alamo1974

Any extra performance if you take the screen out of the stock MAS. Thanks in advance. :auto:

'97 C5

Don't do it, seriously. Once the screen is removed un-metered air screws with the ltrims and you'll never be happy. Any gain in performance is soon 'learned" out and then, like I mentioned, un-metered air screws with the ltrims and the car runs ratty.

Shortimer

No noticeable performance gain. :nonod: It's an expensive part to be hacking up. :chevy


[Modified by Shortimer, 12:40 AM 12/13/2003]

Killrwheels

funny thing, I saw that the Z06 uses the same MAF sans the screens.

'97 C5

yes, and there are vanes in the stock air box to straighten the air out, functioning like the screen in the screened mafs.

MagRed2002

From what I understand, the screen is employed to "laminate" (smooth) the air flow over the MAF sensor wires. The LS1 MAF is shared with some truck applications that have convoluted air paths and therefore require such a function. The intake path on the C5 is pretty straight and therefore benefits little from he screen.

I have a Blackwing, which pretty much mimics the OEM air path. I pulled the screen and of course noticed a 50hp increase ;) . Seriously, I cant report true SOTP improvemnet. However, I can also report no ill effects.

If you have an aftermarket intake system that alters the airpath significantly (like those dual cone jobs), it may (in theory) affect the MAF sensors performance and therefore cause some surging or other problems.

If in doubt - Leave it in. I doubt it increases performance even in the best scenario. This from someone who removed his.

lawrencedhuber

As I reported in my posting titled- LG Header analysis-, I pulled my screen out of the MAF on a stock LS1 with a Donaldson air cleaner. When I took it to my tuner for header install and LS1 edit I did a baseline run on their dyno.
I found that I had 2-4 degrees of knock retard across a wide rpm range. Apparently this is a common problem when removing the screens. Bottom line is that my car was slower without the screens than if I had left them in.
Of course my tuner edited the A/F map, eliminated the knock and then ran my baseline test. As far as I know, you should not remove the screens unless you do an LS! edit with a tuner. Removing the screens does improve airflow and will benefit your HP/TQ if you have the tuning done. All new Z06 MAFs are sans screens.

c5chris

I replaced my Hardtop's MAF with a screenless one I got for cheap. I did not feel any difference between the stock and this modified MAF. However, I did notice that the car's exhaust does not pop anymore. This was the only reason why I kept it screenless.

i_york

How does removal of the MAF screen let un-metered air in?

Un-metered air is, by definition, air that enters the intake after the MAF and is, therefore, un-metered by the MAF.

Cheers,
Ian.
:cheers:

carpe dm

Gain=none; problems=perhaps; total= don't do it. :nono: :)

alamo1974

I have a Donaldson Blackwing with the Vortex air duct and installed the LS6 intake manifold. I am having SLP headers installed this week and thought to remove the screens at that time. They will be running a dyno test before and after installing the headers.
Thank you for all your responses.
Please believe me, I am no auto expert, I just want to lower my ET's in the 1/4 mile. Right now I am running 13.5 consistantly without the headers. I thought with the headers and adjusting the MAF I could get into the 12's.
What do you think? :grouphug:

ArKay99

The MAF is an air flow meter, not an air flow restrictor. If you remove the screen without altering the pcm airflow tables, the MAF will measure the airflow incorrectly. The amount of air flowing past the MAF at any given point will cause the MAF to put out a different voltage than what the PCM is set up for, therefore the A/F table lookup will be different from the optimum. Why? because those tables are filled at the factory with numbers that correspond to AVERAGED optimum values for the measurement WITH the screen. What usually happens is when the screen is removed you have more total air flowing but LESS velocity at the sensors. This causes the MAF to put out less voltage than it would and point to a table location that is 'less aggresive' in A/F and spark advance because the engine thinks there is less of a load on it. If, as one of the posters above stated, you do this, then have your car tuned and consequently have the A/F and spark advance tables altered to optimize the new airflow characteristics, you may experience a couple of ponies. Another poster claimed that when he removed his screen the engine 'quieted down the burble from the exhaust'. That is because the whole engine is performing at a less agressive power curve. I wouldn't do anything. Here is a link that might ilustrate all of this better. http://www.c5howto.com/index.php?article=25. Just my $.02 Been there, done that, now am back to stock MAF. There is no such thing as cheap hp :(

EWill3rd

As it's been said many times already, the factory MAF was calibrated to work with the screen in it, it's made to help control the flow of the air molecules and remove turbulence so the MAF can make an accurate reading, taking it out CAN cause problems. It's more helpful than it is restrictive.
If it Ain't broke.. don't fix it.

Oh wait.. this is the CORVETTE forum... nevermind.

EWill

i_york

Here's a great article specifically addressing the issue of MAF screen removal...
http://www.gmtips.com/3rd-degree/dox...maf-screen.htm

When you begin to really delve into the details of how engine subsystems work and why they were designed a certain way, you begin to gain an appreciation as to why those involved in engine design and development are very clever people with engineering doctorates! :yesnod:

Cheers,
Ian.
:cheers:

CJS

I did not take the screen out, even after all my Mods! The car just runs great!

WHOOPS! THEN I DISCOVERED ( a year later), That the screen WAS removed by the tuner at dyno tune! So I am a perfect test that it did not change how my car ran that I could notice. All this time, I THOUGHT my screen was in!

Cobra4B

I'll be removing mine once I get LTs and LS1-edit, but not until then. :nono: