Long term effect of moded MAF sensor

[1FASTKINGCAB]

I took apart a spare MAF sensor I had laying aroud so that I just had the actual sensor in my hand and ended up mounting it to a 3" peice of exhaust pipe. I mounted this on my truck and started it up and it ran GREAT throttle response is awsome much better than before. probably because the stock MAF only has about a 2" bore now I have a near 3" bore (DUH) But now the to "Hot Wires" are out in the open air stream. I was wondering if this is bad for the sensor or the truck? anyone else ever do this? there has got to be a reason more peopple don't do it.

 

Thanks

Tom

[SleeperZ]

That's actually an EXCELLENT idea (of course I think so, because I came up with it too,) and makes this sensor much more desireable over the old vane-type AFMs. This has the benefit of measuring a smaller percentage of the air, and will allow you to run a larger injector with the stock computer, with minor adjustments. I'm using the 300ZX MAF, just passed Colorado Emissions today , and enjoy a wide range of adjustability. As long as you can fine tune the sensor once transplanted into a larger housing, I cannot envision any long term types of issues...

[Lockjaw]

Here is the long term issue, and it really has nothing to do with the pipe. The wire that is in the airstream breaks. What Nissan has it do is spike hot when you shut the car to clean it off, and over time just like a light bulb, it breaks.

 

Sucks, that is why JWT wanted to get the cobra MAF going. They cost 200 bucks new, and flow better, the nissan one is around 400.

 

Could you shoot a picture of it and put it online, I would like to see it.

[1FASTKINGCAB]

SleeperZ: What do you mean by "adjustments"? Also my Truck is a '95 and came stock with a MAF sensor and not the old doggie door type. let me explain what I did so that we are on the same page,I'm not sure if we are right now.

 

I took a MAF sensor for my truck and removed the actual sensor(little black box on the side). The sensor is mounted on the MAF sensor houseing by two philips head screws. I then crushed a peice of 3" pipe until I had enough area to mount the MAF on the pipe I driled a 1/2" hole for the "hot wire" and mounted the sensor W/ two screws. looking through the pipe the sensor sticks out into the air stream about 3/4"

 

Lockjaw: My fear is that when the sensor is mounted in the stock housing it gets all it's through a 1/4" hole and is then vented through a small slot at the back of the housing. One would think if the sensor is exposed to 100% of the air going by it would think more air than normal is going by and run the truck rich. but the truck is running fine w/ no smell of unburned gas and no check engine light.

 

If this MAF setup turns out working well I will place it after the BOV so that it only reads the actual amount of air going into the motor when I go Turbo and I'll be able to get rid of the HP snatching MAF housing

 

I can snap a pic or two but since I'm on WebTv clasic I can't get it online. If someone has a scaner though I can send a pic.

[SleeperZ]

By adjustment, I mean I drilled out the plug on my Z31 MAF, and tweeked the mixture adjustment hiding behind it. It made a huge difference in the tuning of my car. When I install the sensor part of the MAF into a larger housing, it will read a smaller percentage of the air, and should run a bit leaner - this can be compensated (in my mind at least, and it does run away - it needs a leash ) with bigger injectors without major chip changes or sensor overloads.

 

BTW, I believe this is the exact technique Ford Motorsports uses to market bigger injectors with a "recalibrated MAF" for the n/a 5.0 V8s.