GM Mass Airflow Sensor – How it works: This is just my grasp of how a GM MAF works. If you have read my article on AFC tuning, then you should have an understanding of how a Mitsubishi MAF works. They are TOTALLY different. The Karmen type MAF is old and outdated. The GM type MAF sensor is light-years ahead. The GM sensor is know as a hot-wire type because has just that inside of it. For example, a 3.5" sensor from an LS1 equipped Camaro has 3 "hot wires" in it which are heated with a certain amount of voltage, the incoming airflow cools these wires down, and more voltage is applied to the wires to heat them back up. The amount of voltage required to heat the wire back up is how the car judges the amount of airflow flowing through the MAF sensor.

Ramchargers Translator – What it does: The Translator takes the signal received by the MAF (received in voltage) and translates that signal into one that can be used by a Mitsubishi ECU (Hz). Additionally, while the Translator is receiving and translating airflow numbers, it can alter the signal outputted by the MAF sensor in order to get the ECU to add or remove fuel from the mixture, much in the same manner as a piggy-back fuel computer such as an A’pexi S-AFC does. For example, if the user wants to add fuel to his mixture, he simply turns one of the knobs and the translator will add 5% (up to 65%) more airflow to the signal. The ECU will "see" more airflow, therefore it will add more fuel.

Tuning – The translator has 5 tuning knobs in its housing. Base, idle, less that 8psi, more than 8psi (WOT), and Auxiliary. Base setting is to compensate for larger injectors (or slightly smaller) than stock 450’s. This fuel curve is applied to the entire airflow range and is added or subtracted to all other fuel settings. For example, 550’s flow ~20% more than stock, so you would set the base setting to –20% fuel to compensate for the richness that the 550’s would cause otherwise (if base is –20%, and WOT is +5%, at WOT the total airflow would be –15%). Idle setting is used to compensate for vacuum leaks and other things that would adversely effect idle. Sub 8psi (part throttle) is used to tune the car’s fuel while in cruising conditions under 8psi, subtracting a bit of fuel can help part throttle response. Above 8psi (WOT) setting is for conditions where the car is seeing over 8psi of boost (usually while at WOT). Finally, the Translator comes with an Auxiliary fuel tuning mode, which can be used to compensate for the use of nitrous or water injection etc. With this setting, when the auxiliary wire is energized, the Translator can apply this alternate fuel curve to the mixture. For example, when the water injection system is activated the auxiliary fuel curve is activated, and the user can run a leaner mixture, allowing more power to be made.

Installation – It doesn’t get any better than this. With the basic installation method, you will be done installing within 15 minutes. Simply remove the old MAF sensor and replace it with the GM sensor (hooks right up if it’s a 3" sensor). Plug the translator into the factory sensor harness and the GM connector on the new MAF sensor, mount the small control module somewhere in the engine bay, connect the RPM wire using the supplied tap to an RPM signal somewhere (they recommend the CAS) and you’re all done!

Additionally, the unit can be mounted on the upper intercooler pipe with a little custom work. This will provide minor gains but the main reason people have been excited to mount it this way is the ability to vent their BOVs to atmosphere without adverse effects due to the meter usually being before the BOV in the intake tract.

Overview – Simply stated, the GM Translator is, as I like to put it, "God’s gift to DSMs". The Karmen metering system has been a major bottleneck on an otherwise very potent motor ever since the first DSM rolled off of the assembly line in 1989, by eliminating this bottleneck turbo response is drastically increased. Turbos were designed to blow air, not pull it. For this reason, this upgrade is very effective because the turbo no longer has to draw air through a tiny square, that is filled with little honeycombs. Instead it only has to draw air through a 3" or 3.5" cylinder with minimal restrictions inside of it. The added benefit of fuel tuning, combined with 95% plug and play installation make this item well worth the minimal price of $200 + the cost of a new or used GM MAF sensor. Compare this to the cost of an alternative metering system such as the HKS VPC (~$1000 used), and you can see the obvious choice is the Translator.

Installation – 9 Would have been a 10 if I didn’t have trouble hooking up the RPM wire.

Drivability – 10 Changes nothing drivability wise.

Performance - 10 Fuel tuning is excellent, combine with an S-AFC for more precise tuning. Turbo spool is awesome and it the whistle sounds great.

Overall – 10 Can’t go wrong for less than $300!

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