I have an aftermarket MAF. It's not the style that has a flilament like a light bulb. It's a circuit board with a metal bar connected to a transinstor. The honeycomb screen is still in place. Do you reccomend its removal? Is there any ill effects to this? Would there be a worth while performance gain?

 

Found an interesting article regarding my query:

http://www.gmtips.com/3rd-degree/dox...maf-screen.htm

 

Yes, there are plenty of articles out there with opinions. I agree with some of them on that page, but I take exception to the statement that when you remove the screens that the MAF somehow loses its ability to measure airflow. That is completely false. The dynamic of measuring is changed, not the ability.

Your sensor will be completely destroyed if you remove that honeycomb. Its not a 'screen' like the OE GM MAF sensors. Leave it alone.

 

Well then I'm glad I asked. Thanks. For the simple fact of gaining some knowledge here, what is this Honeycomb doing? How is it different than the factory unit? I know the factory unit was more of a screen mesh material.

Thanks again for saving me from a stupid mistake.

 

The screens (aka "trash" screens) on the old style MAF were to protect the fine wire inside. The screens were not part of the measurement circuit. Even if the honeycomb is not part of the measurement circuit it is probably impossible to remove it without damaging the measurement circuit.
The article is interesting, but I think it is only relevant to a stock ECU tune on a stock motor. The wires in a stock MAF only "see" ( or count) a fraction of the airflow. If this fraction changes when you modify the MAF then the ECU can be retuned to compensate. The analogy I will make is if you wanted the most water possible to flow down a river you would not put a dam in the way.
Removing any restriction in the intake path will make a difference.K&N has made a fortune on this fact. It is also a fact that sometimes it is not much of a difference.
The screens were originally removed by people competing in the Corvette Challenge race series that were looking for every advantage. In most cases it takes a tuning change to compensate for the change in output of the MAF, but for the Corvette Challenge people the change in output of the MAF compensated for other changes they were making while retaining the stock tune.

 

I bought my 87 GTA 4yrs ago with 170,000 miles on it. Pushing 210,000 miles, no problems at all.

And the MAF screen was already gone when I bought the car.

Your MAF looks like it is nothing more than a honeycomb screen instead of a square screen. If the only difference is the pattern of the screen, I see no reason that "Your sensor will be completely destroyed if you remove that honeycomb. Its not a 'screen' like the OE GM MAF sensors."

Will removing give you any measurable improvement though? Not in the least, unless your engine is REALLY tweaked & that last .01% helps it.

That being said.....Remove it or don't. You won't know the difference from the seat.

 

no there are some MAF.. from your kmart auto stores thats have. molded resin inside.. that looks like the inside of a cat [honeycomb]

 

What he said. Word is from some very respected members, you remove that and its no longer useful as a MAF. I have never personally tried it with one of those wells design thick film MAFs, but I dont think I would either.