4" Aluminum tube MAF
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 472
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From: Brandon Mississippi
Car: 1989 Camaro
Engine: 383
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
4" Aluminum tube MAF
Still got some work to do to make it look as good as it performes but hear are a couple pictures. I started out with 4" tubing and made it oval to match the throttle body, I also made the air lid thicker and added the same size outlet tube. I'm not really happy with how the lid turned out so I went and got another one to try another method that I hope looks better in the end.
Last edited by DSmith; Aug 9, 2008 at 09:40 PM.
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,895
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From: Pittsburgh PA
Car: 89 Iroc-z
Engine: 555 BBC Turbo
Transmission: TH400
Axle/Gears: MWC 9” 3.00
Re: 4" Aluminum tube MAF
you have my attention!!!
this is exactly what i'll be doing except will not be doing 4" i'll be doing 3.5" and i'll be doing 3.5" cold air tubing to the battery area since the battery will be in the trunk
I still think the TPI lid is a restriction so i dont want to make it thicker when i can easily run full tubing that should flow more anyway
How is the tuning with that large MAF sensor? do you have to cut down the injector constant and really increase the MAF tables?
finally any performance gains? your motor is close to my motor in specs
this is exactly what i'll be doing except will not be doing 4" i'll be doing 3.5" and i'll be doing 3.5" cold air tubing to the battery area since the battery will be in the trunk
I still think the TPI lid is a restriction so i dont want to make it thicker when i can easily run full tubing that should flow more anyway
How is the tuning with that large MAF sensor? do you have to cut down the injector constant and really increase the MAF tables?
finally any performance gains? your motor is close to my motor in specs
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 472
Likes: 1
From: Brandon Mississippi
Car: 1989 Camaro
Engine: 383
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: 4" Aluminum tube MAF
I feel that the filters are my biggest restriction now and with the air lid I picked up the other day I'll be looking into doing something about that also.
Tuning wasn't bad, I had it close with the stock sensor so all I did was increase the airfow scalars untill I had it close again. I did have to play with the MAF tables a little at idle.
As for performance, I have yet to make a pass with this engine. The most I have done was get in it in first gear up to around 6000 rpms and let out.
I have plans to go to the local track Tuesday night for a little test and tune.
Maybe then I will have an idea if I have any power or just a lot of wasted time and money.
Tuning wasn't bad, I had it close with the stock sensor so all I did was increase the airfow scalars untill I had it close again. I did have to play with the MAF tables a little at idle.
As for performance, I have yet to make a pass with this engine. The most I have done was get in it in first gear up to around 6000 rpms and let out.
I have plans to go to the local track Tuesday night for a little test and tune.
Maybe then I will have an idea if I have any power or just a lot of wasted time and money.
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,895
Likes: 429
From: Pittsburgh PA
Car: 89 Iroc-z
Engine: 555 BBC Turbo
Transmission: TH400
Axle/Gears: MWC 9” 3.00
Re: 4" Aluminum tube MAF
from my testing with stock MAF and stock TPI lid with and without K/N filters, i did not gain anything from removing the filters while using stock MAF/LID.
So it would seem to me that the lid and MAF are the limiters first, and next is the filters. This is on my 383 that has gone 11.53 at 118 so i got some power even thru the stock stuff
i cant wait to try to make a new MAF. With your hgh flow lid and large MAF the filters just may be the restriction now. definately look to make a pass with and without to see for sure
So it would seem to me that the lid and MAF are the limiters first, and next is the filters. This is on my 383 that has gone 11.53 at 118 so i got some power even thru the stock stuff
i cant wait to try to make a new MAF. With your hgh flow lid and large MAF the filters just may be the restriction now. definately look to make a pass with and without to see for sure
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From: CT
Car: 92 trans am clone
Engine: LO3
Transmission: 700r4
Re: 4" Aluminum tube MAF
please keep us updated i too would like to know how well this worked. seems like the factory maf sensor housing would limit less than a 383 too.
Re: 4" Aluminum tube MAF
A Ford MAF would be another option and may be simpler and cheaper in the long run than adapting a tpi MAF to a larger housing.
The Ford MAFs are readily available and inexpensive and can be made to work in a variety of housings. Reduced output high flow aftermarket sensors are also available in both styles.
I've been running a Ford 05+ slot style MAF since February.
It requires a repin of the MAF signal wire and corresponding programming changes to read the signal, but the changes can be easily accomplished.
Of course, you need to work up a custom tune for the MAF tables, but this is true of any MAF conversion.
The Ford MAFs are readily available and inexpensive and can be made to work in a variety of housings. Reduced output high flow aftermarket sensors are also available in both styles.
I've been running a Ford 05+ slot style MAF since February.
It requires a repin of the MAF signal wire and corresponding programming changes to read the signal, but the changes can be easily accomplished.
Of course, you need to work up a custom tune for the MAF tables, but this is true of any MAF conversion.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 472
Likes: 1
From: Brandon Mississippi
Car: 1989 Camaro
Engine: 383
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: 4" Aluminum tube MAF
cheaper? The aluminum pipe was $12, the maf sensor I cut up was mine anyway. it took about an hour to built(and that includes a bunch of "thinking about it"). Also, I'm not sure but I think 4"(3.875 inside dia.) comes out to more than 80mm
But, you are correct. It will work.
So lets see,
free stock maf $0
aluminum pipe $12
1 hour labor $35
_________________
total $47
not running Ford part PRICELESS!!!!!!!!
But, you are correct. It will work.
So lets see,
free stock maf $0
aluminum pipe $12
1 hour labor $35
_________________
total $47
not running Ford part PRICELESS!!!!!!!!
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,895
Likes: 429
From: Pittsburgh PA
Car: 89 Iroc-z
Engine: 555 BBC Turbo
Transmission: TH400
Axle/Gears: MWC 9” 3.00
Re: 4" Aluminum tube MAF
lol i dont know what it takes to get a ford MAF to run but i'll try making a 3.5" first. my intake is constructed, i just need to build the MAF
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,895
Likes: 429
From: Pittsburgh PA
Car: 89 Iroc-z
Engine: 555 BBC Turbo
Transmission: TH400
Axle/Gears: MWC 9” 3.00
Re: 4" Aluminum tube MAF
lol last few days, yes. air intake tho literally took 20 minutes i think. ordered a u bend and a 90, and just sawzall it down real quick. have some 3.5" couplings and a 4 to 3.5" reducer coupling for the TB.
MAF construction is the only hard part. just gotta be careful cutting it off. also gotta make a bracket to hold the CAI up alittle since its abit heavier than most (exhaust tubing)
this thread has me excited since i'm seeing more and more ppl attempting this and experimenting. from what i've seen it works so i cant wait to try it
MAF construction is the only hard part. just gotta be careful cutting it off. also gotta make a bracket to hold the CAI up alittle since its abit heavier than most (exhaust tubing)
this thread has me excited since i'm seeing more and more ppl attempting this and experimenting. from what i've seen it works so i cant wait to try it
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 472
Likes: 1
From: Brandon Mississippi
Car: 1989 Camaro
Engine: 383
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: 4" Aluminum tube MAF
EXHAUST TUBING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
www.spectreperformance.com is where I got my polished aluminum pipe.
I wish I had taken pictures of the MAF sensor in progress, but then again when I was done I could see a better way to do it. Maybe I'll get my hands on another sensor and document the build step by step.
In fact, sometimes tomorrow I'll see if I can get some pictures of it off the car to give an idea what I did. Should work the same with a 3 1/2 as it did with the 4".
www.spectreperformance.com is where I got my polished aluminum pipe.
I wish I had taken pictures of the MAF sensor in progress, but then again when I was done I could see a better way to do it. Maybe I'll get my hands on another sensor and document the build step by step.
In fact, sometimes tomorrow I'll see if I can get some pictures of it off the car to give an idea what I did. Should work the same with a 3 1/2 as it did with the 4".
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 330
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From: Dyer, In
Car: 91 Camaro RS
Engine: 355 Vortec
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: 4" Aluminum tube MAF
Did a 4" MAF. Turned out to flow about 2.1x more than stock. To tune I changed the injector size and LV8 scalar to rough in the tune. This method allows the ecu to see 2.1x the air flow or in my case 533 g/s instead of the old limit of 255 g/s. Also need to change the Max air Flow vs RPM talbes and the default air flow table. Built a new .xdf file with the 2.1x factor into the conversion routines so tuner pro displays the correct actual value for injector size and airflow tables. This was for a 383, HSR, TF heads.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 472
Likes: 1
From: Brandon Mississippi
Car: 1989 Camaro
Engine: 383
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: 4" Aluminum tube MAF
All that sounds great but I all I changed was the scalar and just let the grams/sec run out where ever they run out. I don't get over 3500 rpms unless I'm all in so I don't have any problems with only 255 grams/sec.
I think I'm gonna try your way and see how I like it. Whats another chip or 20.
I think I'm gonna try your way and see how I like it. Whats another chip or 20.
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,895
Likes: 429
From: Pittsburgh PA
Car: 89 Iroc-z
Engine: 555 BBC Turbo
Transmission: TH400
Axle/Gears: MWC 9” 3.00
Re: 4" Aluminum tube MAF
my car only pegs 255 at WOT by 4500-5000 rpms so i'm good there. PE mode takes over after that
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 472
Likes: 1
From: Brandon Mississippi
Car: 1989 Camaro
Engine: 383
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
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