Air Temperature Sensor

Ok, I always wondered about this part, since adding an air intake kit would remove it from the system.

(or at least all the kits I've seen--the ones that don't cost more than my ride is worth *cough*)

So I just tested that the car will run without the temp sensor connected, but what does this mean? Will it pump out fuel at some default amount?

Also, if the car can run WITHOUT the sensor, that makes me doubt even the credibility of those "resistor/speed chips" that are supposed to trick the engine into thinking it's getting air at 42 degrees or whatever......

Most importantly--is it still safe to drive without the sensor? I don't want the computer to sudden go stupid and put in no fuel when I'm pulling out or whatnot.


**And just as a side note, no store stocks a K&N airfilter for the LeSabre; even autozone has to be custom-ordered.
BTW, if anyone is interested and doesn't know, it's part number 33-2086.


Thanks for the help,
--Kevin (VrmlBasic)

>Fm Kevin <
So I just tested that the car will run without the temp sensor connected, but what does this mean?
Will it pump out fuel at some default amount? When you say 'disconnected', do you mean that you've removed it, and it is sitting somewhere on a table in the garage ?? Or, do you mean that you've removed it from the 'insert' in which it would normally be sitting ?? And that it is just resting somewhere in the engine compartment ????

That unit's air intake temperature reading, does influence the computer's air/fuel mixture.

By disconnecting it I mean I just unplugged the cable from the airbox.

But without knowing the air temperature, how does it change the air/fuel mixture? It doesn't do something stupid like send in the maximum amount of fuel possible, does it?

If so, then I'll be finding a plan B :)

The iat is just one part of the mixture equation, the coolant temp sensor, o2' sensors, maf and other inputs all determine the mixture. on later vehicles the pcm will use a preset value to replace the lost sensor input. I'd skip the K and N here, very, very small increases in power and only at the max rpm/load limits.

Fm vrmlbasicwithout knowing the air temperature, how does it change the air/fuel mixture? Actually, the computer does know, inspite of the input not being completely correct; The air temperature reading is the temperature of the spot, where the ATS is sitting. If the sensor is simply hanging down, it is that areas's temperature which the computer is reading.

The only part hanging is the 2 pin cord to attach to the sensor....the sensor is still in the airbox, but unless GM dropped in some invisible wiring, it is disconnected.

So if I don't have the sensor attached, the other parts of the car that manage airflow can pick up the slack? Was a car that "intellegent" 15 years ago?

It's good to have an old car--while a new car would be throwing check engine lights left and right, the venerable car just goes with it.
(of course, even when the ignition control module died the check engine light was dark :)


About the airfilter, when I found that the pathetic Fram airfilter was black when it was supposed to be white, it was clearly time to replace it--stores around here don't even stock replacement junky air filters.....Autozone would have to "special order" it from their hub, same with Pep boys.

Needless to say, neither of them had any "performance" filters that would fit either.


And then, to put the auto store world to shame, WalMart DID carry the k&n air filter (but not the fram), but some idiot put his airfilter in the box and stole the real K&N filter..............which was sad considering that the filter was on sale for TWENTY BUCKS.

**The only place that did stock a replacement junk filter for the lesabre was JiffyLube, but I'm not paying 20 bucks to have them install it.


It is a sad, sad day in the Automotive World when autozone and pep boys are shown up by walmart.....product technically in stock, and at 1/3rd of the price (the stores wanted 60 + ordering fee), but that just proves that Walmart is a cool store for many things, and doesn't deserve it's reputation.

Fm vrml basic
The only part hanging is the 2 pin cord to attach to the sensor....the sensor is still in the airbox Thank you....

???