GMW96

Hello everyone,

I have a 2004 GTO powertrain swapped into my E36 Bmw. I am in the process of making my new air intake and have been thinking about going speed density instead of running my maf.

My question to everyone is what is their opinion on that? This car is a daily driver when its running and the weather here has strong seasons. When its summer its hot and winter its freezing. Should I consider speed density or keep the maf involved?

If I go maf I have been seeing a lot of ls2 maf installs on the ls1. Does it actually flow more? I understand its a little larger in size.

the converted

iTrader: (1)

I'm contemplating this as well in a similar situation (E36 LQ4). It's my understanding that once the tune is dialed in, there really shouldn't be any difference in performance. That said, I guess getting all of the temperature compensation and other adjustment tables dialed in is a little more time consuming in an SD application.


If anyone has different to say, I'd love to learn.

.boB

iTrader: (1)

The MAF is there to more accurately manage the engine. You'll do fine without it. But with it you may find it's more efficient and gets better gas mileage. For a daily driver, that's probably a good thing.

If I was building a DD, I'd add a blade type MAF and tube, rather than the LS1 honeycomb.

Rise of the Phoenix

iTrader: (27)

With a good tuner, you'd never notice the difference.

kinglt-1

iTrader: (26)

This 100%

joecar

The honeycomb doesn't impede airflow, if you think it may then there is a bigger/coarser honeycomb available.

You will need the honeycomb since it straightens airflow so it can be read correctly.

To run MAF you need straight ducting about 8 inches before and after MAF... if MAF is too close to duct bends then it won't read correctly.

A good SD tune (can be either CL or OL) is able to deal with weather pressure/temperature changes.

ramairetransam

iTrader: (18)

one reason i say keep the maf is bc if your map sensor fails your car will just idle , give it throttle input and it stalls . Ask me how i found this out .

So with the maf you have the maf and the map sensor in case .

Mine isnt a daily my formula but if your not boosted use a maf .

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

Personally, I find tge car is more stable with MAF vs SD. Throttle response is a bit better SD, but when you're surging at a red light it's embarrassing. MAF seems to correct that for me

redtan

iTrader: (5)

Then the tune is not fully complete. An SD tune should not run that bad compared to a MAF/SD hybrid tune if done correctly. Simple as that.

Personally, I've been running an SD tune going on 7 years now and this car has been my daily through New England winters in single digits temps and summers in the 90s. Not once did I feel like the car ran bad or had less than stellar MPGs (in fact, I got some MPG values that would make the EPA jealous, but that could be my granny driving style). And this was both on a stock car, bolt-on car and now a full HCI high compression decent cam build.

Like with anything else performance related, you get what you pay for and a proper professional should have no problem tuning your car either way. Basically it comes down to preference and ease of installation. My choice was made pretty simple when I could not physically fit a MAF in the airpath, and I haven't regretted it since.

kinglt-1

iTrader: (26)

mine does not surge at a red light...no maf here.

1bdbrd

iTrader: (12)

I've daily driven two cars on SD for over 5 years. Gas mileage didn't change on the fully tuned one going back to maf and it didn't change how it idled or drove. The second car wasn't tuned until recently and just ran on the default tables that it drives on when the maf fails.

Redbull87

iTrader: (3)

I daily drove my turbo car last yr with my sd tune and here in canada the winters are damn cold. I got better mpg with sd tune,no surging etc. But as mentioned above spend the time on tuning to dial it in makes the difference