Shadow, the molded vents in the clamshell are not carbon-fiber FYI. While they have distorted, I think much of it was due to to installation problems at Saleen, mostly not being snugged down tight enough. Double sided tape was added to some of the top vents in the later production cars. As well, the carbon fiber lining the clamshell is monolayer.
Good evening
All I can say is that when I placed my first comments I truly never meant to spin this thread around but rather I only wanted to offer some comments based on real time experience.
As for the clamshell vents; I have no idea of what they are made; I suspect an injection molded plastic. All I was sharing is that some had experienced distortion. Now even on this I can not share that it was as the result of heat because I had no such personal experience; in this case I was simply sharing what I have heard and the results seen.
Folks; as I shared, I have “NO” doubt that a BADASS carbon fiber air box can be made that will look stellar. I am also confident that it can be done and work with the heat as generated within the engine bay. All I was attempting to share is that I was made aware of (I did not want to mention the Marquee) two Porsche GT2's that went by the way side as the result of poorly designed carbon fiber air boxes. BTW these were produced by a very well known company and it remains my understanding that they did not offer to participate in the cost to replace the damage caused. It was as the direct result of this information; in fact the phone call that I received after it happened that even though I had a new carbon fiber air box assembly sitting on my shelf ready to be installed on my Gallardo I decided that any risk was too great. It then sat on the shelf collecting dust for the better part of a year until finally I sold it with full knowledge and my feelings being shared at a loss.
Now back to the MAF and the need or maybe lack thereof of a Mafia or one such device with a redesigned air box if a smaller pulley or Whipple is installed.
A MAF is designed to produce a variable voltage signal based on the air flowing over/past it nothing more or less. It does so in the same way as the electric water or oil temperature/pressure sending units send a variable voltage signal to the PCM/DME/ECU with the only significant difference being the medium that is being measured; water, oil, or air flow. The MAF sensitivity is based on the normal operational parameters of a specific vehicle; for example a 2000cc 4 cylinder engine would have a MAF designed to operate with the exact same voltage sweep as our 5.4ltr GT motor however the air flow requirements to produce a given voltage signal based on the air flow over and past it would be substantially different based on the size of engine and the induction system design of these two examples. We install larger alternate size MAF’s all the time because as we alter the air flow demands of the engine often times we also change in fact many times exceed the ability for the OEM MAF to produce a voltage signal that correlates with the engines operational requirements.
In any case; the voltage signal as created by the MAF is then used by the PCM/DME/ECM or whatever you call it to tell the various engine management systems such as fuel and timing what to do; for example the greater the voltage typically results in a greater injector duty cycle however this is only one of the many variables that can come into play based on the MAF signal. Regardless the MAF has a minimum and maximum voltage operating range and once this is peaked even through the engine may increase (for example) in RPM since the voltage signal to the PCM/DME/ECU no longer can increase the result is that the engine will typically go lean and hence the reason I shared the risk for “KABOOM”.
Now the Mafia; as I shared is a fix position voltage scalar; meaning you can not isolate and do cell aka map table or operational grid tweaking as it has predetermined maps integrated into it based on what Diablo predetermined would work for a very broad audience; all you do is turn the knob to the one that best suits your needs. Once you select one of the many rescaled voltage options built into it and then with in being placed in-between the OEM MAF and the PCM/DME/ECU it sends a false or better put, a modified voltage signal to the PCM/DME/ECU. For example even though the MAF maybe be sending a 3.0volt signal out the Mafia as scaled may only be sending a 2.0volt signal to the PCM/DME/ECU as such which is the critical area when the MAF is pegged at 5.0volt the Mafia can still have created additional operating range for the PCM/DME/ECU as such the fuel and timing tables within the PCM/DME/ECU can not only be adjusted accordingly but continue to properly manage based on the engines demands and not the limits of the MAF. Then what happens is the folks that twist and tweak the various fuel and timing tables (develop the software) create a new association between a given voltage and the resulting operation commanded by the PCM/DME/ECU.
Now it has been shared by some that by redesigning the air box the Mafia can be eliminated; certainly I still remain all ears however based on what I have come to know over the years this concept does not seem to reside on the same page as the required usage of the Mafia or some such device because in OEM trim the gal will take a given breath, move a measure amount of air, install a smaller pulley she will take a larger breath hence move a larger but still measured amount of air and then install the Whipple and she will take an even larger breath hence move even more and yet still a measured amount of air because unlike a N/A motor that relies on vacuum a FI gal has her holes packed with air and fuel so no matter how one redesigns the air box the resulting movement of air has nothing to do with the box design (unless she is gasping for air because of lack of flow which is not the case) but rather the air demand beginning drawn into and pressed into the gal based on the pulley and or supercharger selection.
So once again I ramble but in the end hopefully made some sense.
Now in closing I reiterate; “PLEASE” by all means show me the error of my ways with regards to the MAF and how tweaking the air box can possibly eliminate the Mafia or one such device. I not only would be very grateful because I enjoy learning but I would also consider approaching some of my other projects differently.
You folks are the best
Takes care
Shadowman
