Thread: Is your IAT sensor hurting performance? Find out here!

Originally Posted by IndeedSS

A couple of people have referenced what effect the IAT has. I don't have time to to say much about my thoughts right now, other than to post a stock s/c 3800 IAT versus spark table.



All other "visible" calculations are based on ECT not IAT. As for me, unless it is 104* outside, this table is not going to effect my engine.

Just give me the coolest air I can get, when IC'd or not.

ok lets use this example...you are running an open cone filter or cold air and you are suffering from heat soak at the track....with the open cone,temps can easily reach 175 on the iat.consistintly


With our experiment with the icewater mentioned eariler in this post it took the sensor aprox 15 seconds to react and be accurate to a 50 degree temp change


so lets say your iat is reading 175 wich means the pcm is pulling 2 DEGREES OF TIMING because of that.lets also say it is 80* outside...thats a 95* temp change between ambient and iat...so your looking at at least 25-30 seconds before the iat will be reading actual ambient temps (if that were possible with an open cone) .....and lets even say your iat is still reading 175 with an open cone or cold air intake you would have to get the iat temps below 104 for the pcm not to be pulling any timing...thats still a 71* temp chage from the 175*...also at least 16 seconds............




we are mainly talking about performance on the track and not the street...bottom line you are done the 1/4 in 16 seconds and we all know how generally more timing is better...so what if you losing 2 degrees because of a ''slow'' sensor when you could be taking advantage of the additional timing??


2 degrees of timing will,without a doubt hurt 1/4 performance in some shape or form.


We all hear about people putting smaller pulleys on there car and mods ect to make it faster....but what if there was a gain....any gain whether it be a 2 tenths or a thousanth of a second in the 1/4 mile...from changing out a sensor?


it's a small step that could help us out in some way...so why not??