I just re did the cal tables for my IAT tonight to get better (read more realistic) numbers for my serial gauge. This whole time I thought the thing was reading in celsius because it would show like 25-50 on days I knew it was 50-70.

My personal take on this whole where to put it discussion:

In the intake manifold, the whole sensor heat soaks, showing higher than actual temps to the computer, hence the switch to the intake pipe location later by honda. This may show a technically lower temp, but it is close to the actual air going into the motor when you're getting on it, which is when it matters. Cruising around, who cares, if it's off by 10-15 even 20 degrees, it's well within the realms of the factory computer to compensate, BUT when you get on it, and really more some air through it, the computer has a better idea of just how much timing it car run because with the high velocities found in a motor running out to 8-9K, the air has very little time for heat transfer as it makes it's way to the valves.

Everyone else is right on the engine bay heat soak though, regardless of how much hondata gasket you use, or any other type of thermal barrier, in the end, engine bay temps are going to soak EVERYTHING they can and make it hot.

As for those stating the factory IAT is slow to respond, mine starts dropping within a second or so of even a 10% change in throttle, and will start climbing again as soon as the throttle plate close.

 

I think you contradicted yourself. The IAT sensor was previously on the intake manifold and now on a plastic runner. I do not expect these two measurements to be similar based on heat-soak on the manifold.

In my setup, the air filter is sitting at the bumper opening directly exposed to ambient temps. Since the IAT is sitting under the hood, the temps will forever be inaccurate.

I was actually thinking about placing the IAT post aftercooler, but having second thoughts on overall benefits.

 

Hey Guys, so whats the bottom line here? Where is the right place for the IAT sensor to be?

With my Vortech set up, the sensor is in the plastic tube between the air filter and the blower inlet. That doesn't seem right though.

Should it be between the Aftercooler and TB? What's the right way to do this?

 

Coincidentally, after driving about 15 minutes on the fwy doing about 80mph, my CEL came on. I checked the Hondata Menu on the Digital Logic app and see that I'm getting a P0113 - Intake Air Temp Sensor 1 Circuit High.

I had been glancing the IAT gauge during the drive before the CEL came on it the temp was hovering around 90*, then after the CEL it was showing 216*. Ambient temp was 87*

This Saturday I was at Church's getting a tune and everything was running fine. I had a Invidia 60mm test pipe installed and was expecting to get a code for that, but got this p0113 code instead. Not sure if that is related to the CEL I'm getting now but I thought I would throw that out there.

This is the 3rd time I've had an issue with the IAT sensor. I replaced the sensor last time, which was about 3-4 years ago.

 

ait compensations are usually not all that drastic, (+-5% over a normal operating range). a heatsoaked sensor shouldnt really cause any issues and the temp should drop as soon as you get some air moving through the manifold.

 

So you do think that my sensor is out? Once the CEL came on, the IAT stayed at 216*. This was while still on the fwy doing about 70-80mph, then off the fwy for about 5-10 minutes on the streets before i got home.

 

yeah, if it's showing 216 then the sensor is probably bad

 

The problem with the Honda sensor is that it is not fast acting. T1 sells a fast acting sensor which I used for years in my boosted RSX. This helps when the IAT sensor gets soaked from sitting idle and then you go full throttle to compensate the table more quickly. Their sensor is off by 15 degrees but I have a table somewhere of the comps so you can update yours. Its 5 times faster acting than Hondas easily.

 

On the standalone cars I use (2) sensors as mentioned previously.

I use the OEM sensor as more or less of a high limit switch, to pull timing and fuel at high temperatures, then run a separate set of trims from on the discharge of the intercooler using a GM Fast Response Sensor. What I found was the intake sensor would not read heat off the intercooler as quickly, for example if the intake mounted sensor was 150F and the charge piping sensor could be 200F. Having both allowed me to accommodate for heat soak as well as spikes from a long pull. The combination also helped with the AFR's across wide ambient temperature ranges more accurate.

 

Great thread.