is a mass air flow sensor better than a speed density setup? if so why?

The MAF sensor will adapt to changes that improve engine breathing, since it directly measures the mass air flow into the engine. The speed-density system does not respond as well, because improved breathing can change the volumetric efficiency numbers used in calculating the mass air flow rate, and that requires changing the tables in the ECM program.

Other than that, there is no real difference.

hey so i ordered a k&n cold air kit today. the guy said it wont work for cars with ram air or traction controll. im pretty sure my car doesnt have ram air but why would it matter if i have traction controll or not?

You don't have "ram air" unless someone has put an SS hood on the car, along with the SS inlet ducting, or an SLP Ultra-Z hood with the large WS6 (Firebird) air box sitting on top of the radiator. There was no stock "ram air" available in 93.

Similarly, there was no "traction control" available in 93. There really isn't any reason a CAI would not fit a traction control car, because the only difference is a big, ugly black box sitting on the driver's side valve cover, far away from the CAI.

For the 93' the part # should be 57-3010-1 .... The snout is longer than 94-97...

ok well i got the right thing then it pretty much looks exactly like the one in the picture that injuneer posted. I dont know why that napa guy was asking me if my 93 camaro had ram air and traction control. I almost didn't buy it.... what a moron.

He's not a moron... In the K&N catalog there is a notation - w/o ram air or traction control ...

He was just going by the information given by K&N...

well i told him i had a 93 z28.....

You can't assume that everyone knows what years ram air and traction control was and was not available on a 4th Gen F-Body. He was being responsible, and telling you what K&N said. Hopefully, you would know whether or not your 93 has ram air or traction control. He was not being a moron. You didn't even know for sure what your 93 had - if the owner doesn't know, why would a parts guy know? Cut him some slack.

There's a lot of bad info out there. That's why we're here.