Mass Air flow sensor question

[radominghez2]

On the 240sx I bought it has the mass air flow sensor right next to the intercooler and I was talking to a friend about moving it to the intake side of the turbo. He told me that I couldn't that I need to get a 300zx mass air flow sensor to do that. Is that true and why?

[redtop91]

No matter what MAF's you use, blow through on a factory MAF is not a good idea. The air that the MAF deals with before the turbo is unpressurized and fairly cool. The compressed air that a blow thru is hot and puts much more stress on the MAFS. Unless you want to change MAFS weekly I suggest you forgo blow thru. Go MAP.

[Florida240sx]

I don't like blow thru but whatever floats your boat. Blowthru has had issues before but helps stalling.. It's all about the tune though.

[Ligouri Rd]

On the 240sx I bought it has the mass air flow sensor right next to the intercooler and I was talking to a friend about moving it to the intake side of the turbo. He told me that I couldn't that I need to get a 300zx mass air flow sensor to do that. Is that true and why?

To actually answer your question, there is no reason why you cannot move the existing maf from its current position (termed a blow through setup) to before the turbo or a draw through setup. The only limitation is that a stock maf can only measure a certain amount of air flow, approximately 250 whp worth. The 300zx maf can measure a whole lot more.

Also if you move your maf to before the turbo and you have an open atmosphere blow off valve, the car will run rich briefly when you blow off. Minor issue, the engine may pop on shifts or at worse stall a bit upon sudden deceleration. This can be rectified by recirculating the bov.

Is there a reason you want to move the maf, is there a problem with the existing (blow through) setup? IMO: If it aint broke don't fix it.

[radominghez2]

Well the way he set it up the intercooler don't set right and I live in colorado. I dont want anything hitting it down there or alot of moisture but I don't even know thats even a to be considered a problem. I basicly wanted to know if it was alright where it is and if i decided to move if I really do need the 330zx maf where iI want to put it.

[480sx]

Plenty of people run blow through and have had success. There was someone who posted here the other day who has ran blow through for 2 years with the same MAF. The charge air after going through the IC typically isnt much hotter than the intake air in the first place. Have you ever run a blow through setup Redtop?

Why dont you like blow through FL?

To the OP: Typically the MAF goes on the intake side of the turbo. The way your car is setup it sounds like hes done a blow through setup. The unit is water sealed, i mean it probably wouldnt like it much if it was immersed in water but its most likely fine where it is. Are you running an open BOV?

[radominghez2]

Plenty of people run blow through and have had success. There was someone who posted here the other day who has ran blow through for 2 years with the same MAF. The charge air after going through the IC typically isnt much hotter than the intake air in the first place. Have you ever run a blow through setup Redtop?

Why dont you like blow through FL?

To the OP: Typically the MAF goes on the intake side of the turbo. The way your car is setup it sounds like hes done a blow through setup. The unit is water sealed, i mean it probably wouldnt like it much if it was immersed in water but its most likely fine where it is. Are you running an open BOV?

Yeah I running a open BOV.

[redtop91]

Have you ever run a blow through setup Redtop?

Why dont you like blow through FL?

Nah. I helped tune my friend's blow through on his 3SGTE with a blow thru setup. There are definitely a lot of benefits like you guys mentioned, but he was going through MAFS every 2 weeks.

[Ligouri Rd]

Nah. I helped tune my friend's blow through on his 3SGTE with a blow thru setup. There are definitely a lot of benefits like you guys mentioned, but he was going through MAFS every 2 weeks.

Way to go not mentioning the fact that it was a Toyota setup and not a Nissan. Makes your statement pretty much irrelevant to the discussion.

Ps: -Hayley Williams?..nice!

[bruinbear714]

Why would want to do that? If it's to fix engine stalls due to blow off valve opening, it's a tedious job to fix a simple problem. Just recirculate your blow off valve back into the intake after the MAF, and leave about 6 inches of space before and after the MAF since a Z32 maf has the sensor element directly in the airflow path.

On the 240sx I bought it has the mass air flow sensor right next to the intercooler and I was talking to a friend about moving it to the intake side of the turbo. He told me that I couldn't that I need to get a 300zx mass air flow sensor to do that. Is that true and why?

[WDRacing]

Lets just talk in facts for a second and then the OP can make a decision.

In the KA world, the MAF has been placed on the cold side of the IC plenty of times with great success.

If you move the MAF to before the turbo you will suffer from stalling issues etc when the BOV vents. Unless corrected with a SAFC or similar device.

If you upgrade to the 300ZX maf, (N62), then you'll need to get either a ECU tune for that MAF or use a SAFC or similar piggy back. The car will not run with a different maf unless it's tuned.

If you want to move the maf because of the IC issue, why not just move it farther up the cold pipe. Say 12" or so from the throttle body itself.

WD

[redtop91]

Way to go not mentioning the fact that it was a Toyota setup and not a Nissan. Makes your statement pretty much irrelevant to the discussion.

Hmmm last time I checked a MAF is a MAF no matter what car it's on. The effects of pressurized, hot air don't change based on motor. Toyota or Nissan, the situation is the same. And yeah She's smokin IMO.

[Ligouri Rd]

Fundamentally yes a maf is a maf, it does the same thing. However the way the wire is exposed or secured in the sensor is different from manufacturer to manufacturer. Nissan mafs are relatively tough, i dropped my Z32 half a dozen times and it still works flawlessly. I know a few people who merely looked at a mr2 maf the wrong way and caused them to fail. They are also particularly sensitive to oil contamination and leaky turbo bearings will wreak havok on them.

[redtop91]

In my experience Toyota parts take more abuse than Nissan. Either way you can have a uber MAF, it matters not[/yoda]. the point I'm making is regardless of starting MAF durability, Blow thru will reduce that durability.

[WDRacing]

Toyota actually uses a different type of MAF Ryon. Atleast they do on the Supr, they only read air going in, not out...if that makes sense.

A maf is a maf though...and any increased friction or force will decrease the life span of any item.

To the OP, you can put the MAF anywhere you want and it will work. But everything has it's up and downs...the choice is yours.

I'm a pull through guy myself, Nissan and Toyota have been building turbo cars for years...they place the MAF before the turbo.

WD

[C-Kwik]

Hmmm last time I checked a MAF is a MAF no matter what car it's on. The effects of pressurized, hot air don't change based on motor. Toyota or Nissan, the situation is the same. And yeah She's smokin IMO.

Many of the older Toyotas used a Vane Air Flow Meter. Basically it used a door that is held in the shut position by a spring until air is drawn through. The airflow forces the door to open in proportion to the air going through it. The position of the door via a pentiometer tells the ECU how much air is flowing through it. As Ligouri Rd stated, they are senstive to oil. Blow-through MAF's are put after the turbo and thus after the crankcase input. As hot-wire MAF's run at high temps and also run a brief high temp burn off upon shutdown, there is no effect from the oil in the intake air.

Many Aftermarket kits for current Nissans run blow-though MAF set ups and have no issues from it. Just look at the set ups of many RWD VQ turbo and S/C kits. Most run blow-through. I know in the past, we had quite a few people trying the blow-through set ups on KA's in here as well. A Hot-wire styles shouldn't have any issues with it. A Vane Air Flow Meter might as it doesn't measure the mass of air, but the volume. As turbocharged air is denser, it would be off by the amount of pressure being read. I doubt there would be any easy way to incorporate this type of sensor as a blow-through as pressure would not be kept constant.

[redtop91]

Ah yes the flapper MAF. It is more durable than people give it credit for but I see your point.

[Florida240sx]

Toyota actually uses a different type of MAF Ryon. Atleast they do on the Supr, they only read air going in, not out...if that makes sense.

A maf is a maf though...and any increased friction or force will decrease the life span of any item.

To the OP, you can put the MAF anywhere you want and it will work. But everything has it's up and downs...the choice is yours.

I'm a pull through guy myself, Nissan and Toyota have been building turbo cars for years...they place the MAF before the turbo.

WD

End of Thread. Where does the manufac have it? Follow them IMO. You can do what you like it's not my car or $$$.