After my bit of DIY on the car, I noticed that it was smoking a lot more than usual. Since the only thing I had touched that could be responsible was disconnecting the MAF connector, I opened it up again and noticed that the silicone dielectric grease I put in a whiles back had dripped away.

I got some Radio Shack Heat compound dielectric grease part no. 276-1372 and squirted it into both sides of the connector. Results immediately noticeable - NO smoke at all except on WOT and the engine literally purred.

This is what is called the Cage mod, after the guy who discovered it, and it works a treat.

Don't think it'd help Devonutopia a lot, but you never know......

A "How to....." guide with pictures would be nice

After my failed ASR-off experiments, I'm hesistant to put up any more guides tbh!

But as you know, it really is simple - MAF connector is that big 'un sticking out of the big black airhose, bit twrds the right, top of engine as you look at it. Pic below from a VW, bit different but that's what the connector looks like...

Press in tab BELOW connector and wiggle off.

Squeeze the grease (which looks exactly like toothpaste) into both ends.

Press back on until you hear/feel a click.

Robert's your mother's brother....

Did this last year and the difference was noticeable immediately; the usual cold stagger which the car had had from new had gone. Used Maplins aerosol, but I think same stuff.

The radio shack stuff above is a thick grease that is used on the back of CPU chips to transfer away heat and electrically insulate, seems to work a bit better than the silicon dielectric spark plug grease stuff. N.B. Never use silicone sealant - that would be a bad thing....

Sounds good, will investigate about getting some of this Radio Shack Heat compound dielectric grease! Cheers Basil

Hmmmmm :rubchin:

I'm not sure this will help me though. Is there no way this can affect the MAF sensor itself - It's merely the connector you're working on.

I will have to look into this.

I'm not sure this will help me though. Is there no way this can affect the MAF sensor itself - It's merely the connector you're working on.

I will have to look into this.

But it aids good electrical conduction.

Ive been looking in to this. On the Radio Shack web site, it says the grease that Basil used is silicone grease. I have some silicone grease in the garage I used when I fitted my brake pads.

Is the grease that Basil used different to the grease I purchased from my local Ford garage? To me it just looks like ordinary silicone grease??

If Bas is mentioning that it's the same stuff used between CPUs and heatsinks, surely some thermal compound can be used - available from PC shops etc? :rubchin:

Just wondering as I have quite a lot of this available already

Steve

I don't know enough to advise, but, do check that your grease is insulating. Some of the heat sink (and other greases for all I know) will conduct. The aim here is to fill the little indentations in the connection so that you get a clear signal from the parts which are tight together.

The radio shack stuff (part no. above) has been in for the last 2-3 weeks, and straight away dropped the smoke level dramatically as well as smoothing the engine running.

Prior to that I used an old tube of regular spark plug boot grease (silicone dielectric) with the same results for about 1 year.

Don't knock it till you've tried it.....

Have we still Radio Shack shops in the uk:confused: or did you order it via a website

Would this be any good?

Steve

I'm out here in the Arabian Gulf - IIRC you can get silicon spark plug grease from Halfords - cheap and effective.

DO post your findings please - it really is a great little mod, but no-one seems to enthuse about it here on Brisk apart from me - well respected on other TDI forums...

I looked into this a while ago when Bas first tried it and located - Speeding.co.uk Car Accessories Under a Fiver

I must really try some of this stuff.

Any dielectric grease will do the trick (Vaseline, Silicone grease etc).

I fail to see how it can make an improvement. All it will do is protect the connections from the elements, and stop them degrading over time...

update: in an email from a well-known tuning company, I was told that probably VAG is aware of a problem with conduction at the MAF connectors - the higher-end VAG cars have gold-plated connectors, while we have tin-plated ones.

Another note - the Radio Shack stuff got hardened and car is smoking again - will have to dig around in my toolboxes (!) for the remaining stuff left in my 10-year old tube of proper silicon dielectric grease ....

the higher-end VAG cars have gold-plated connectors, while we have tin-plated ones.

Would these be exchangeable do you think... ?

guy's contact cleaning stuff

Products

guy's try this stuff its a Silver loaded compound.

Silver being the best conductor of all.

does the trick with hi-fi.

6moons audio reviews: Walker

That's the stuff I used and it worked a treat.

did mine today , to be honest never felt any different , maybe the placebo effect on other cars ?