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Removing MAF sensor from System

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Old Feb 5, 2018 | 07:56 AM
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Default Removing MAF sensor from System

I was wondering if it is possible to remove the MAF Sensor from the system? Will there be any potential problems if it is removed and then have it tuned?


Thank you,
Keith R
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Old Feb 5, 2018 | 08:26 AM
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Convert to speed density. Pretty common.
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Old Feb 5, 2018 | 09:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Flynman
I was wondering if it is possible to remove the MAF Sensor from the system? Will there be any potential problems if it is removed and then have it tuned?
Just curious, why do you want to remove it?
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Old Feb 5, 2018 | 10:15 AM
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Personally, I'd keep it. SD is better suited for the track, and weekend driving. Temperature and altitude can have effects on an SD only tune because it's based on a theoretical value and not actual airflow. MAF accounts for all that. I know this is going to start all the SD guys chiming in, but fwiw, SD can cause headaches that you won't have with MAF.

But yes, you can absolutely remove it and go strict SD.
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Old Feb 5, 2018 | 10:42 AM
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^^^^ What he said. Some might say the MAF is on for emissions reasons, and it is, to a degree but it is more about good driveability and fuel efficiency. If it could be done without, I guarantee the factory wouldn't spend the money on it.
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Old Feb 5, 2018 | 05:52 PM
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G Atsma it is more of a Real Estate problem. I have a 56 Bel Air with an LQ9 and the intake duct runs right in front of the alternator belt. Intake duct got nicked up a few times even though a have a metal bracket trying to keep it out of the way. I am going to switch accessories over to Holley 20-185 Mid Mount setup but not for a few weeks. I was thinking of just going with an air filter right to the Throttle body.
Attached Thumbnails Removing MAF sensor from System-intake1.jpg  
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Old Feb 5, 2018 | 05:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Flynman
G Atsma it is more of a Real Estate problem. I have a 56 Bel Air with an LQ9 and the intake duct runs right in front of the alternator belt. Intake duct got nicked up a few times even though a have a metal bracket trying to keep it out of the way. I am going to switch accessories over to Holley 20-185 Mid Mount setup but not for a few weeks. I was thinking of just going with an air filter right to the Throttle body.
That would work fine so long as you move your IAT sensor to your intake somewhere. You'll still need that for SD.
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Old Feb 5, 2018 | 09:33 PM
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Originally Posted by ChopperDoc
Personally, I'd keep it. SD is better suited for the track, and weekend driving. Temperature and altitude can have effects on an SD only tune because it's based on a theoretical value and not actual airflow. MAF accounts for all that. I know this is going to start all the SD guys chiming in, but fwiw, SD can cause headaches that you won't have with MAF.

But yes, you can absolutely remove it and go strict SD.
Just so you know, a lot of us SD only guys do that because our MAFs maxed out, and the choice of keeping it would have meant skewing bs numbers into the rest of the tune. If we had the option of computers and MAFs that would handle higher airflows back then, I know I would have tried to keep it.
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Old Feb 5, 2018 | 09:54 PM
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Originally Posted by gametech
Just so you know, a lot of us SD only guys do that because our MAFs maxed out, and the choice of keeping it would have meant skewing bs numbers into the rest of the tune. If we had the option of computers and MAFs that would handle higher airflows back then, I know I would have tried to keep it.
Scaled tunes work just fine brother... ALL airflows come from injector data. You can make plenty of power with a MAF on a scaled tune. So long as everything is adjusted right (except idle stuff for some reason) then it works as it should, AND you get to actually use your spark table as it was intended, because without scaling, you're maxed out on that too.

So whatever numbers you make the injector data (percent), so long as the slope is the same it really doesn't matter what the numbers really are. My 60lb injectors are rated at 43.5 psi, at 58 though, they are 79 pounders, unadjusted. And my injector data came with 7 different scaling options and psi conversions, ready to plug and play.

So what's the big deal with BS numbers? Even injector companies have scaling information available. So is their data BS then?
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Old Feb 6, 2018 | 11:01 AM
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What if i was not concerned about maxing out every last bit of horsepower? The car is more of a weekend driver...I would just like decent horsepower with good driveability.
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Old Feb 6, 2018 | 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Flynman
What if i was not concerned about maxing out every last bit of horsepower? The car is more of a weekend driver...I would just like decent horsepower with good driveability.
Speed density will work perfectly fine for what you want to do. I was just replying to the other post because so many people seem to think SD is perfect for some reason. It's not, but that's just my thoughts on it. Perhaps a lot of guys are just too lazy to keep tuning and getting the MAF to work right. I don't know.

I fully plan on reimplementing my MAF when I get all my mods finished. And yes, in order to do that I will have to scale. It's not hard, or wrong. Because that's the kicker, it's your car and you can do whatever you want with it. What works for you is the only thing that matters. MAF is a problem for your application. So it's easy to ditch it and go SD. That makes sense in your case. Simply ditching the MAF because it's "too hard" to make it work with a different setup is another story. I say in the other case, it's worth keeping and adjusting the tune as required (scaling). But again, just my opinion.
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Old Feb 6, 2018 | 07:49 PM
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Originally Posted by ChopperDoc
Scaled tunes work just fine brother... ALL airflows come from injector data. You can make plenty of power with a MAF on a scaled tune. So long as everything is adjusted right (except idle stuff for some reason) then it works as it should, AND you get to actually use your spark table as it was intended, because without scaling, you're maxed out on that too.

So whatever numbers you make the injector data (percent), so long as the slope is the same it really doesn't matter what the numbers really are. My 60lb injectors are rated at 43.5 psi, at 58 though, they are 79 pounders, unadjusted. And my injector data came with 7 different scaling options and psi conversions, ready to plug and play.

So what's the big deal with BS numbers? Even injector companies have scaling information available. So is their data BS then?
I am fully aware of the point you are making. However, there is a lot more work than you let on when properly scaling a tune to make up for a maxed sensor. You also have transitional fueling, transmission shifts, and a few others to bother with. All of this to get one redundant backup sensor that is not entirely needed.
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Old Feb 6, 2018 | 08:41 PM
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I'm not gonna get into the pluses and minuses of both....but just point out that from the factory at WOT the computer relies solely on the MAF, not the VE table. With that said, hybrid MAF VE is said to perform the best with transitional fueling etc since they can cross check each other. I wouldn't ditch the maf unless you have a really good reason, like no space to run one.
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Old Feb 6, 2018 | 08:57 PM
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Originally Posted by ddnspider
I'm not gonna get into the pluses and minuses of both....but just point out that from the factory at WOT the computer relies solely on the MAF, not the VE table. With that said, hybrid MAF VE is said to perform the best with transitional fueling etc since they can cross check each other. I wouldn't ditch the maf unless you have a really good reason, like no space to run one.
I agree with this. Fact is, MAF reports reality in air volume; not what it "should be". Coupled with the O2 sensors reporting "leftover oxygen", provides a complete picture of what the engine is doing. And both reporting continuously, keeps the engine operating properly in "real time". This is why VE tables are there for any other "just in case" conditions.
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Old Feb 7, 2018 | 12:51 PM
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I have been running sd for a few years. It starts great in cold or hot. I have driven from Dallas to Florida to Kentucky and did not notice any changes to the way it ran or idled. I have done a lot of street tuning to get it where I wanted it. Runs great at the track and recently added E85 sensor and it still runs great. Like one of the guys said, make sure and keep your iat sensor operational. I changed to 2 bar sd because the Maggie was maxing the maf and I did not want to use a card style. VE table goes to 255kpa, so I have plenty of room for 12# boost. It is easier to tune just VE but the procedure is the same for both maf and ve.
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Old Feb 7, 2018 | 01:58 PM
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just my $0.02 but back when I was in the wbody platform and switched from super to turbo, the guys would upgrade the maf to the truck LQ4. those who couldn't get their hands on one or somehow maxed the LQ4 maf would then use an AFC controller (use to be made by easy performance) to 'trick' the maf and help scale the frequency values back allowing to continue using the MAF and not max it out.

kind of confusing and hard to describe but its a technique similar to chopperdoc explained with injector data. fwiw, I'm using the AFC now on my Camaro that I had from my wbody, works 100% as it did on the previous other platform.
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