AFM/MAF question for MarkD

[gale]

Mark,

Robin & I were discussing mods tonite and wondering what it would take for someone such as yourself, to adapt a suitable hot-wire anemometer-type air flow meter to an m30. The objective is to replace the restrictive BMW one that's on our cars now. We're thinking someone with your talent & experience & shop equipment could piece one together with off the shelf components and burn a custom eprom. We're thinking there'd be a significant market for a turnkey "kit" or a chip and a parts list of what items we'd buy on our own to make it work. Is this a do-able task or would it require more than just a chip and a hot-wire sensor & a few wires & connector adapters?

Thanks,

[Kalevera]

Don, read up on what Martin's doing with the split second MAF setup if you're not already familiar with it. Admittedly, there's an element of programming, that being map construction, that must be assumed by the end user. But it seems like the results are worth it. It's definitely been a consideration of mine, as it would only require minor modification to the engine bay and the addition of an IAT sensor.

best, whit

[Jeff N.]

...and I'm not sure what the market would be for a third. Bruno tried to market one of the current options and I think I have the only copy he sold.

Whit's right - you can replace the AFM with the Split Second PSC-somethingorother unit. This unit can either format a MAF signal to the ECU or - as Martin is doing - replace the air flow sensor altogether with a MAP sensor. He's got a fuel table that little pretty darn close for as a starting point however he has done enough mods that you'd need to tweek it to get it totally right. His major mod that would effect his table is his swapout of the stock 19lb injectors for 21lb injectors. He also has a 284 reground cam and headers similar to yours. I would suspect the cam in particular might effect the manifold pressure characteristics such that the map would be off vs. a stock cam.

Or - you can run what I have. Available from the rebranded Pro Flow systems (Martin has their new link somewhere), it's a ford mass air flow meter with a black box that allows you to condition the voltage signal to the ECU. Basically a translation unit that takes voltage in from the MAF and allows you to map it to a voltage out for the ECU.

The splitsecond will do what mine will OR run as a MAP unit. And it's cheaper. So, I think that's the direction you want to go if you do jump in.

To correctly setup either unit, you need to have a wideband O2 sensor. Both Martin and I are running the Innovate LC-1 unit. Tuning without this tool was a fools effort - there is just no way you can get the mixture correct without without it. Oh, you can get the car to run and it may even run OK, but without the wideband that's all you ever get. Both of our cars are running *much* better now that we've got the mixtures close via the wideband.

Chip wise, we're both running the conforti chip. No reason other than we had both purchased this chip before Mark had his out. I'd recommend his if you have a choice.

It's been fun to learn how to setup these systems. I've learned a lot along the way and I think the car is better for it. However, you should be prepped to get the right tools and be willing to invest some time.

I think you should go for it...we'll help you out whichever way you go. We've been the board pioneer's here - it's time for some others to jump on in...

[632 Regal]

or a simple 530 auto chip.

[Martin in Bellevue]

Don, read up on what Martin's doing with the split second MAF setup if you're not already familiar with it. Admittedly, there's an element of programming, that being map construction, that must be assumed by the end user. But it seems like the results are worth it. It's definitely been a consideration of mine, as it would only require minor modification to the engine bay and the addition of an IAT sensor.

best, whit

I can post the map curve I have in the morning. It is pretty great, & might work well for other m30's. The LC-1 wideband kit has been a huge help in getting things tuned.
If my eibach springs don't show up this weekend, I can draft a wiring harness & tips to implement the psc-001 signal box with integrated map sensor.

[Robin-535im]

Doesn't the 540 use a MAF? We were wondering if there was a BMW part that would work with some wiring and ECU changes. 540 should have bigger flow area and not be a restrictive orafice like a later 525 / 530 might be.

Anyone know if the 540 has a MAF and how much it costs?

[Jeff N.]

..how does this tie to the stable of M30s...?

Doesn't the 540 use a MAF? We were wondering if there was a BMW part that would work with some wiring and ECU changes. 540 should have bigger flow area and not be a restrictive orafice like a later 525 / 530 might be.

Anyone know if the 540 has a MAF and how much it costs?

[Robin-535im]

..how does this tie to the stable of M30s...?

Just the same old car... but the thought is perhaps BMW already has a MAF in it's product line that is similar enough that minimal changes would be required to mate it up to the ECU.

E.g., if they already have one for the 540 and the signal out can be read by the same part of the ECU that reads the current AFM, maybe Mark can re-program that part of the voltage conversion table to make the car use the MAF signal instead of the AFM.

So the car owner would buy a 540 MAF, Mark could design new ECU chips, and it would all (Magically?) work together.

It would require the MAF to emit a voltage signal proportional to the air flow, and maybe the MAF sends out a raw signal.. have to check bentley's maybe...

[MarkD]

Mark,

Robin & I were discussing mods tonite and wondering what it would take for someone such as yourself, to adapt a suitable hot-wire anemometer-type air flow meter to an m30. The objective is to replace the restrictive BMW one that's on our cars now. We're thinking someone with your talent & experience & shop equipment could piece one together with off the shelf components and burn a custom eprom. We're thinking there'd be a significant market for a turnkey "kit" or a chip and a parts list of what items we'd buy on our own to make it work. Is this a do-able task or would it require more than just a chip and a hot-wire sensor & a few wires & connector adapters?

Thanks,

Hello Gale,

I've wanted to make a MAF conversion kit which only required a MAF and a special chip for quite some time. So far, I have decided to hold off on it for a few reasons:

- I don't think there is a big enough market for it
- chips sales in general are quite slow. (I sold less than 10 chips to people from bimmer.info in 2005)
- it seems many people are going for the eBay chip route.

I still have plans to make a MAF or MAP conversion but I will be developing an anti-copy board for it first.

Mark

[MarkD]

or a simple 530 auto chip.

I'll get to that this year. There are no 530's here to even develop with or it would have been done long ago.

MarkD