Monch

changed out my air filter for the first time and took a look at the MAF jobber. theres a very nice shiny restrictive screen put in there. what gives? can i cut it out or is it necessary? i'm thinking that most of the benefit of swapping in a intake kit is simply to delete this screen. the air tube looks pretty good, i don't know if it's smooth on the inside because of the ridges on the outide.

mdvaldosta

The screen straightens out the airflow so the mass air meter can more accurately read the incoming air. If you remove it you may get some drivability problems and run a little leaner - but its worth a good 7 - 10 hp from the lesser restriction. As a matter of fact, aftermarket meters are just stock mass air meters in a bigger tube with no screen - but their calibrated to work without the screen.

Monch

so there's no electrical connection to it? thanks for the info, as an experiment in cheapness I think i'll cut it out and see what happens, whats the worst that could happen? that i have to buy a new - better - aftermarket unit?

mdvaldosta

You don't have to cut it out to remove it. And no theirs nothing electrical to do with the screen, its just there to even out the air through the mass air meter. As long as you don't have a CAI system that locates the mass air meter in the fender you should be ok - but I'd run premium gas if you took the screen out as a precaution.

01GTvertible

when i put my densecharger in, the directions told me NOT to use the screen, to take it out because it is not necessary.

00MustangGT

Yeah when I put in my K&N FIPK it says to leave it our as well and not to reuse it. I had heard about the running lean and drivability issues and contacted K&N about it. They said that the way their filter and intake tube are designed that it is not nessecary and to remove it. They said that the car's computer is made to compensate with any turbulence difference after a reset. I havnt had any problem thus far and have probably put a few hundred miles on it already. It seems to run great.

Monch

did you buy a pro-m with it? i mean, did they specify that it was not needed for the stock unit?

Chopper

I did a test after reading an article in MM+FF.I removed the screen.No problems and picked up 1 MPG.I know this was not a scientific test ,but I drive the same road under the same conditions every day.I ran two tank fulls with,and two tank fulls without.It worked out to 28.4 with 29.4 without.Powerwise I couldn't tell any difference.It didn't cost me any thing so it's good.About cutting the screen,just remove the rubber seal from the outside of the screen and reinstall it in its original location,or else you will have a leak between the filter and the mass air. This WILL cause problems .Save the screen to replace just in case.

SilverGTV8

Well it will make the car run leaner, which intern makes more power. But it can get dangerously lean near the top end of the rpms. Not usually good for a daily driven car. If you want to leave it out it might be a good idea to get a little tune to adjust for it.

Don't cut it out, it should just come out.

29mpg!!!! On a good tank I get 20!

RollinThunder

dont cut ur stock screen out running lean isnt worth it...just replace it w/ an aftermarket intake