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Speed density vs. Mass air

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Old May 24, 2003 | 06:36 PM
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Question Speed density vs. Mass air

How do you tell the difference between speed density and mass air? i.e. - what do they look like?
 
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Old May 24, 2003 | 07:29 PM
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Speed density vs. Mass air

Mass air vehicles will have a sensor in the air tube that goes from the air filter box to the throttle body, usually close to the air filter end. If there is a sensor with wires running to it in the air tube, it's mass air. No sensor, speed density.
 
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Old May 24, 2003 | 07:34 PM
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Speed density vs. Mass air

Great! My 95 is mass air! Woo hoo!
 
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Old May 25, 2003 | 10:19 PM
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Speed density vs. Mass air

Whats the difference???
 
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Old May 25, 2003 | 11:59 PM
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Speed density vs. Mass air

Speed Density systems rely on sensors that measure intake manifold vacuum (and probably a few others) to regulate fuel/air ratio. Mass Air uses a sensor in the air intake tube that actually measures the amount of air coming in to the engine. SD can get really messed up by doing lots of modifications on your engine that affect vacuum like bigger cams. Mass Air isn't affected by that because it's still measuring actual air flow.
 
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Old May 26, 2003 | 12:25 AM
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Speed density vs. Mass air

Speed/density uses a preset program based on engine specs, truck weight, transmission, and several other criteria to control the engine, using the sensors only to choose which data table to use.

MAF measures all those things all the time to figure out how to run the engine, and that's why it can adapt to bigger changes.
 
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