RomRaider

Greetings,

I'd like to thank everyone in advance for your help and insight. Please let me know if this post is not in the correct location.

I've been working on a 2004 WRX project that keeps me out of trouble for the most part. The project is a long way from tuning yet, but I will be using romraider when the time comes. I'll be lurking around soaking up much appreciated info in the meantime.

For now, my first question has to do with MAF placement. I will be using a custom fabricated up pipe and down pipe to rotate the turbo inlet towards the passenger side of the car as most of you have seen before. However, I will also be retaining a top mount intercooler setup for now. I've seen several pictures of similar setups, but have noticed that there is not a MAF sensor visible in the pictures. I assume most of the pictures I've seen, then, are of setups using a speed density tune. Does anyone here have any insight on running this type of setup while using a MAF sensor located pre-turbo?

I don't really see why it couldn't be done, but I'm also not as knowledgeable as some of you. If this can be done, then I will have questions concerning the actual placement of a MAF sensor in the pipe, but can address that later.

Thanks again!


Aaron

MAF setups were common on rotated turbos, right up until SD became common. So you can definitely do it.

MAF sensors don't like turbulence, so try to put it right after the air filter, preferably with no bends between the filter and the sensor.

I've heard that bends AFTER the sensor can cause problems as well, but I have a Mustang with two 90-degree bends right behind the MAF sensor and it runs great, so I wouldn't worry too much about that.

That sounds great, thank you so much for the quick response NSFW! Designing the inlet to accommodate that shouldn't be a problem at all.

Now, am I limited to the factory MAF/IAT sensor? Or, are there ways to accommodate a different style within the tune?

- Please note: I haven't done much research yet regarding the different style of air flow sensors available. I'm not asking anyone to explain those concepts in too much detail here (unless you want to).

I mainly just want to know if the best idea is to stick with the OEM MAF in my design or if I had the option of using one that maybe sat inside the intake tract like the GM style ones. My thoughts on this are just to ease fabrication of the inlet tube, but maybe the GM style would impede flow more than OEM and negate that purpose. Just thinking out loud.

Thanks again!


Aaron

look into treadstone honeycomb air straightener. One of these in front of the stock MAF, in your choice of intake size that matches your needs or whatever.

If you're staying MAF, and as long as the sensor isn't aged to the point of being slow to react or providing incorrect data, the MAF+IAT combo present in the stock sensor housing works just fine.

Ideally you want your pressure relief valve to recirculate back to the turbo inlet, the stock unit works fantastically with draw through MAF usage.

With both those details you will be happy with your fueling.

As the roms come they have IAT compensations intended for the temperature being monitored in the intake, before the turbo.