1G Autometer wants how much for a MAP sensor?!?

[RipperXX]

So apparently Autometer thinks their 3 bar MAP sensor is worth $100... it looks pretty generic. My gauge just randomly stopped working and I haven't found a fault with the gauges wiring. I don't know of a way to check the sensor... but it looks like there's replacements for $27 from advance... does anyone know which brands will work as an identical replacement? I don't figure the signal is identical across all the generic offerings.

And sense I don't know of a way to test the sensor and the wiring still seems fine I'm left just figuring it's a faulty sensor...I hope.

 

[Mello]

You can do a quick test by putting some pressure into the hose & use a DMM across the grd & signal to see if you're getting any change in the 0-5v signal output. Make sure the gauge is powered (key on). If you gauge also measures vacuum you can use a vacuum pump as well. Is the Autometer MAP made out of plastic? The plastic MAP sensor are typically really cheap & more susceptible to vibration failures than the better metal sensors.

 

[RipperXX]

DMM? Digital multi-meter?

Thanks, it's been so long I have to dig out the instructions and figure out which wire is which. I'll just start the engine and look for a signal from the manifold vacuum. Oh and yes it's plastic.

 

[Mello]

DMM? Digital multi-meter?

Yes. The MAP should have 3 wires, one power (5v), Grd, & signal. These are DC.

 

[Lucky13]

Sucks to shell out over a $100 for a real one when you see knock offs on Ebay and Amazon starting around $12. But at the end of the day do you really want to be second guessing your tune based on what you know is a super cheap imitation?

 

[RipperXX]

Sucks to shell out over a $100 for a real one when you see knock offs on Ebay and Amazon starting around $12. But at the end of the day do you really want to be second guessing your tune based on what you know is a super cheap imitation?

Depends, is the real unit just a cheapo unit or has it been tweaked / customized to the vendors specs. If it is the MAP sensor that's faulty, I know what the normal vacuum looks like and peak boost numbers etc. So actually, kind of...yeah.

 

[Lucky13]

I agree... a moderately priced alternative would be ideal. If you know where your parameters should be, then trying a lower cost unit and comparing the values you get to your old known values should work.

 

[Mello]

Autometer doesn't make sensor, they buy them from other manufacturers. This looks like a GM 3 bar. I would start comparing this to a GM sensor. Something like one from a Buick Grand National.

Reference these links:
http://www.robietherobot.com/storm/mapsensor.htm
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?LH_...sacat=&_sadis=&_sop=12&_udhi=&_udlo=&_fosrp=1

 

[motomattx]

I wouldn't mess with a knockoff sensor at all, in fact I wouldn't even buy one from anyone other than a known vendor such as Summit racing, I have been down that road on an Ebay ethanol sensor that looked identical to the real GM one for half of what Summit wanted for it and it was absolute junk right out of the box, never read anything right and the temperature part of it didn't work at all, something like that can trash your engine or make it run like garbage with a tune that keeps changing as the junk sensor is all over the place every other day, I bought a GM 3 bar from summit a few years ago for a decent price, I think it was under $100.

 

[Mello]

Rockauto has AC Delco & NTK MAP sensors.

 

[RipperXX]

Anyone know what's the signal wire on a normal GM 3 wire map sensor of this style?

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[Mello]

It tells you what the sensor pinout is in the link I posted above but here it is again http://www.robietherobot.com/storm/mapsensor.htm

 

[RipperXX]

It tells you what the sensor pinout is in the link I posted above but here it is again http://www.robietherobot.com/storm/mapsensor.htm

Thank you.

 

[RipperXX]

Well, finally had the time to really check everything, sensor is getting power, and so is the gauge. Sensor is giving a signal of 1.51v at atmospheric pressure. And the signal is getting to the back side of the connector. So I guess the gauge just up and died for no apparent reason. The peak and hold, warning etc. nothing works on it, it's just dead. ground is good, and 12v to the gauge is good. So that piss's me off. $250 or so and no more than it's been driven since installed it's not like it had a hard life. Mostly stayed in a garage too so it's not like it was getting that hot either.

So I guess now I'll go buy a mechanical gauge and see about trying to log the MAP sensor. I guess on a 1G the best route is to do the narrow band simulation and use the narrow band's input to log the MAP sensor so I can log boost? Can anyone tell me which wire on the engine harness side at the connector for the narrow band o2 sensor is the signal wire? I'm hoping I can just unpin it at the connector and splice in the input from the MAP sensor so the O2 sensor still gets hot and stays clean? I figure it being in the O2 housing it ought to stay hot enough... the WB is in the down pipe and has been consistent over the years so I guess I can trust it to simulate the narrow band. Never done this before... still on the factory MAF... if I'm going to have a MAP sensor logged it may finally be time to move towards speed density. I have been putting it off because I'm not that good at tuning . Took a decent amount of help from others to get the tune as good as it is now. So naturally I got to go change crap. Speed density would let me toss the MAF though and re-route the intake for cooler air, and less restriction which might give me a few hp more I guess. Everyone always talks about how much better their car runs on speed density...

What does the hive mind think?

 

[Mello]

I'm not sure the narrow band input will work. The NBO2 is a 1v sensor (.5v being the switch point) & the MAP is a 5v sensor. I have a 2G but I think you need to find an available 5v input to use the MAP on. I believe the NB simulator converts the WBO2 output from 5v to 1v for the ECU to use. Hopefully others chime in on this.

 

[Lucky13]

From the ECMTuning wiki it's pin 4. http://www.ecmtuning.com/wiki/externalsensorinput