Fast Iat???

[Superskwrl]

Getting ready to install FAST B2B in my turbo'd mustang, and i'm trying to make all the stock gauges etc work as well as make the install as clean as possible.

My question is where should i put the Intake Air Temperature sensor??
In the Fox's (87-93 mustangs) it's in the lower intake about 3" from the head, but in the later SN95's(94-5 mustangs) its in the tubing before the TB, then just yesterday i was lookin under the hood of a 98 lincoln and its in the airbox just after the filter.

Since the car is turbo'd its gonna have to be after the ic,so the lincoln style setup is out.

I know it's nit picky but i'm concerned about driveability above all else, and think somethin like this may affect it.

Thanks
Any info/experiences is greatly appreciated

PS Sorry it's a mustang

 

[bruce]

Originally posted by Superskwrl

My question is where should i put the Intake Air Temperature sensor??

PS Sorry it's a mustang

The closer to the intake valve the more accurate the temp., the more accurate the data that goes into the ecm the better the computations the ecm can do.

PS Sorry to hear that, hehehe

 

[bobc455]

One other thing that is important to consider- if you put the IAT sensor directly into the intake manifold, for example, you may wind up with a manifold temp sensor instead of an air temp sensor.

Somewhere in the intake tract that won't be overly affected by a mass of metal, and is also exposed to enough airflow.

-Bob Cunningham
bobc@gnttype.org

 

[NoSlix]

You absolutely will end up with an intake manifold temp sensor if you put it in the intake runner on a Ford once the engine heats up. I'd see 70 degrees higher IATs when it was mounted in the lower intake. Moving it 3" up to the base of the Vortech Igloo, dropped temps drastically. Moving it those three inches caused the motor to use 5% less fuel at the same boost and rpm levels.

 

[bruce]

If your using a GM IAT/MAT sensor you don't have to worry about heat transfer from the manifold. The sensor is in the caged area, not attached to the case.

I experimented with isolating the sensor, and found 0 difference, between with and without isolator.

Funny thing about them GM guys, they do get some stuff right. Especially when dealing with the EPA, and CAFE requirements.

Various ERRORs in tuning can put alot of heat into the piston dome, and then into the oil. This raises the manifold temp. and at low air flows can heat the air charge, ALOT.

Attention to detail is the name of the game.

 

[NoSlix]

We are using gm sensors and every one I've seen on the Fords installed in the manner he asked about shows much higher inlet temps. I had a pretty sophisticated shielded thermocouple that truly isolates the sensor element from it's surrounding environment(it uses some sort of composite/ceramic insulator around the sensor where it passes through the fitting) and on it's meter we could see that the air temp going through the intake port was much lower than the GM sensor when installed in the same place.

 

[Superskwrl]

Anyone know if the brand of the sensor matters?
I call autozone and the CTS is 8$, call another parts stores its 28$
Autozone sells "wells",other place sells "tonco?"
Depending on who i call there computer shows the CTS and the IAT to be interchangable???

Thanks For the response's

 

[NoSlix]

CTS should be easy. We generally pay about $18 for one at most places. It's VERY hard to find the correct IAT sensor now at a parts store, though. A lot of places will give you a coolant temp sensor when you ask for an air temp sensor. I've also seen a new sensor that some of the places are selling with the element covered in a ceramic ball. It reacts very slowly compared to the FAST sourced ATS. Best bet is to get one from a FAST dealer.