Can somebody please explain to me how to descreen my MAF (96 LT1) and also any suggestions for an upgraded one?

 

Don't descreen your MAF or upgrade it. These will only cause you problems and give you little or no gain.

 

:imwithstupid: you may not have any problems initially but specifically when you try to tune the computer for any new additions(headers, cam, etc) it will be impossible to tune the car properly...believe me i've been there, done that, got the t-shirt

btw look at the maf once its off the car...you'll realize that the "screen" is not very much a screen at all, and doesnt do much to restrict airflow. it's primary function is to smooth the air out going into the maf so you get a proper maf reading...also if u try to tune with an aftermarket maf it just wont work lol

 

I've read that you can reduce line pressure to the transmission by messing with the maf. I know that sounds crazy but ive come across it several times, researching topics on transmissions because I have destroyed 3 4l60's in my day.

 

Lots of posts on this topic. The MAF screen is there to direct airflow properly accross the MAF element to create accurate flow readings. It does not restrict airflow on a 4th Gen. Removing it will cause errors in MAF readings messing up your performance.

 

This isn't true, according to the book titled "How to Tune & Modify Chevrolet Fuel Injection", the screen is just there to protect the delicate wires. It also says that removing this screen frees up 182 cfm of flow. If it is such a problem, why don't the aftermarket MAF's have a screen in them?

 

Does the book reference the 4th Gen setup? I highly doubt there's that much restriction there. The 3rd Gen MAF screen was a more restrictive setup and may be what the book is describing.

 

I don't believe that, either. I also don't think that applies to 4th gens. No matter what it is for, removing the screen alters the calibration from stock. Sure, you can descreen, but it won't provide exactly the same data to the PCM as it did before.

Ever think that aftermarket MAFs don't have screens because they don't want to spend the money on making one? Anyone that uses an aftermarket MAF should have custom tuning to compensate and match that MAF.

 

Don't descreen it, there are a ton of posts on this. I did it and gained absolutely nothing. Also, I descreened mine from that same book, it is refering to 3rd gens which had a fin and screen that were added because of the heat from testing. The fins and screen were more for decreasing heat than slowing the airflow.

4th gens are different. The screen is there to straighten the air, and the fin it there to mostly stop turbulance. I remember reading a post saying someone got 800rwhp through a stock UNPORTED maf.

 

Im going to assume that the 4 or 5 to 1 vote against descreening is an easy choice.. the screen stays

 

Marketing. Just because people say it is better doesn't make it true. All has to do with what people THINK is better, not what really is better.

 

i took my screen off and ran 9's... thats a lie... took it off and ported it. (i was in high school).. car runs fine and has since i've done it. however i have noticed no gains from it.

 

No.

I have the book... That is a specific discussion of the 3rd Gen Bosch MAF sensor. It has heavy wire screens in both the inlet and outlet sides. The internal area of the sensor is also cluttered with cooling fins. The design of the Bosch sensor is a major problem, and removing the screens and the fins provides significant gains in the 3rd Gen. If you're running a 3rd Gen MAF in your LT1, you will benefit from rmoving the screens . Of course it wouldn't be working at all, since they use variable voltage output, rather than the variable frequency signal of the LT1 sensor.

The improved GM MAF sensor has a single screen, and its a paper/foil honeycomb, nowhere near the obstruction that the wire screens provide. The "screen" is a device that provides flow smoothing. The goal is to calm the turbulence caused by the irregular shape of the stock air duct. By providing a more uniform flow accross the full cross-section of the sensor, it helps insure that the actual sensing element, which is essentially a hot-wire anemometer, will be seeing a flow that is more representative of the full cross-section. Only then can they come up with the calibration curve of the meter (grams/second vs. output frequency).... the one that's programmed into the PCM for a specific intake track configuration.

A hot-wire anemometer genrally requires a straight upstream run of pipe equal to approx 10 "diameters" of the pipe, or about 30-inches in the case of the LT1 meter. And you can see from the layout of the stock air ducting that there is nowhere near 30-inches of straight run before the sensor. GM removed the screen from the MAF in the Z06 about 2003, because of the symetrical layout of the inlet ducting.

 

Just like Critter, I took my screen out and ported my MAF (in high school) and have not noticed any loss or gain from it as far as drivability. I never went to the track before I did this so I cannot really compare numbers either. I am sure curious how it would perform with a stock MAF at the track and if there would be any differences???

A lot of you also mentioned that it screws up with aftermarket tuning, which I do not have yet. If I have not had any noticable drivability changes, should I bother changing back to stock before I get a mail tune (they ask you if you have a descreened / ported MAF on the tune sheet)?

 

Well I have a stock and a ported maf. If I ever go to the track I will bring both with and share everyone the news.