The issue is not whether or not an aftermarket MAF will increase engine output. It's whether or not you have the necessary modifications to get that increased output from the aftermarket MAF sensor. Simply throwing a new MAF sensor on the car will do nothing since it's reading exactly what the stock MAF sensor is. Even using a cold air intake, the change in volume I doubt is enough to warrant the stock MAF sensor incapable of obtaining a good signal. The difference in air flow between the stock airbox and a "cold air intake" is not going to be a whole hell of a lot. Less restriction in the intake, results in a higher volume of airflow, but at a lower velocity. This equates to less low end torque, and more top end power. It's just like sticking a big cam in a car. Lots of overlap with longer duration mean at low rpm's, there is very little velocity, but a larger volume. High rpm's compensate for the overlap though, making use of the high volume of air flow. This is a big part of where the loss of low end torque comes from. A lot of people thing that simply changing the air box to a cold air intake isn't enough to tho off the power band of the engine, but it can have a much greater affect that one may think. Hell, I even felt a noticeable loss just going from a paper element to a K&N filter. Another way to look at it is this. Take a garden hose. Turn the faucet all the way open and put your thumb over the end. The volume of water decreases, while the velocity of the water increases. If this were air entering the cylinders, it would be the optimal setup for lots of low end torque. Low rpm, high air flow. Now take your finger off the end of the hose. The velocity of the water decreases, but the volume now increases. Again, if this were air flow into the cylinders, it would be the optimal setup for high rpm hp. This simply fact is why we had variable intake runners. Long runner for low rpm, short runner for high rpm. I've brought this up numerous time in the past, but changing the intake can AND will affect the engines power band. It may go unnoticed, or it may just hit your in the face. Depends on the engine, and the design of the OEM intake. Same goes for the exhaust as well. A free flowing exhaust system, helps the scavenging process inside the cylinder on the intake stroke. The faster exhaust flow, will help draw in the intake charge like a vacuum as it exits. This greatly improves low end power. As with the intake, too much flow will disrupt this action, and reduce low end power. It's a fine line between volume, and velocity. The trick is getting both when you want it. This is the main reason for the development of VVT, and variable intake runners. You can get the best of both worlds, high velocity at low rpm, and high volume at high rpm. Ideally to get the most out of intake and exhaust modifications, you would have to adjust the intake runners, the rpm they change at. With out this, your basically throwing a wrench in the works. Other engines that have such intakes like the LS1 for example can be tuned to adjust this accordingly for a new intake, came, exhaust system,..ect in order to make the most power it can across the entire rpm range. We simply can't do it, which sucks. If we could, we could definitely see an improvement, especially with intake and exhaust modifications.
Well, I went off on another tangent again. I really gotta stop doing that.
