Jet Mass Air Flow Sensor Upgrade for Ford 5.4 engine

[brinkwolf]

Ok guys, the MAF sensor on these engines are like a little card that fits in the air tube and not a big bell like on the mustangs so larger would prohibit flow more on these. Like I said I may have waisted money because this is the first time to try a new MAF sensor on any car but so far everything seems ok. If nothing else I now have a spare if one takes a crap and it cost about the same as a stock one so just insurance down the road.

 

[iceman302]

Brinkwolf, I should've been more diplomatic with my post but I just haven't had good results or known anyone that has. The only way to gain power with a MAF is through a larger diameter MAF and proper tuning. I really would like to see a before and after dyno run because when it comes to the MAF electronics, no one knows better than Ford.

 

[pirate air]

Not that I wanna hurt any feelings, hell if you feel like a performance MAF sensor gave you a little kick, then cool. Like it was said, it wasn't an increase in air flow that gave it the kick, it was the manipulation of the air fuel ratio. A tune would've been a better way to go. It probably leaned it out; I know my stockish N/A 4.6 stang responded hp wise when leaned out. The factory can only go so lean because you run into excessive NOx (which is one of those "evil" emission gasses) if gone too far. You have to be careful when you change the tubing diameter that the MAF sensor sits in. Anything bigger or smaller with no tune will/can affect the air fuel ratio (bigger tube=lean/smaller tube=rich) (even if the stock MAF sensor is used). Any tube that changes more then a few mm's needs a tune imo. A MAF sensor is only taking a SAMPLE of the air thats being drawin through. The MAF sensor can "feel" velocity but has no idea of the volume of air, thats for the PCM to take and calulate then apply to the fuel curve/map. If you add to the diameter of the MAF tube, the volocity of the intake air charge decreases, giving the MAF sensor the false reading that the engine is pumping less air, so fuel trim is leaned out to compensate.

 

[brinkwolf]

Ok ok sorry guys. I'm old school performance and not up on alot of the new electronics. I was just following others who have done it's advice and I didn't know we were against performance MAF sensors here. I thought I would just post a mod like everyone else has on here and sorry for stepping on new tech toes. I don't have access to a free dyno and not gonna spend $500 a pull to post the difference in the two. I will take all your advice and put the stock sensor back on smash this one(so no one esle can use it)and throw this POS away in the city dump were it belongs under 10 feet of dirt. So if an admin would be so kind as delete this thread and we can forget I brought it up.

 

[pirate air]

Ok ok sorry guys. I'm old school performance and not up on alot of the new electronics. I was just following others who have done it's advice and I didn't know we were against performance MAF sensors here. I thought I would just post a mod like everyone else has on here and sorry for stepping on new tech toes. I don't have access to a free dyno and not gonna spend $500 a pull to post the difference in the two. I will take all your advice and put the stock sensor back on smash this one(so no one esle can use it)and throw this POS away in the city dump were it belongs under 10 feet of dirt. So if an admin would be so kind as delete this thread and we can forget I brought it up.

You didn't step on any toes, if you like the performance that the sensor gave you then leave it in there. I think everyone was just trying to inform/teach you about MAF sensors

No harm no foul.

 

[brinkwolf]

Everyone keeps talking about changing tube size. The Rousch I got from Bird uses the original Ford tube and not an aftermarket like the others do. It only replaces the air box and filter not a whole assmbly like a K&N or Airiad. The MAF sensor is nothing more than a card that goes into the tube and not a big ring like on a Stang or older trucks. The only difference in size is a few mm vs the stock sensor and perhaps your right about the manipulating part because I can see no other way it could improve performance. I do have a basic knowledge of how the sensors work(being in the aftermarket automotive industry for 30yrs). This was proabably a mistake on my part but one that can be fixed very easily and quickly by going back to the stock sensor. Once again sorry for any inconvience on my part.

 

[iceman302]

Brinkwolf, you didn't step on any toes or inconvenience anybody by bringing up this mod and I hope I didn't step on your toes with your response. This kind of discussion is good so that others can read and research and come to their own conclusion.

Basically, there are a number of ways to "mess with" the reading that the computer gets from the MAF. Some MAF manufacturers actually use sample tubes to alter the air flow the MAF sees. In this instance, JET just changes the voltage that the computer sees from the MAF for a given air flow. As Pirate Air explained, the factory tune is on the safe (rich) side and JET tries to get the computer to see less incoming air than is actually being ingested by the engine and the computer compensates by commanding a little less (leaner) fuel. The question lies in how successfully JET actually does this. My experience has been that success is limited. Furthermore, when you combine their electronic "trickery" with additional mods like a CAI, it can further lean out the mixture, potentially causing damage without a proper tune. I think you'll see the safest gains from just running the CAI.

I hope my ramblings made sense.

 

[brinkwolf]

Yes it made since and I guess I was being a little naive thinking JET may actually have done some decent research on this before just putting it out there for nimrods like me to buy. So far other than stock units this is the only aftermarket performance unit I've found for this motor. I guess then the ones who don't approve of the MAF sensor would also disapprove of using a programmer to re-program the truck(just wondering). I thoguht of that mod will see what you all say............

 

[iceman302]

Yes it made since and I guess I was being a little naive thinking JET may actually have done some decent research on this before just putting it out there for nimrods like me to buy. So far other than stock units this is the only aftermarket performance unit I've found for this motor. I guess then the ones who don't approve of the MAF sensor would also disapprove of using a programmer to re-program the truck(just wondering). I thoguht of that mod will see what you all say............

It depends on who is doing the programming. In general, programmers change far more parameters... A/F ratio, timing tables, intake air temperature sensitivity, knock sensor sensitivity... those are just a handful of the ECM functions. In addition, the tune will typically adjust transmission functions as well... mostly shift RPM and firmness (usually though increased line pressure). If you stick with basic mods (intake, catback exhaust, etc.) then most programmers will have a canned (off the shelf) tune to fit your mods. Beyond that, I prefer using a tuner that will customize your tune to the specific mods. Either way, you will see solid gains from a good tune. For example, when Livernois did the first version of my tune, my GXP gained 40 RWHP and 37 RWTQ from the tune and a quality CAI.

 

[brinkwolf]

I was thinking of the Superchips programmer myself. They did the research and dynoed it at 33 rwhp gain for the Raptor. Is this a good choice? I don't know if $339.00 for 33hp is worth it or not. I plan on staying with the stock exhaust(no headers on this baby) and the price for headers on this truck will be out there. So not much left for me to do right now.