Muscle Mustang & Fast Fords & a Skinny Wallet

I bought the October issue of MM&FF, and reading it convinced me that a C&L Mass Air Meter would be a good horse power add on for my 02 GT.

So I got one. $300 bucks.

Opening the box, I realized, all this thing is, is an aluminum tube about 5 inches long. That's all. How can a freaking piece of Aluminum cost me $300?

Well, the kit did include a K&N filter that is worth $50 or $60, and there is this cheesy plastic cover that has to be worth a dollar.

It really isn't even a MAF, because you pull the real MAF out of your car and screw it into this thing. It's just an aluminum tube that holds the MAF.

If I had to do it over again, I bet I could go to the hardware store and buy a damn pvc tube and get the old MAF stuck into it somehow and adapt a K&N to it. At least I would be willing to spend $5 bucks trying.

Sheesh, all that money for a stupid tube, maybe I should make a billet PVC MAF and sell it for $150. I'm gonna get rich.

John Shepardson

Reply to
John Shepardson
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John...the killer part is that you could have paid $300 for a custom tune and achieved the same results - and probably more safely. The way these MAFs gain power is by leaning the air/fuel (AF) ratio. The sampling tube is sized such that the reading going to the computer represents a little less air than is actually flowing to the engine. A leaner AF makes more power - to a limit. At some point it can go too lean and cause higher cylinder temps, detonation, and damage. Not that it will, but it could. You could put hte $300 toward a custom dyno tune where the tuner can adjust the AF tables to create the same lean condition, but since they would do this on a dyno with an wideband O2 sensor, they can see how that AF table is affecting the actual AF conditions in the engine. If it goes too lean at a certain RPM, they can richen it up where it needs to be. The stock MAF doesn't become a significant hindrance to flow until you're putting much more air through it than an NA car can handle - i.e a turbo or supercharger. Also, many tuners can't tune with a C&L meter too well because they don;t have a transfer function to show the relationship of air flow to the signal being generated. The stock, Pro-M and the Lightning MAFs have this, so they are preferred.

I'd talk to a tuner - JMS and Fordchip being the top recommendations - and see what they say they can do for you. At a minimum, they can achieve the same AF results as the C&L meter, and additionally they can gain more power and torque by adjusting the timing. If the tuner agrees with what I've said here (and I've had this discussion with Fordchip), I'd see if you can return the MAF and go a route that'll get you more power overall.

Reply to
Keith

I found that a Pro-M MAF worked noticeably better in my slightly modified car than the stock MAF (Pro-M sells them for $200 and you have 3 months to return if you dont like it). On my built 331 stroker, I'm running a Pro-M Univer with even better results. It samples airflow from all around the intake tube instead of just one place. It works MUCH better than a regular MAF if you have a bend in the intake prior to the MAF (cold air intake, turbo, or supercharger). It's only $300 and has the same 3 month return policy.

Note: with Pro-M you not only get the aluminum tube (a complex one for the Univer), you also get the electronics individually calibrated for the "aluminum tube" and your application.

LJH

95GT

Reply to
Larry Hepinstall

Still doesn't answer his question as to why an aluminum tube is worth $300.

-Rich

Reply to
rander3127

Well, reading between the lines, I think it's obvious that, to me, it's not. To C&L it is. Why? Because alot of people buy them at that price.

Reply to
Keith

Larry...I know the earlier 5.0's had a pretty small MAF from the factory, and I'm guessing the '94-'95s are no different The 4.6s at a minimum come with an 80mm tube, and I think some newer models have a slightly bigger one yet. For you, the MAF may very well have been a flow restriction and gains could be had. An NA 4.6 simply does not have the appetite for air that can't be fed by the stock MAF. Power gains are simply by sampling trickery, and nothing that couldn't be done with a chip for the same momey and added benefits.

Reply to
Keith

Thanks for all the replies, specially Keith.

I guess I'm feeling a little burned by the mods I've done recently. I love my new Bassani x-pipe and catback, but dang, $1200 installed. Sounds great though.

I don't know about the C&L maf, maybe it would show up on a dyno, but I doubt it.

The problem with spending a lot on mods is that after a few years, the next big thing comes along that you want to buy. Then you have to admit that, if you had saved the money, you could be buying a Cobra, instead of a Mach 1.

John

Reply to
John Shepardson

Their is a alot of mis-information about K&N filters.

Are K&N Filters effective? I have taken the position that they are not for two reasons. 1) I sell Amsoil Air Filters. 2) I have done a lot of research. I have stated in the past that K&N filters are marketed totally on the premise of air flow. They typically don't address filtration efficiency as part of the equation. Air filtration is a balance between 1)Air Flow

2)Filtration efficiency (particulate removal) and 3)Carrying Capacity over time (effective filter life). I have seen numerous studies that employ oil analysis which demonstrate much higher ware rates and dirt ingestion associated with the use of K&N air filters. I read recently where Cummins Inc. have come out against the use of K&N filters in their engines.
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Amsoil 2-Stage Air Filter Your engine"breathes" air to mix with fuel for combustion - about

9,000 gallons of air for every gallon of gas. And there is a lot more dust and grit in the air than is generally realized - over 400 tons of suspended dirt in a cubic mile of air over a typical city, and more in rural areas with frequent travel over unpaved roads. Remember, DIRT is the greatest enemy of an engine and 90% is ingested through the air intake system. 60-80% of engine wear is attributed to DIRT.
Reply to
David Reid

What I was trying to point out but failed to make myself clear was that IF you're going to get a MAF, the Pro-M seems to be a much better deal than the C&L. You also get the electronics and individual calibration for less money (based on the original post). Or you can get an advanced sampling MAF with electronics and calibration for the same money.

As to whether a MAF is of any benefit, that will depend on the particular application.

The stock MAF on my 95GT and likewise newer Mustangs is completely adequate for the stock configuration. And I certainly agree that buying a bigger MAF for more airflow on a stock configuration is a complete waste of money.

However, people modify their cars in many ways and some of these mods will benefit from a larger MAF for more airflow and some benefit from a different style MAF for improved driveability (even on a near stock engine).

LJH

95GT
Reply to
Larry Hepinstall

Let's not start this again, there is no proof that a K&N is detrimental in passenger cars. Plenty of people here, including myself, have used K&N filters for over 100,000 miles without a problem in our cars. Your just pushing your product over another.

Reply to
Mike King

...for the C&L only. The Pro-M meter is all new top to bottom, front to back, soup to nuts - you get the idea.

Reply to
Keith

The original post said it was an 02 GT. The 02 GT MAF sensor is not replaced by aftermarket parts. It is yanked out and stuck in the new tube.

John

Reply to
John Shepardson

Oh, lord, here come the K&N zealots.

Reply to
John Shepardson

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