I was cleaning my MAF sensor last night. Did all the steps outlined in the tech folder until I got to the part where it says remove the two 10 mm head screws. Well, mine has these funky Torx screws with a stud in the middle! These are like the bolts you find for the locking license plate Allen bolts. WTF! Total buzz kill.

Anyway, I went ahead and sprayed the cleaner with it still attached to the air box plate.

Gotta find the bit for that one now...

A suggestion is to mark on the air box plate and the rear air box with a marker so you know how it goes back on. While you're waiting for the sensor to dry, go and clean the throttle body with some carb cleaner.

 

Its called tamper resistant Torx. They are fairly common and the bits/wrenches are fairly common also. On some of them you can snap the post off with a needle nose pliers and use a standard torx wrench. I always have a couple sets on hand. I replaced the tamper resistant torx fasters on the MAF with some stainless allen socket head cap screws.

 

If memory serves me (which is spotty lately) it's a T20 torx bit to get those screws out. The screws usually have a bit of factory paint on them so you know which one goes where (on mine one is yellow and one is blue), but it seems to me that it only went back in one way.

 

I bought a set of anti-tamper torx bits at the local auto parts store, I think it was. Or maybe Sears. I bought a set of about 10 of them, because well, "you never know"

 

Thanks guys. I'll look into getting a set. Shouldn't be too much $$$.

I did notice a slight improvement in performance and MPG afterwards. Nothing dramatic, but noticeable.

 

I bought the Torx bits with the hole in the middle that goes over the ant-tamper Torx bits. Don't remember where but they work well.

 

I have a set that I bought at an electroncis store. The torx are used alot in electronics. Just another place to look for them is all.

 

Thanks for the tip.