November 15, 2011

How Does a Map and Maf Sensor Enhancer Work? - Where to Look

How Does The Map Sensor Work?

The Manifold Absolute Pressure (Map) sensor signal is electrically used in a similar way to the use of Mass Air Flow (Maf) sensor signal (although internally it is built differently).

Manifold Absolute Pressure Sensor Symptoms

It takes a 5 volt signal from the computer, and returns a lower direct current signal in accordance with the vacuum in the engine. A higher output voltage means lower machine vacuum, which is then calculated as "more fuel is needed". Lower output signal indicates higher machine vacuum, which requires less fuel. It's not just fuel operate though. The Map senor signal gives the computer a dynamic indication of machine load. The computer then uses this data to operate not only fuel injection, but also gear shift and cylinder ignition timing. In some cases it is even used to fancy changes in barometric pressure, to automatically adjust for distinct altitudes.

How Does The Maf Sensor Work?

The Mass Air Flow (Maf) sensor helps the computer to fancy the flow and mass of the air entering the engine. It does that by measuring the cooling succeed of air flow over a heated wire element. The electronic circuit inside the sensor attempts to keep the sensor at a fixed temp.

When it is cooled more by an increased air flow, more current is needed to voice a constant temperature. The increase in current is converted into a signal and that signal goes to the computer. In most cars this signal would be a high frequency signal. Not as high as a radio wave, but much faster changing than the (relatively) slow frequency of the Oxygen sensor.

During low air flow rates, such as at machine idle, the Maf sensor produces a lower frequency signal. While high air flow rates, such as at wide open throttle-road load, the Maf sensor increases the frequency. The operate module then converts these frequencies into their corresponding Grams-Per-Second values.

Yet again, some Maf sensors may work on a right Dc signal 0-5Volts such as the typical Map sensor. This is the case in some older Map Sensor designs that have a trap door with a potentiometer linked to its shaft.

The Enhancer

The invention we're talking about here is a straightforward play with resistors. A resistor is a dinky piece of carbon that somewhat blocks electrical current. Higher value means it resists more. The potentiometer ("pot" for short) is a resistor, a changeable resistor, which varies its value by turning the knob. But it is still only a resistor. There is another resistor, a fixed value resistor, in series to the pot as shown in the diagram below.

The Map or Manifold Absolute Pressure Sensor is a dinky though costly expedient installed in your intake manifold, or installed on the firewall and linked to the manifold with a thin hose. It has 5 Volts or 12 Volts coming in, and it plainly senses the vacuum in the manifold and attenuates (reduces, weakens) this incoming voltage by a distinct factor. In other words it reduces the furnish voltage to a direct-current voltage in the range of 15% to 60% of the furnish voltage (depending on the car's fabricate these numbers will vary), and this varying (but non-pulsing) signal is then sent back to the computer.

The arrangement of resistors in the Map Sensor Enhancer plainly takes this already attenuated (reduced, weakened) signal - and attenuates it further. Too much attenuation kills the engine, it will plainly shut off. Yet if you operate it correctly you can lean down the composition from the stoichiometric (a big word that plainly means "balance of ingredients") which is factory set at 14.7:1 (14.7 parts of air to 1 part gasoline) - down to 20:1, maybe even 50:1 or 100:1.

This expedient is totally passive and will work just the same if the signal coming in is 12 volts, 5 volts, or anything comes on the line. The diagram in the book is the Simplest way of doing this. The line from the sensor to the Ecu is cut, and you place a pot on the line as shown in the photo contained in the book. Further below you will see the improved enhancer based on the same principle.

How Does a Map and Maf Sensor Enhancer Work? - Where to Look

Low Pressure Sensors Water Pressure Sensor Air Pressure Sensor