MAF Sensor Questions
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,909
Likes: 26
From: Clymer PA
MAF Sensor Questions
Seems as though the previous owner didn't feel like cleaning the air filters that often. I used the K&N re-charge kit on my dual cone air intake and holy cow the stuff that came out. Now I see why I have noticed a few people refer to the C5 Corvette as a "bottom-feeder."
My questions are:
1. How do the wires come off of the MAF sensor (do they come off)?
2. Is it a good idea to de-screen the MAF sensor?
I was reading "How to Build High-Performance Chevy LS1/LS6 V8s" by Will Handzel and it recommended doing so. I was under the impression that it would need re-tuned if this was done but the book says that the computer calculates the change in air flow on it's own. Can anyone offer any advise on this? Thank you.
My questions are:
1. How do the wires come off of the MAF sensor (do they come off)?
2. Is it a good idea to de-screen the MAF sensor?
I was reading "How to Build High-Performance Chevy LS1/LS6 V8s" by Will Handzel and it recommended doing so. I was under the impression that it would need re-tuned if this was done but the book says that the computer calculates the change in air flow on it's own. Can anyone offer any advise on this? Thank you.
Last edited by bence13_33; Jan 3, 2016 at 10:41 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
The MAF can be UNPLUGED. There is a SAFETY retainer on the connector that needs to be popped off the plug first and then it just unplugs. The MAF wires inside the MAF are very very D E L E C A T E !!!!!!
Just use MAF cleaner and SPRAY it clean. DO NOT touch the resistors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Period!
DO NOT de-screen the MAF. You will detune the MAF Calibration. You will NOT gain any power by removing the screen and you will upset the PCM Tune. Probably will NOT gain any power either.
While its apart, CLEAN the throttle blade and the inside the throttle body. Use brake parts cleaner.
NOTE The TB will NOT snap shut. It FLOPS shut and Its NORMAL!
Make sure that you properly seal the ducting between the MAF and the TB
Just use MAF cleaner and SPRAY it clean. DO NOT touch the resistors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Period!
DO NOT de-screen the MAF. You will detune the MAF Calibration. You will NOT gain any power by removing the screen and you will upset the PCM Tune. Probably will NOT gain any power either.
While its apart, CLEAN the throttle blade and the inside the throttle body. Use brake parts cleaner.
NOTE The TB will NOT snap shut. It FLOPS shut and Its NORMAL!
Make sure that you properly seal the ducting between the MAF and the TB
Last edited by Bill Curlee; Jan 3, 2016 at 11:16 PM.
Pro
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 740
Likes: 83
From: MN
You shouldn't need to disassemble the MAF housing to clean the sensor. If there's buildup on the MAF sensor wires that can't be removed by the high-velocity spray of a can of MAF cleaner, it should probably be replaced. MAF sensors are cheap and easy to come by nowadays; you can get one off just about any truck at a junkyard. My car came with a de-screened MAF that was also filthy. I replaced it with a screened MAF from a truck and it's run much better since.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,909
Likes: 26
From: Clymer PA
The MAF can be UNPLUGED. There is a SAFETY retainer on the connector that needs to be popped off the plug first and then it just unplugs. The MAF wires inside the MAF are very very D E L E C A T E !!!!!!
Just use MAF cleaner and SPRAY it clean. DO NOT touch the resistors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Period!
DO NOT de-screen the MAF. You will detune the MAF Calibration. You will NOT gain any power by removing the screen and you will upset the PCM Tune. Probably will NOT gain any power either.
While its apart, CLEAN the throttle blade and the inside the throttle body. Use brake parts cleaner.
NOTE The TB will NOT snap shut. It FLOPS shut and Its NORMAL!
Make sure that you properly seal the ducting between the MAF and the TB
Just use MAF cleaner and SPRAY it clean. DO NOT touch the resistors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Period!
DO NOT de-screen the MAF. You will detune the MAF Calibration. You will NOT gain any power by removing the screen and you will upset the PCM Tune. Probably will NOT gain any power either.
While its apart, CLEAN the throttle blade and the inside the throttle body. Use brake parts cleaner.
NOTE The TB will NOT snap shut. It FLOPS shut and Its NORMAL!
Make sure that you properly seal the ducting between the MAF and the TB
I had not planned on de-screening it as I recalled hearing on here that it messes things up. I also noticed a build-up of black gunk around the blade of the throttle body and cleaned it up.
Why would they post something like that hap-hazardly in the book??? Here is word for word what it says:
"The simple modification that should be performed to every MAF sensor is the gentle removal of the inside screen. GM obviously saw the light on this after a few years, because the '02 Z06 Corvette doesn't have a screen in the MAF.
TIP: The screen is used to straighten the air coming into it to minimize false airflow readings, but on the LS vehicles with straight intakes (i.e. Corvette) the screen isn't required."
It is also referred to as a performance improvement. I am not denying you are right, more or less curious how something like this could be published with the potential of causing problems for people?
tasty bacon:
I had to disassemble it to clean my dual cone air filters.
Last edited by bence13_33; Jan 4, 2016 at 12:53 AM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
bill curlee:
I had not planned on de-screening it as I recalled hearing on here that it messes things up. I also noticed a build-up of black gunk around the blade of the throttle body and cleaned it up.
Why would they post something like that hap-hazardly in the book??? Here is word for word what it says:
"The simple modification that should be performed to every MAF sensor is the gentle removal of the inside screen. GM obviously saw the light on this after a few years, because the '02 Z06 Corvette doesn't have a screen in the MAF.
TIP: The screen is used to straighten the air coming into it to minimize false airflow readings, but on the LS vehicles with straight intakes (i.e. Corvette) the screen isn't required."
It is also referred to as a performance improvement. I am not denying you are right, more or less curious how something like this could be published with the potential of causing problems for people?
tasty bacon:
I had to disassemble it to clean my dual cone air filters.
I had not planned on de-screening it as I recalled hearing on here that it messes things up. I also noticed a build-up of black gunk around the blade of the throttle body and cleaned it up.
Why would they post something like that hap-hazardly in the book??? Here is word for word what it says:
"The simple modification that should be performed to every MAF sensor is the gentle removal of the inside screen. GM obviously saw the light on this after a few years, because the '02 Z06 Corvette doesn't have a screen in the MAF.
TIP: The screen is used to straighten the air coming into it to minimize false airflow readings, but on the LS vehicles with straight intakes (i.e. Corvette) the screen isn't required."
It is also referred to as a performance improvement. I am not denying you are right, more or less curious how something like this could be published with the potential of causing problems for people?
tasty bacon:
I had to disassemble it to clean my dual cone air filters.
You can descreen the MAF,,, BUT,,,, You MUST go into the PCM and recalibrate the MAF table.. Its somethig a TUNER will charge you for and for the bolton MOD guy.. it may NOT be cost effective.
Do you have to tune? It all depends on a LOT of factors..
Unless you are making LOTS OF POWER,,, and can easily retune the MAF calibration table,,, leave the MAF SCREEN be
Bill
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,909
Likes: 26
From: Clymer PA
LOL! If you are making CRAZY power,,, YES,,, The screen can become an obsticle in air flow. For the average guy with a few bolt on mods NO!!! It is NOT an issue.
You can descreen the MAF,,, BUT,,,, You MUST go into the PCM and recalibrate the MAF table.. Its somethig a TUNER will charge you for and for the bolton MOD guy.. it may NOT be cost effective.
Do you have to tune? It all depends on a LOT of factors..
Unless you are making LOTS OF POWER,,, and can easily retune the MAF calibration table,,, leave the MAF SCREEN be
Bill
You can descreen the MAF,,, BUT,,,, You MUST go into the PCM and recalibrate the MAF table.. Its somethig a TUNER will charge you for and for the bolton MOD guy.. it may NOT be cost effective.
Do you have to tune? It all depends on a LOT of factors..
Unless you are making LOTS OF POWER,,, and can easily retune the MAF calibration table,,, leave the MAF SCREEN be
Bill
That's along the lines of what I read on here before so when I read that in the book it kind of took me by surprise. My car is basically stock so like you said, not much sense in de-screening it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,803
Likes: 357
From: Northville, MI
When the C5 was in development, the MAF they used had a screen in it. As a result, the PCM was programmed so 90K of information could be changed and the remainder of the 516K was programmed as firmware. Any time you change the velocity of the air--Larger and you will slow down the air coming to the TB or smooth bellows and you will change the turbulance of the air--the firmware, over time, will bring the PCM back in line with the factory calibration. With the Z06 they wanted better throttle response so they removed the screen and wrote firmware to make that change.
With proper tuning you can optimize the PCM to think the air is coming through as originally programmed, otherwise you will experience decel and idle irregularities. However, according to one of the development engineers, it did not add any HP.
With proper tuning you can optimize the PCM to think the air is coming through as originally programmed, otherwise you will experience decel and idle irregularities. However, according to one of the development engineers, it did not add any HP.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer