Mesh Screen.

[MOUSE]

has anyone removed the "Mesh Screen" in the throttle-body, to get unrestricted air flow? and if so, any problems? Just curious!

[fordrodsteven]

I'm not sure but I thought the "screen" had something to do with correcting /directing airflow to get proper accurate readings at the MAF for the computer to make the car run correctly.

[AZ Ron]

Many members of the C4 section of the Corvette Forum used to talk about this.  Here is a quote from a guy who is an automotive engineer.  He answered the exact same question you have but for a 5.7 engine. 

It looks like he recommends a higher flowing air intake and a low restriction air filter:

the unit flows somthing like 529cfm stock, 711cfm completely modified. The risk is, the complete modification, you have to cut out the heat sinks, which i would not do. If you screw up the element adjacent to them, youll be buying a new MAF. You can just remove the two screens, and it will still flow close to 700cfm i think.

 

Id do it, but unless you do a K&N and open lid, it wont help.

[2seater]

All you can do is try it. The flowbench says it does flow more, but, does the engine really demand it? It may or may not work for you. It is a flow straightener necessary for the sensor, but, our Hitachi MAF has an indirect flow path to the sensor which is in a separate passage. One would think only that area needs laminar flow but that would be difficult to accomplish. With a long enough run of smooth pipe between the filter box and MAF, the air should settle down enough to make the screen unnecessary, but I don't think the corrugated pipe would qualify? I know others have tried removing it with mixed results, may have unstable idle but only trying it will tell. It can always be reinstalled.

[2seater]

I'll put a number to the screen flow difference. My bench is calibrated for low flow at this time so I only can give one test point but is sufficient for the purpose. The bench reads in inches of water (water column) which translates to about 28" for one psi. This is just the bare MAF housing with and without screen:

 

200 cfm @ 6.25"wc w/screen

200 cfm @ 4.75"wc wo/screen

 

This is a difference of .054 psi @ 200cfm

Just for reference, our engines would require 334cfm @ 5000rpm if it was 100% efficiency, but it is actually more like 65%, or a demand of only 217cfm at the same rpm. Small reductions in flow restriction do add up, like no screen and a high flow filter, but the gain will be minimal.