MAF mod

[psivrais]

Here's how to turn your stock MAF sensor into a screenless high-flow MAF sensor, which cost about a $100.

First thing you want to do is remove the silver intake insulator, it makes it easier to get to the MAF sensor bolts.

Next you want to remove the air intake tube by disconnecting it from both the air cleaner bow and the MAF sensor.

After you've done that you can unplug the the sensor and remove it, take out the three screws with a nut driver (can't remember off the top of my head what size) and pull it off.

Once you have it out you can take a razor knife and cut out the screen, the screen is surprisingly easy to cut through and once you're about half way around the perimeter of it the screen will come out.

Then reinstall everything and you're ready to go.

I have to give Lanceslambos credit for this because I learned it from him and I must say I can tell a difference!


Disclaimer: If you attempt this modification you do so at your own risk. ACNA nor any of its members can/will be held responsible for any ill affects.

[Rocinante]

Sept 16, 2010 21:26:30 GMT -6 psivrais said:

Here's how to turn your stock MAF sensor into a screen less high flow MAF sensor, which cost about a $100. First thing you want to do is remove the silver intake insulator, it makes it easier to get to the MAF sensor bolts. Next you want to remove the air intake tube by disconnecting it from both the air cleaner bow and the MAF sensor. After you've done that you can unplug the the sensor and remove it, take out the three screws with a nut driver (can't remember off the top of my head what size) and pull it off. Once you have it out you can take a razor knife and cut out the screen, the screen is surprisingly easy to cut threw and once your about half way around the perimeter of it the screen will come out. Then reinstall everything and your ready to go. I have to give Lanceslambos credit for this because I learned it from him and i must say I can tell a difference!

...and what's the benefit of making this modification?

[Marc]

More airflow. That screen looks restrictive.

[XJSman89]

Stickied for reference. Maybe at the Springfield meet we can run a car with a stock MAF and the modified one and see if there's a difference.

[lanceslambos]

1. some people say the screen is there as a last line defense against debris in the engine but anything big enough to catch in the screen is too big to get past the air filter originally so that's false

2. some people say that the car won't run right without the screen. i see no difference, mine runs as good as before if not better.

3. it is believed that the screen straightens out the air for a more level or even flow. if your running good premium gas and have a good strong spark, the air will do its thing regardless.

4. Jegs and many other performance part companies make / sell a screenless MAF system for most popular and common era V8's. They in effect provide the same function as the oem MAF, they just don't have a restrictive screen blocking 25-50% of the incoming air to the engine. True the biggest difference may be in the sensor itself.

An aftermarket sensor might detect a larger air volume and allow the brain to compensate in the fuel and spark control. however factory specification parameters within the ECM already have a certain leeway for such changes. If this weren't the case, your car would just die if it got a gust of wind. The absolute limits can surely be found deep in the ASE technical information archives of such programs as Mitchell Repair on Demand program which informs us that the ECM can advance timing spark by up to 15 degrees in -40 temperature and can adjust fuel and spark delivery through a set of pre programmed tables which vary greatly depending on driving and atmospheric conditions and sensor ranges including engine coolant, trans axle fluid temp. and more. If the worst thing that happens is the car going into full loop mode then nothing is really gained but certainly nothing is really lost either.

i imagine running 94 octane which burns more evenly than say 91 or 92 octane makes a small difference and helps offset this air turbulence, now we're getting into waveforms. The motor is already pulling in air easier with a CAI, or WAI intake setup.

If we forget about all the technical nuances and remember in theory that an engine is just a big air pump everything is good, but we've already changed from a pressurized intake air system to a free flow set up. Engines may be like an air pump but they aren't really that efficient at it. Anything we do from plugging the intake resonator off to swapping aftermarket elbows changes this air speed and route to the MAF. i'm running the factory elbow which is 4" diameter. my biggest change was probably the relocation of the IAT sensor.

In the end we want to force as much air as possible into the motor, then let the ECM adjust the spark and fuel accordingly. When we get to the point that the ignition system can't keep up then we can swap out the coils with hotter ones, and change the plugs to another temperature range, etc. When we are getting plenty of air and spark but not enough fuel, we can change to 60 psi injectors from the 2001 - 2004 Auroras, assuming we are working on a 1995 - 1999. finally for best range and results a flash to the ECM would be needed.

If we see no difference in 1320 feet that doesn't really mean much. The total gains or loss by such a change will likely only result in a minimal difference, but we are working with a car that has about zero aftermarket performance options. A "performance MAF" for the L47 will set you back a good $300.00, not merely $100 as psivrais suggests...or you can DIY in 30 minutes for free.

$292.99 plus s/h !!

www.jegs.com/i/JET/561/69106/10002/-1

my car was running rich the past year or so due to my cracked spark plug porcelain and forever i assumed it was due to my screenless MAF, slight hesitation at 50 mph had me believing it was an air issue but was a spark issue.

[relentlessiniquity]

Sept 17, 2010 11:41:17 GMT -6 lanceslambos said:

1. some people say the screen is there as a last line defense against debris in the engine but anything big enough to catch in the screen is too big to get past the air filter originally so that's false

Yes, that's correct in stock form. Partially. Until you go to work on the vehicle with air box removed and drop a bolt, nut screw down the intake tube bc you didn't put a bag over it. Upon many other bad scenarios.

Once you remove the resonator and plug it with a Gatorade bottle cap and a hose clamp (or equivalent rigs I've seen in the few days I have been around) the MAF screen then becomes very valuable to your engine. Worst case scenario the clamp fails, you fail to torque the clamp. Plastic bottle cap cracks under engine compartment heat, etc., etc.

If I were to delete the MAF screen it would be under strict circumstances or not at all. The gains are probably not very noticeable. Clean the MAF sensor and change your filter, probably see the same gain.

An interesting read here. Titled "MAF Screen Removal One Word ~ DON'T". To each there own. I also love his disclaimer:

"My personal disclaimer is this. If you have already cut your screens out I am not saying your stupid or you did something bad. I am saying that maybe you were misinformed or that there was a lack of information available to make the best possible decision for your situation. This article is not to point out mistakes, make fun of, or even say "I'm right ~ you're wrong". But merely to present an opposing view, a difference of opinion, and possibly a closer understanding of a mysterious, complex component."

[lanceslambos]

well you don't want to touch the sensor to really clean it b/c its hot and will get you. its also very fragile, don't want to kink or bend it. the only way to clean the sensor as your saying is to cut out the screen or maybe take the whole thing off as suggested. all of this is back yard mechanics anyway, but with 10.3:1 compression, this mod has some potential.

[psivrais]

I can understand all your worries about the mod, but if you regularly check on everything and do things right you don't have much to worry about. You can clean both your maf sensor and air temp sensor with electrical contact cleaner spray, which i do every time i change my oil. I also used a thick plastic plumbing plug that had a lip on it instead of a Gatorade cap to plug the silencer hole and mount my air temp sensor. I'm not saying everyone should do it either, especially if they don't know what they are doing when it comes to vehicles. I'd be happy to run my car against one that don't have the mod done for comparison. I noticed a deference in acceleration after i completed the mod, will it knock seconds off a quarter mile run, probably not but i did notice better acceleration.

[Deleted]

I did this to my GA GT SE RA. Saw a bit of improvement. But not enough for me to do it to a properly running vehicle. This mod has its risks, as does any modification to a vehicle.

I am going to edit the original post and add a slight disclaimer. This is a mod that could fail miserably if somebody has plugged the silencer hole.

[RCA1186]

I've always said that this mod didn't make much sense to me, but maybe that's just me. Anywho, restrictive as it may or may not be, the computer it still set up to run with it in place so I don't see it causing too many problems being there

[pitt]

www.redgto.com/kb/article.aspx?id=10279&cNode=6P2Q8A

[bobsblue95]

The way I see it, the sensor is post-screen, so any change to the air flow would be "compensated for" by the computer based on the slightly different sensor reading. You might get better acceleration at a given throttle position, but overall performance should still be the same.

[taintedrora]

this MAF sensor mod is of no benefit, when the rora starts to make any real power, please believe that the naturally occurring drop in volumetric efficency, the oem rich running tune, the semi-restrictive nature of the factory intake, and too a lesser degree sweltering underhood temps have much more of an effect on your rora, than the screen on the MAF sensor.... may i remind you that even SC 3800's have the screens on the MAF.... i even believe the V-spec / zr1 also sport these screens.... the screens may result in a 1-2% drop in airflow, but thats at peak... the screens are there to smooth the airflow over the hot wire of the MAF sensor... smooth linear flow is much more important to the MAF, hence the ecm, than a 1-2% drop of airflow, at a peak that we very rarely use.

[robaurora01]

$100 !!!! what a rip off! I did mine for free! and honestly I felt no difference in power but I did gut out my airbox at the same time and only felt slightly better response nothing to spend $100 on that somehow someone spent that. that little screen I can't see it restricting the air flow I see it more as to stop stuff from going into the engine then anything esle

[lanceslambos]

the link pitt posted - that guy says he is only there to convey the facts and that he won't give his personal opinion either way but he most certainly does. as far as running two cars against each other, that won't prove anything either since R/T is a far bigger factor. the difference is like running 91 octane vs 92 octane or like running 40 psi in your tires vs 42 psi, heck like clay baring your car and running against a dirty one. the gains are very miniscule at best but they are there.

[robaurora01]

well the clay bar one might be true, but your better off doing the golf ball effect ( just ask mythbusters )