Mass Air Flow screen removal
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Put it in a padded vise and use a very thin bladed knife to separate each end from the barrel. The ends holding the screens are glued on.
I ran a knife blade repeatedly around the groove and then gently pried with a screw driver blade till the end caps "poped".
Once the end caps are off the screens just come right out.
Further I suggest you carefully place duct tape over each end of the internal sensor tube and cut off the heat sink fins. Blow out and wipe out all Al dust before removing the duct tape.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 747
Likes: 0
From: Perth Western Australia
That was my method.
I ran a knife blade repeatedly around the groove and then gently pried with a screw driver blade till the end caps "poped".
Once the end caps are off the screens just come right out.
Further I suggest you carefully place duct tape over each end of the internal sensor tube and cut off the heat sink fins. Blow out and wipe out all Al dust before removing the duct tape.
I ran a knife blade repeatedly around the groove and then gently pried with a screw driver blade till the end caps "poped".
Once the end caps are off the screens just come right out.
Further I suggest you carefully place duct tape over each end of the internal sensor tube and cut off the heat sink fins. Blow out and wipe out all Al dust before removing the duct tape.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
that is way too scary a job
I cout out the heat sink fins with a round hack saw blade and dressed them with a file.
So long as the duct tape is over both ends of the center sensor tube the delicate wires are not in jeopardy.
And remember that the '86-'89 Vette MAF is compatable with the '86-'89 F-body TPI cars, either 305 or 350cid.
In fact the '88 Vette is still running fine on the MAF from my old '86 IROC-Z.
Last edited by 65Z01; Mar 19, 2007 at 12:05 AM.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 805
Likes: 11
From: Hickory Flat Ga
The screen evens out the air flow for the little sensor to read. Removing the screen lowers restriction in theory. I doubt it adds tire shredding power on the scale of a throttle body air foil. 
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
From: Mesa Arizona
I read somewhere online (who knows where now...) that some one bench flowed with and without the screens and it only does 570 CFM with and upwards of 650 without. It may have been on someones site who sells "high flow" intake components. cant remember.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Keep in mind it'll flow whatever your motor is pulling through it.
You might get it to flow 20% better, but if the losses through the MAF are only 5% of the whole system, (filter to combustion chamber to exhaust tips), you've gained 1%.
For the money, even .01% is worth it. I left my front screen in though to keep debris out, although the MAF wires are actually pretty durable.
