Getting ready to install a IAT sensor. The plan is to punch a hole in my charge pipe just fwd of the throttle body. I'm going to insert the sensor with a grommet. How secure will this approch be for a boosted application, given i drill the hole to be as snug a fit possible.

I'm curious if others have used a grommet to secure said sensor and if so, did you have issues with it leaking under boost etc.

I'm shooting for 15lbs

 

use a threaded gm cyclone iat sensor

 

Do you know where to pick one of those up?

 

i use a stock rubber one from a fbody and no issues. i made sure my hole was little small so it was a snug fit. i have no boost leaks or issues at 16 psi

 

Any parts store should be able to get it...

 

Will the stock plug fit just fine and read correctly?

 

Yes...all you need is the new sensor... a 3/8 NPT bung... and it plugs right in and reads normal... Like so below...

 

Has anyone used any RTV or anything to aid with sealing things up. I already purchased the plastic one (which I've heard is supposed to do better against heat soak in comparison to the metal one) and sum rubber grommets. The sensor measures 1/2" so I'm gonna try to drill a 1/2" hole and fit the grommet and sensor in there together so its snug.

I'm also interested in where you guys have drilled the hole. At first I was hearing "as close to the TB as possible" Now I'm hearing, " just after the intercooler"

discuss...

 

There are plenty of guys who are just fine with the stocker in a grommet. Just try to make it as snug a fit as possible...

As far as placement... its my opinion that closer to the TB is the place to be, after all thats the closest to the actual temp the motor is actually seeing...and thats what you want to measure.... Thats my .02

 

Where can you find a aluminum bung? I used the stock one. I drilled it out with the biggest bit I had. Then took a cone rock and opened it up to the right side. The cone rock kinda flared out the hole which ended up working better to hold the grommet. But I would go with a screw in sensor if I could find a bung.

 

eGay, summit, and jegs all have 3/8 female threaded weld-in bungs. Both aluminum and steel.

 

Had a local shop take the stock sensor and grommet off my Airbox and mount it here, seems to work out great.

 

I drilled the pipe and installed the sensor w/ grommet. It was kinda difficult because it was so tight that the grommet kept pushing through when I would try to insert the sensor.

I duck taped the outter edge of the grommet so it wouldnt buckle and it went in after that. I drove around a bit in the boost hitting 10lbs and all was well. No signs of leaking so far. If I run into issues as the boost goes up I plan to try sum RTV. IF that wont work im gonna order the metal sensor and weld a bung in place of the grommet.

 

Looks awesome but that sensor is going to heatsoak like a **** in that location. You should move it down in front of the ABS. If you are running a stock PCM, this will cause lots of weird/random fueling issues. It will also give an inaccurate IAT reading.

 

I kinda see what you are saying.... but the sensor becomes plastic protruding from the brass section... so I dont see how I will really soak the actual sensor itself being the element is enclosed in a plastic housing about 1/2" into that pipe.....

Thanks for the input though, Ill keep it in mind if I experience any issues...

 

I just weld on a layer of 3/16" thick aluminum that is a 1" diameter circle on my IC pipe, and weld it in place. Then I drill it and tap it out with a 3/8" NPT. Works great. No bung needed, and your sensor protrudes nicely into the air flow.

 

lol, I hate the way those things look sticking out of a charge pipe. I stuck it in my actual intake. pulled one of the stock PCV barbs out of my intake, opened the hole up some, tapped it and screwed in an IAT sensor from something GM and old, coulda been a sy/ty like stated earlier, possibly might have been out of a circa '91 Turbo Pontiac Sunbird. can be found at any parts store. If you look on the passanger side of my throttle body and at the bottom (where the stock PCV line goes in) you can see the end of my IAT sensor where it's threaded in....clean install, hidden. I believe in less is more

 

i had a mild boost leak through my sensor itself. i cut the plastic cage off the iat sensor and filled it with silicone and all is well. i actually pressurized my entire system from turbo inlet to motor to 20psi. no leaks through the rubber itself and surprisingly very little leak down through the motor.

 

I agree on the heat soak. That issue is no doubt being aggravated by the air cleaner being directly in the path of the hot air from the radiator...

BTDT...I had high levels of timing being pulled. I added a cold air box, and dropped the IAT some 30*. [55 Chevy/6.0.]
Summer ambient temp at 95*. Under hood at 138*. IAT at 130*+.
Cold air box pulled the IAT down to ambient, or at most ,+ 5*. [Depending on vehicle speed. Stopped, IAT would rise 10*]

 

You realize this thread is from 3 years ago? lol..

But I do the same... just weld on a small peice and drill and tap...works great.