Street Reeper

When deciding what modifications to do I usually look to others who are heavily involved in modifications and R&D. Dinan is one such source. He has improved the seemingly flawless M5, and was highly regarded by C&D for being able to accomplish this. Has anyone played with their intake sensor location? This is what Dinan found on the M5.

Research and development of the Dinan High Flow Air Flow Meters revealed an interesting and significant discovery. Based upon exhaustive testing, it has been determined that the stock location of the Air Temperature Sensor, which resides in the stock Air Flow Meter, provides the engine management system with an artificially high temperature reading, resulting in reduced power output. The culprit was determined to be “heat soaking” of the Air Flow Meters when an adequate velocity of air is not passing over the device to cool it down, such as in daily stop and go traffic, producing a reading that can be substantially warmer than the temperature of the air actually entering the intake system. The sophisticated BMW engine management system will, of course, back timing off when it sees the higher temperatures, resulting in reduced power output until the car is driven at a speed that generates the necessary air velocity to cool the sensor down.

The Dinan Solution
Being unsatisfied with anything less than providing maximum performance under all driving conditions, Dinan has developed a system that relocates the air temperature sensor, providing the engine management system with a much more accurate intake air temperature reading. The result is much more consistent power output, regardless of whether you are screaming down the straight-aways at the track, or running errands around town on the weekends. It should be noted that the relocation of the air temperature sensor does not increase peak horsepower, but rather ensures that the car is producing consistent power.

Dinan also fabricated intakes much like the place racing style-
The M5 High Flow Cold Air Intake System replaces the factory “air boxes” with proprietary twin high-flow air filters and huge carbon fiber intake pipes that have been designed to minimize air turbulence for maximum intake flow. The filters are relocated to a separate compartment behind the front bumper and below the headlights in order to insulate the filters from engine compartment heat. Additional heat shields have been developed for further insulation from the heat generated by air passing over the radiator, ensuring that your M5 is gulping plenty of cool air for increased, as well as more consistent power under varying driving conditions.

This info can be found at http://www.dinanbmw.ca/newlook/default.htm
I was wondering if anyone has moved their intake temp sensor, don't worry, I'll do a search about the E-bay device, I have seen some pretty negative comments about it so far though.

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

Good info
You think we would benefit from extending the sensor to be in the lower part of the front bumer? Mine is just zip-tied to the outside of the filter where I am sure it is being heat soaked.

Street Reeper

Thats exactly what I was thinking, the closer it is to the hot engine the worse, it makes since that the hot engine bay would soak it with heat and give it an inaccurate reading. Or what about cutting a small hole and re-locating it outside the engine bay? Havn't really looked at it, so I am just talking out of my @$$

Keven97SE

Do a search. This has been discussed before and I have made at least one or two lengthy write-ups as to why this specific mod does nothing for a Maxima. This mod will work on other cars but not on ours due to the engine management programming.

End of post.

Michael J.

Just lengthen the wire to install it in the top of the cone. That would be the optimum place to put it. If you need pics I will post some...

- Mike

Keven97SE

Quote from Page EC-120 of the 1996 Nissan Maxima field service manual:
"This sensor [Comment: intake air temperature sensor] is not directly used to control the engine system. It is used only for on-board diagnosis."

In other words, it does nothing to control the fuel mixture or ignition timing or anything else that would result in adjusting how the engine runs.

Dave B

I have question. On-board diagnosis of WHAT? Nissan does not elaborate on this. All cars after 96 in the US are OBDII compliant which means many of them share the same systems. I find it very hard to believe that the intake temp sensor in the 95+ doesn't perform the same duties as any other OBDII system on the market (ie the use of the temp sensor to adjust timing in relation to temp). If this sensor was truely meaningless in terms of engine management, I find it very funny that it's location (in the air intake stream) is exactly where every other intake temp sensor is on every other OBD II car. The sensor looks EXACTLY like the one used on my 94 Z28 (GM was ODBII compliant in 94). Hell, the sensor was in the same exact location!!!!!

Instead of leaving my intake sensor dangling in the hot engine bay, I mounted it in the stock plastic intake snorkel so that air is still being pulled over it.


Dave

96_vqmax

iTrader: (16)

i just drill 3 holes on my frankercar K/N filter and put the sensor into the filter just like Stillen does.