Image gallery

MAF

The mass air flow sensor (MAF) works in conjunction with the air temp sensor (IAT) to regulate the fuel/air mixture. The mass air has small coils in the middle of the housing that heat up when the truck is running. As the motors RPMs pick up more air passes through the mass air sensor and cools the coil down. The computer detects the cooling of the coils and adds more current to the coils to heat them back up. The computer takes the amount of current that it needs to increase the coil heat and calculates how much the trucks mixture and other settings need to be adjusted. This calculation is also altered by what the air temp sensor (IAT) and a host of other sensors reads. The cooler the air, the more fuel is added. After market mass air flow sensors does a couple of things. They are usually bigger to allow more air to flow through it and alters the fuel curve. Some mass air sensors will advance your timing for more performance. In the picture is an aftermarket mass air flow sensor.

Stock sensors can also be altered by pulling the screen out of the front. The screen is used to stop any objects that pass through the filter from hitting the sensor coils. By removing the screen you will decrease air resistance in the sensor. This will increase air flow causing the sensor to read more air flowing through it and altering the fuel curve. Removing the screen was easy but you must be very careful not to damage the electronics. First remove the sensor from your truck and place on a clean bench. Unscrew the four outer bolts and take the sensor apart. It should divide into 3 pieces. Take the middle piece and put it aside in a safe place. Take the front half and remove the screen. You can remove the screen with a flat head screwdriver. Turn the half face down and press on the sides of the screen. The screen should slide out. A hammer might be needed to loosen the screen. Put the pieces back together and reinstall. I could tell a slight change with this mod. I would assume that more of a change could be felt on a modified air intake. It was worth the trouble but could be a disaster if the electronic part was broken during the mod.

Gutting the MAF
Some peoples will cut the center bar out of the MAF. This was believe to give a gain in HP. After some questions came up we tested both a MAF with just the screen removed and one that had been gutted. Removing the center bar will not give you a gain. Track times have proved that removing the bar will hurt performance. The reason is that air passing threw the MAF over the center bar will speed up. Gutting the MAF will allow more air to enter the intake but the air moving pass the MAF will slow down giving your computer a false reading. Aftermarket MAF that are bigger alter computer settings to be able to get a gain from the larger MAF. On one test 3 tenths was lost by removing the center bar.