Stymied by torx security screw on MAF

[jtp]

The security bits I have were bought at Harbor Freight. They've worked on other screw heads with a pin, but not on the MAF. The screws on my '93 don't have the pin at all. So is the '96 a design upgrade or a bottom line upgrade? I guess Volvo really doesn't want us to just replace the MAF without the tube.

I always joke that the reason there’s new and exotic fittings on car bolts is that every year the tool companies pay off the auto companies to use them so they can sell more tools.

Torx was cutting edge in the 90s, now it’s triple-square. Next year it will be whatever new thing Snap-On tells them to use lol

[abscate]

Jim - can you just open up the hole on your Torx bit to allow it to slide over the pin? If its Harbor Freight steel, it should drill easily.

[callahanoffroad]

Why even mess with those?
When I replaced my MAF, the OEM
replacement was the whole tube section.
Took about 5 minutes to change.

+1, I don't think I've ever seen a Bosch MAF come without the tube, what is the source?

It's not that Volvo doesn't want you to replace the MAF without the tube, it's that you don't want anything other than a Bosch MAF. If it's not a Bosch MAF, it's almost guaranteed to intermittently stumble and throw codes. They don't work.

The early 95 and earlier non turbos don't have a replaceable tube. The tube is part of the engine side of the air filter housing and is molded into the box. On my 96 non turbo there was a removable tube with the maf in it.

Lots of little differences between the years. This is one of the stranger ones.

[erikv11]

Sure, that is actually a different part number (it's a different MAF). But read the first sentence of the first post, the car is a 96.

[JimBee]

Note the original date of this posting, six years ago. I bought my first Volvo, the 93 850, in late 2008 and had driven that exclusively until late summer 2011 when I bought both 96's, one of which had all kinds of issues with failed sensors, including the MAF. The new to me 96's, especially the barely running one (whose engine I rebuilt a couple of years later) introduced me to a new learning curve since I hadn't had to deal much with sensors on the 93.

Since then I've sourced and changed out for testing probably a half dozen MAF's on both my 93 and the 96 850's. Actually, I don't remember this post at all. There are still a few mysterious features of these timeless Volvos, but the security torx screws isn't one of them.

In the interim though I picked up a set of security torx bits from Harbor Freight. I don't think I've had to use them yet. The only other part that I know of that has that type of screw is the passenger side airbag where it attaches to the underside of the dash pad.

[erikv11]

Note the original date of this posting, six years ago....

Ummmm, oops! Thanks for bringing us back to earth!

[abscate]

Ha! Missed that old post rehash! The similar topics pane really started this trend but I take it as a great measure of how helpful,people here are, not a bad thing

[JimBee]

Seeing that post was kind of a time warp experience.

Part I of my Volvo story. In 2008, I needed another car and had been seeing Volvo's all over Minneapolis—there were 3 on my block. Craigs List had a few listed. I really liked the appearance of the 93, emerald green with sport wheels. The owner handed me the keys and invited me to go for a ride—alone. It was instant exhilaration when I worked through the gears, the smoothness of the clutch, ease of shifting and precision feel of everything. After looking underneath and under the hood I had no doubt, despite the broken headlight and sunroof.
Mechanically, it has been great and the body has held up pretty well. Clear coat on the hood and paint on the roof are a disaster. I've touched up surface rust spots on the roof with Por15, so it's stable. I might tackle some painting (paint brush, foam roller to the roof?). The car still draws the eye of passers-by. I think I'm in that one for the long haul. I drive it mainly during the winter, though I haven't parked it yet because I want to get the rear suspension links replaced in my 96 burgundy 855 (which has working AC) before switching for the next few months. The clear coat on that 855 ( also have an 855 base, also has working AC) is starting to wear off on the hood and roof, too. They all run well, tho there are still a couple wear items needed among them.

[Clemens]

It's nice to have a bunch of differently equipped cars of the same make and model, I think. They are like twins. Similar, but not the same...

[jvl]

Why even mess with those?
When I replaced my MAF, the OEM
replacement was the whole tube section.
Took about 5 minutes to change.

+1, I don't think I've ever seen a Bosch MAF come without the tube, what is the source?

+2! I ran into the same issue when changing out mine. I tried to remove the security-torx screws as well, but my bit-set didn't fit so I just changed out the whole assembly including tube.
It can be hard to get the hard plastic hose off, but for me it helped to do it just after I drove the car, this warmed up all of the hoses a little bit.

Joost