ring seal. It is extremely important that the MAF be fully sealed. I add a smear of silicon gasket sealer to the O-ring whenever I remove a MAF.

 

to access the front of the 2 x torx studs that hold the MAF sensor in place the air box has to come off, there is no access to the front most stud with the air box in place (ref passenger side RHD cars)

 

Dropping the air box isn't terrible but i think the nose may need pulled and probably the belly pan and headlights if not the nose. The air box snorkel need popped apart and there's a rubber grommet hanger holding the box to an removable (from the headlamp removed accessible) metal bracket. You might be able to wiggle the box out the bottom but it's tight and there's a ton of core support wiring in the way.

I still would almost lay money that if you get the MAF to TB tubing out of the way that you can access the forward most MAF screw from the top. Might need to loosen the back of the nose and tweak everything outboard a bit but it should be doable.

 

I removed both of mine to clean them recently. I didn't have to remove the nose but I did have to drop the front undertray off and peel back the front wheel arch liners. Once you remove the MAF electrical cable and the bolt securing the air box to the car you have to pull the airbox toward the rear of the car as there's a locating stud on the front of each air box which seats into a grommet inside the nose.

Once free of that (took a little bit of force), I was able to rotate the box downwards at the rear to allow access to the Torx bolts securing the MAF tube into the air box, then remove that to be able to remove the sensor itself from the tube and clean it.

The right-hand side (from inside the car) is a bit harder to see due to the extra electrical connectors there. I removed them from mine but I think there is enough slack on the cables not to have to to be able to rotate to allow access on that side too.

I cleaned mine to try and eliminate P0101 which crops up from time to time. So far it's thrown that code again once so I'm not sure I won't have to replace them anyway. If you're seeing no fault codes and no symptoms of bad/dirty MAFs then I wouldn't recommend cleaning them. I used an electrical contact cleaner which leaves no residue (i.e. contains no electrical contact lubricant).

 

I am concerned about positioning the screened insert with short air deflector and 4 supports. Manual says position as removed, which I didn’t do! HOW DO I POSITION IT?

 

There is no need to clean anything, the MAF's are self cleaning. You will probably ruin them or at least cause yourself a load of extra work for nothing. If your car is throwing a code then that is different.

 

It appears that there is 4 possible positions for the screen i mentioned before. It mounts in the air filter box where the MAF sensor housing joins the air filter box. Does anyone know which is the right position for this puppy????

 

Precisely the reason I stopped using K&N's: I found the MAF sensor's (and the entire snorkel for that matter) getting too dirty, too quickly. Did you have a look at the venturi (Throttle Body) yet?
FWIW.

 

If I remember right, it'll only really sit right in one position; the locating tabs on the ends of the little arms are sized and spaced such that if you put it in the wrong place it either won't go fully home, or will go but slide around a little bit. Just try each possible position until it feels relatively snug.

They are a pain though but I wouldn't worry too much, I don't think they do a lot anyway. A lot of cars have these sort of screens in front of the MAF sensor(s), if you care to spend the time online you'll find hundreds of threads discussion whether they are necessary or not.

 

A Jaguar Golden Rule; if it aint broke LEAVE IT ALONE..................really.

Cheers, Adrian