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Old 01-02-2007, 04:52 PM   #1
cameron02
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Exclamation Help re: air temp sensor / back fire sensor

Could any of you talented people assist me.

I am running the motor and trans from an AUII xr8 220kw in my AC Cobra replica. Due to space restraints I did not use the standard intake tube.

There is a sensor that plugs into that tube. Some time ago I popped into a Ford workshop and asked about the sensors function. I was told it was a back fire sensor that would put the car into limp mode if the engine backfired. I figured I would not really need it so never installed it. So far the cars been running fine without it.

I have noticed on this forum that people refer to the sensor as the Air Temp Sensor. If it is an air temp sensor then I guess it would be important for controlling cold starting and possibly fuel mixture.

Can anybody confirm the function of the sensor so that I know whether or not to install one. Please.....


Last edited by cameron02; 01-02-2007 at 04:54 PM. Reason: typing error
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Old 01-02-2007, 05:56 PM   #2
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This sensor is an Air Temp Sensor, it basically works with the MAF sensor and would help cold starts and also through the rev range, There was a member on here with a 220kw and his was not plugged in and he complained of it pinging once plugged in it stopped. So i believe it does something.

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Old 01-02-2007, 08:34 PM   #3
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Hmmm. Looks like I'd better get one then.

Thanks for letting me know
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Old 01-02-2007, 08:37 PM   #4
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last i heard it was an air FLOW sensor, perhaps its flow/temp sensor. if the ac is running well without it and you havent had a prob with it, then dont worry about it.
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Originally Posted by Mr Hardware
Its like central locking in your car. We've all had cars without it and we were fine then, but try and take it from me? NO WAY.
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Old 01-02-2007, 08:45 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by au2sw
last i heard it was an air FLOW sensor, perhaps its flow/temp sensor. if the ac is running well without it and you havent had a prob with it, then dont worry about it.
not true...the air flow sensor is directly after the airbox...... on the AU V8's the air temp sensor is almost at the throttlebody..
on eseries falcon V8's its in the #5 runner of the lower manifold

the reason the air temp sensor is placed in the intake tube on the AU's is they use the ford Explorer upper and lower manifolds, which didnt have the sensor in the #5 intake runner....so ford placed it before the throttlebody..
doesnt seem to matter much......so long as its somewhere in the intake

it may seem to be running "well" but the ECU would certainly benifit from knowing what temp the incoming air is to trim fuel/spark
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Old 01-02-2007, 08:50 PM   #6
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sorry, my bad. i just assumed he was talking about the flow sensor, there was no mention of where it was supposed to be positioned. goes to show you shouldnt assume anything. lol
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Originally Posted by Mr Hardware
Its like central locking in your car. We've all had cars without it and we were fine then, but try and take it from me? NO WAY.
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Old 01-02-2007, 10:37 PM   #7
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Ive never heard of it having anything to do with backfires, sounds like typical Ford Spare Parts Employee protocol - if you don't know, make it up so it sounds expensive.

Definitely got to have it, mine is having trouble staying in the intake pipe atm (the hole drilled for it is too big) and I can always tell when it has fallen out. Got it taped in there at the moment.
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Old 02-02-2007, 02:31 PM   #8
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99% of all EFI cars these days use a Air temp sensor for air temp correction values.

basically its a 2D map which enrichens or leans the the fuel map out dependant on air temeperature. for example at 5 degrees air temp u need a higher air temp correction value (ie 20%) than at 40 degrees.

air temp sensors dont have anything to do with cold start enrichment sequence thou, that is a purely timed enrichment value which runs between 30 to 90 seconds depending on make and model
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Old 02-02-2007, 03:37 PM   #9
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Thanks everyone,

These are the answers I was looking for. Definate functions and therefore reasons to have the sensor.

It was actually a Ford mechanic that told me it was a backfire sensor :
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Old 02-02-2007, 10:30 PM   #10
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The Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor has a Intake Air Temperature (IAT) sensor built into it. It needs this to calculate the mass of air coming into the engine. The IAT you are refering to is used by the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) to aid with spark timing and if faulty or disconnected will result in poor performance and/or pinging. As stated bin previous posts on early engines it was placed in the #5 intake runner and when they progressed to AU the sensor was moved into the Intake ducting.
So to make things right with your Cobra it would be advantagous to fit and connect this sensor.
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Old 02-02-2007, 10:37 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tech Trainer
The Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor has a Intake Air Temperature (IAT) sensor built into it. It needs this to calculate the mass of air coming into the engine. The IAT you are refering to is used by the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) to aid with spark timing and if faulty or disconnected will result in poor performance and/or pinging. As stated bin previous posts on early engines it was placed in the #5 intake runner and when they progressed to AU the sensor was moved into the Intake ducting.
So to make things right with your Cobra it would be advantagous to fit and connect this sensor.
Really . ive never heard of that one mate...
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Old 02-02-2007, 10:38 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by svo347
Really . ive never heard of that one mate...
me either......
powertrain control module?
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Old 02-02-2007, 10:56 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tech Trainer
The Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor has a Intake Air Temperature (IAT) sensor built into it. It needs this to calculate the mass of air coming into the engine. The IAT you are refering to is used by the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) to aid with spark timing and if faulty or disconnected will result in poor performance and/or pinging. As stated bin previous posts on early engines it was placed in the #5 intake runner and when they progressed to AU the sensor was moved into the Intake ducting.
So to make things right with your Cobra it would be advantagous to fit and connect this sensor.
The MAF uses air flow to cool a heated wire to measure air flow. It has nothing to do with measuring temperature.
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Old 02-02-2007, 11:08 PM   #14
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A MAF has a hot wire and a cold wire in it.
The hot wire is heated to and maintained at approximately 400 degrees. The current required to maintain this temperature is what is monitored by the MAF. The cold wire is used to monitor the ambient temperature of the of the air entering the intake.

The calculation is then made with:
1. How much current is required to keep the hot wire at 400 degrees.
2. What is the temperature of the incoming air.
This gives you the "MASS" of air coming into the engine.

As you know when we talk of the "magic" air/fuel ratio of 14.7:1, we are actually talking 14.7 grams of air to 1 gram of petrol hence the name MASS Air Flow meter/sensor

So yes it does measure the temperature of the air and no the IAT we are talking about does not have anything to do with the fuel injection quantity.
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Old 03-02-2007, 11:38 AM   #15
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Hasn't this turned into an interesting thread :

I have ordered a new sensor from my Ford dealer $25.15

Thanks everybody
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Old 03-02-2007, 11:46 AM   #16
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I just had a thought. used:

I am planning to install a dry nitrous kit. Nitrous has (I believe) a cooling effect. So....................should the nitrous jet be installed upstream of the air temp sensor
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Old 03-02-2007, 02:02 PM   #17
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When Ford integrated the Automatic Transmission Control Module (ACM) and the Engine Control Unit (ECU) it became the Powertrain Control Module (PCM).
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Old 08-02-2007, 09:43 PM   #18
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OK finally got the sensor from Ford. 3rd try gave me the wrong sensor,,,,,twice!

The sensor actually cost $112 wholesale. :

Now I have a question regarding how the sensor fits in the tube.

The sensor makes a basic A shape. Does the side of the A frame face the air flow or does the air flow through the A frame. Or does it not matter?
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Old 08-02-2007, 09:59 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cameron02
OK finally got the sensor from Ford. 3rd try gave me the wrong sensor,,,,,twice!

The sensor actually cost $112 wholesale. :

Now I have a question regarding how the sensor fits in the tube.

The sensor makes a basic A shape. Does the side of the A frame face the air flow or does the air flow through the A frame. Or does it not matter?
It wouldnt really matter but i would put it so the air flows through the A frame.
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