GM MAF / MAFT Discussion and small poll.

[98spydert]

I've always thought of the GM MAF meter and MAF Translator to be a gigantic waste of money for those of us looking for under, say, 350 crank hp. The 2G MAS is not a big enough restiction to matter unless you are looking to grab every bit of hp you can get out of the 4G63. Venting? Not for the price of the combo. The idea of not having to worry about boost leaks before the new MAF? I'll buy t-bolt clamps. I never thought of it much after that. Now that I'm a daily driver nazi and want a high powered, perfect running DSM (oxy moron, I know) I'm having second thoughts about turning my back on the GM set up.

Maybe I'm wrong about this but the number one reason I'd like to look into it now is air temperature. Air temp measured at the stock location is going to differ drasticly from the air temp going into the throttle body. After being heated in the engine bay, then heated by the turbo, then cooled by the intercooler, you might as well not even have an air temp sensor. Afterall, if the temperature is measured at 135 at the filter, then it's 40 degrees cooler when it gets to the throttle body, what's the point of the ECU basing injector pulse width partly off of the density of the air? Insite?

2nd reason I'm looking at it, at the filter/stock MAS the air is not moving equally and calmly through the sensor housing. Placing the GM set up on a straight away gives the best, most accurate ready, right?

Both of these reasons are pretty obvious to a lot of you but are they even anything to worry about? Just looking for feedback...

ktp4321, I believe you stated that your car runs "probably better than stock" after your tuning, just 100 more hp. That's the overall goal I'm looking towards and why I look at small things like what I mentions.

And to throw in a poll for the hell of it...

Overall, is the GM/MAFT combo worth the money most people pay for it?

 

[95AWD_TSI_TALON]

I bought mine because I had to was over running my 2g hacked and all. But definitly runs better with the gm sensor over the stock 2g. Now to correct you on one thing. the intake temp is locked with the gm sensor. thats why there are 3 wires from a GM sensor and I think 7 from the translator. The intake temp is set standard and something else is too. If I find the isntruction book for it i'll let you know the other thing.

 

[98spydert]

hmm that sucks... so rocking it around here in the winter when it get's down to the 40s and in the summer when it's over 100 is going to yield no difference as far as the temp reading is concerned? You just crushed my hopes and dreams

 

[95AWD_TSI_TALON]

NO thats why it is better. You know how you can go get in your car some days and its fast as crap then you get in the car the next day and its just crap. Its because your ecu is taking so many figures and trying to match them all together. When your intake temp is locked solid its one less parameter and the ecu dosn't car but the car won't notice it. Trust me now the car has had good days ever since the install. No more slow days.

 

[kpt4321]

No, that's not true. The MAFT doesn't make the car more consistient because it locks down the air temp value, and nor does the ECU get "confused" with a lot of different values.

The MAFT just locks down the air temp because GM MAF is a different type than our OEM MAF's, and it will compensate for temperature changes in the frequency (Hz) output.

 

[kpt4321]

Maybe I'm wrong about this but the number one reason I'd like to look into it now is air temperature. Air temp measured at the stock location is going to differ drasticly from the air temp going into the throttle body. After being heated in the engine bay, then heated by the turbo, then cooled by the intercooler, you might as well not even have an air temp sensor. Afterall, if the temperature is measured at 135 at the filter, then it's 40 degrees cooler when it gets to the throttle body, what's the point of the ECU basing injector pulse width partly off of the density of the air? Insite?

You have to base the injector pulsewidth off air density, because the IPW relates directly to air mass.

If you want a 14:1 A/F ratio, and you have XX mass of air, then you need XX/10 mass of fuel. Without knowing the density of the air, you only know the volume, which is useless.

2nd reason I'm looking at it, at the filter/stock MAS the air is not moving equally and calmly through the sensor housing. Placing the GM set up on a straight away gives the best, most accurate ready, right?

In terms of accuracy, the GM MAF and the OEM MAF are going to be about the same.

Both of these reasons are pretty obvious to a lot of you but are they even anything to worry about? Just looking for feedback...

2g's don't "need" a replacement MAF nearly as badly as the 1g cars do. Any less of a restriction is a good thing, but the fact that the MAFT replaces the SAFC is one reason why it's worth the money. If you're not going to use that feature, it's less reason to use it in general (on a 2g).

ktp4321, I believe you stated that your car runs "probably better than stock" after your tuning, just 100 more hp. That's the overall goal I'm looking towards and why I look at small things like what I mentions.

That was in reference to tuning via modified fuel and timing maps within the ECU, more than with reference to the MAFT.

However, I would certainly say that the MAFT makes a big difference, especially in power under the curve and part throttle drivability, compared to the 1g MAF.

Overall, is the GM/MAFT combo worth the money most people pay for it?

This depends so much on the car's mods and the owner's goals, it's really impossible to answer the question.

 

[talonted_one]

Honestly the only reason I bought the MAFT was because I can't afford a VPC/GCC combo, A microtech, Haltech, or Motec.

I also came into owning a big @$$ turbo with a tial BOV helping things out. So it would work better for someone who is going way too far.

 

[98spydert]

You have to base the injector pulsewidth off air density, because the IPW relates directly to air mass.

If you want a 14:1 A/F ratio, and you have XX mass of air, then you need XX/10 mass of fuel. Without knowing the density of the air, you only know the volume, which is useless.

Read again. It was a "why bother if it's not accurate" statement, not a question.

That was in reference to tuning via modified fuel and timing maps within the ECU, more than with reference to the MAFT.

I believe the choice in parts matters just as much as correct tuning when it comes to drivability.

 

[gixrman]

#1 reason why I love the GM/MAFT : I blew a intercooler pipe off one day going to work and the car was still drivable because it was mounted after the BOV. If not I would have been SOL.

 

[DevilSperm]

i have 2 reasons for buying my GM setup, 1 is the fact i can tune with it without getting an safc and im poor so this helps..and 2) is all the more room i have in my engine bay without that big ass aircan in there....also it let me make a CAI which i think helps...i voted yes

 

[Talek]

IMO the GM MAFT is a great alternative if you're starting from ground up. Cost wise, if you need a new uicp anyway, it'd be $180 for uicp, $20 for used gm maf, $200 for maft. Compare that to 180 for uicp and $300+ for safcII... *shrugs* Not saying it's better than an afc etc, just not more expensive.

 

[98spydert]

That's a good point. I've got a 95 EPROM and stage 3 keydiver chip to compensate for my 650s but that sure doesn't mean I don't need a tuning device to make small corrections. Yet another reason it looks good for me...

 

[98spydert]

No, that's not true. The MAFT doesn't make the car more consistient because it locks down the air temp value, and nor does the ECU get "confused" with a lot of different values.

The MAFT just locks down the air temp because GM MAF is a different type than our OEM MAF's, and it will compensate for temperature changes in the frequency (Hz) output.

So using the hot wire method rather than karmen vortex, the GM MAF can measure both volume and density without a seperate temp reading? So for my example (40 degrees one day, 100 degrees another) the air flow reading sent to the ECU would still be accurate for an accurate estimated A/F ratio on either day?

 

[ITSME4G63]

I heard that theres a version 2.0 gm maf translator coming out, why don't you wait for that?

 

[Talek]

the 2.0 version is already out, I bought mine from dsmparts about a month ago now.

 

[ITSME4G63]

the 2.0 version is already out, I bought mine from dsmparts about a month ago now.

wicked mayte!

 

[Turblown]

I bought my GM MAF and Translator waaaaay to early in the game to see it's full potential ( I have stock injectors), but it was very easy to install, flows much more air, and the sounds from the turbo and BOV are that much louder!

I'd say its worh it if you need fuel control for upgraded injectors, or if you just want to get ahead of the game on your mods list. By the way the support for this product is unbelievable! All the guys at www.fullthrottlespeed.com are awesome.