Evolution IX MAT Install into Intake Manifold...

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Dec 2, 2011 | 10:35 PM

dingus

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Evolution IX MAT Install into Intake Manifold...

So I seem to always be late to the party when it comes to my Evo but I have started converting over to SD. I didn't find a good How-To on how to put the IAT/MAT sensor into the manifold so here we go...

This only works, as far as I know, on IX Evos. They already have the casting boss where the JDM MAT sensor is installed. We (everyone outside of Japan) got screwed and have a fuel temperature sensor using that ECU ADC input instead...so we are about to fix that!

DISCLAIMER: This is for educational purposes and should NOT be followed by anyone; this is what I did and I am NOT responsible if you damage your engine or break any part of it. Enough of that...

First off you need:
- 9/16" Drill bit at the minimum (37/64" is what the Machinist's handbook says for a tapered 3/8 NPT tap but my tap listed 9/16" so I used that and they had them at Lowes; this size just makes the thread minor diameter deeper which is okay by me. I also used a small drill and 1/2" drill as pilot)
- 3/8 NPT Pipe Tap
- All sorts of Metric wrenches and sockets; 3/4" Wrench or deep socket for the IAT sensor.
- GM Open-Element IAT Sensor (see patch link below)
- (OPTIONAL) SD Harness or Connector (Covered in patching link)

Here is the link to the EcuFlash patches for the MAT sensor:
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ec...e-logging.html

I ordered my IAT sensors from DIYAutoTune.
http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/g...tor-p-116.html

I didnt realize the SD harness existed before I ordered them or I would have ordered everything from Matt at Spoolin' Up; this is where you can order the SD Harness.
www.spoolinup.com

I have chosen to use the analog input used for the original IAT sensor in the MAF. This kinda sucks since you cannot easily swap between SD and MAF unless you use the SD Harness. If you use the Fuel temperature input you can run the MAF and MAT at the same time which is nice for tuning the SD VE tables.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71288629@N03/6447972745/So I used a small drill, then used a 1/2" drill and then the final 9/16" drill. This shows the tap and drills. I used a 16mm 12-point socket to drive the tap. This works a ton better than trying to get the tap handle down in the engine.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71288629@N03/6444942107/So I wandered around the house for like a half hour trying to find something to catch the drill and tap chips so I didn't have to take the intake off. I found a cardboard paper towel tube. I split it, folded the end and taped it up to keep the chips from falling into the motor when I removed the tube from the intake. I also had to bend the edge which was closest to the motor to make it "seal" and catch everything. If you cant figure this out I wouldn't go any further...

You need to remove the battery (if you have one...I have a trunk installed battery), Upper IC pipe and the throttle body, You can find How-To instructions about doing this in various places. I also removed my intake so I could get my upper IC off easier and to do a boost test when I was done.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71288629@N03/6444944033/So I stole this from the How-To about replacing the TB seals. Just plugged up the coolant lines for the TB with little stoppers I got at Lowes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71288629@N03/6444941529/Here is the cardboard in the intake. Janky but works...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71288629@N03/6444941807/Here is a terrible picture of the cardboard in the intake...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71288629@N03/6444941069/Here is a picture of the hole drilled. I didn't decide to take pictures or do a writeup until I already drilled the hole. There is a place next to the MAP where the sensor is installed on JDM IX's. I drilled it first with a small drill (< 1/4" or so), then drilled it with a 1/2" drill and finally finished it off with the 9/16". Be careful not the just let the drill go breaking through the hole or you will screw up the inside of the intake! Take your time and ease up when you get toward the end. You could even use a collet but I didn't have one for the larger bit.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71288629@N03/6444942423/Now tap the hole! I lubed the tap with white lithium grease to help capture most of the chips. Be careful to start the tap straight. I used a 16mm 12-point socket to drive the tap so I could use the extension and make it easy. Since NPT taps are tapered do just go hog-wild and tap the crap out of it. I would tap the hole until you can see threads all the way down the hole and back off. I ran the tap a ways, backed it out and checked how far the IAT sensor went in and got snug. Keep taping until it fits right and snugs up without running out of threads on the sensor.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71288629@N03/6444943383/DONT DO THIS! I screwed up my first sensor doing this and it leaked around the electrical connector when I did a boost test! This is a bummer...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71288629@N03/6444944719/Do this! I bought a couple of these sensors so I just installed a second one. Do yourself a favor, get a deep socket or take the MAP off and install the sensor with the box-end of the wrench. If you don't it may leak like mine or you may break it...and you will be sorry. (I had the extra sensor because I plan on TIGing some bungs into my IC pipes to do some efficiency calcs. More to come on this and my own open hardware data acquisition box...).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71288629@N03/6444945097/Reassemble the upper IC and do a boost leak test. Then install the intake; Installed my new one without the MAF! This is how I found my sensor was hosed and replaced it.

That is it for the install. I used an SD Harness so here are some pretty straight forward pictures of that...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71288629@N03/6444942791/Here is my SD Harness I bought from Matt at www.spoolinup.com.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71288629@N03/6444943113/Plug in the sensor...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71288629@N03/6444943751/Plug into the existing MAF connector...

Done deal. Now you need to setup the tables in ECUFlash, patch your ROM file with the MAT sensor stuff (or use the ROMS from tephra et. al.) and download it to the car. See the link above...

Hope this helps at least one person!

EDIT: Fixed the images to show up properly! (Thanks deeman101!)
EDIT: Added the links to the SD Harness.

Last edited by dingus; Dec 3, 2011 at 01:26 PM. Reason: Fixed Images