[OmahaRumble]

Thank you Rayazoo for bringing this mod to my attention! My car is fairly stock, and I realize most of the poor performance is during hot weather. I did not want to keep my Predator only to run my fans lower for a 180* thermostat. I have heard it's not a good idea to change the OEM tstat, especially if you can't change the fans. My car seems to drive better with the stock t-stat.

So, basically stock here, I wanted something to make the car run better without paying a lot of money. I took the plunge and bought the $6 392 IAT sensor from Baxter. It was super easy to install the new sensor, and could tell a difference between that and the old one. The probe was much longer and installed, was very near the exact middle of the air tube.

I've been running it the past few days, and I can't even tell that the car is heatsoaked. It probably helps that I am running the stock SRT8 air box and tube, which is very good at drawing in cooler ambient air.

Car seems like it has more torque, especially in second gear. There is a lot less throttle delay, and it seems that the car revs much more free. It's just overall peppier than before, when I had my old sensor.

A very noticeable change with this new sensor. Glad I did it! Thanks Ray!

 

[randycat99]

It is running better because for the most part, it isn't heat soaked. It's just a standard cut in power that you would expect for the warmer summer air (contrast that with running in crisp, winter air that makes it run like somebody added a supercharger in the middle of the night). The "Hemi feeling" stays in effect for pretty much a whole day of use, instead of fading out after 20-30 min of city driving).

The resistance to heatsoak is also much better after a short park, and a few heavy throttle surges is usually enough to clear out all of the stagnant hot air in the induction system. This is different from the stubby sensor in that once the car has taken a heatsoak at the IAT stage, it's usually stuck there until after an overnight park.

 

["Charlene"]

Thanks rayazoo for your efforts in this thread and other threads as well. I just installed the LMI 4" fender pull cai today. i've got the old gray connector so after reading all this i'm gonna pick up a 2011+ new iat sensor and replace the stock one and see if i see the improvements. cheap upgrade. that's awesome! my car feels strong now but it may have had knock this whole time and didn't even know it. excited to test it once i get it. should be a super easy swap!!

 

[elie]

rayzazoo, you're a great source of information!

 

["Charlene"]

Just put the legmaker 4" fender pull cai in my car this past weekend. also, i ordered the long IAT sensor along with a grey connector so what i'm going to do is, is cut off the black connector that was on extension wiring harness LMI sent me, splice on the gray connector i ordered that way it fits the new long 2011+ sensor, then route it in the "armpit" of the elbow near the driver fender when my tubing starts to go down underneath the car!

sounds like a great setup to me but i have no way of testing it or putting up "numbers" to show it did better ya know what i mean? i'll only be able to "feel" the difference. i'll be going to the track next wed to make 3-4 runs. 1/4 times will prove it. i'm sure i'll get a new PB! i'll post back next wednesday and let you all know what my times were based on the new IAT sensor i get installed this coming up weekend.

 

["Charlene"]

So I have this extension cable deal with the black connector (srt) i believe so i took the wires out of that one and put them in the new gray connector i ordered so it would fit the new 2011+ long IAT sensor. it threw a check engine light code, said MIL Lamp (13)... i tried pulling fuse 2 and disocnnect postive post. tried again no dice. then hooked everything up with the stock stubby sensor just how i had it and sitll has the code

do i have to completely disconnect the battery at this point? have any of you guys with 08-10 challengers install this new iat sensor and have CELs??

well i disconnected the battery and let it sit for a few mins then connected it and started it up, got the CEL again. took it for a 15 min drive or so thinking it might turn off once it started reading oxygen temps or something but never did, idk if i have to drive it longer? i'm thinking about disconnecting the battery again, elminating the extension cord and just plug the long sensor into stock connection going near the throttle body, connect the battery then drive it

thanks!

 

["Charlene"]

Sorry that i've been posting like a nazi but instead of re-routing the new sensor, i left it in the stock postion BUT i found some soft styofoam stuff i was able to feed the sensor and part of the stock wire through, tie wrapped it. i think this should help keep the out side of the connector and wires cooler as well. it had just dawned on me lol.

doesn't look that attractive but doesn't look too bad.

 

[Crush]

So did you notice a difference?

I'm still interested in seeing some results of using the extension wire and moving the sensor more toward the box.

The long sensor helped the heat soak issue tremendously, but it still feels a little sluggish when I run the AC.

 

["Charlene"]

I feel like the car has woke up some, like rayazoo said, the tranny deaccelerations are smoother. car seems more free. going to the track next wed so that iwll be the rest test!

 

[randycat99]

With the new sensor, I was able to hold out on 87 oct fuel until fairly deep into the hot summer season. At some point in hot TX, you will have to switch, though. If it is just going to be 90+ deg outside (combined with the likelihood you will be using AC), from the start, then that higher octane is going to come in handy to keep the engine happy. The 87 oct had me nicely covered into the 80 deg weather, though, where I would have normally had to switch octane by time the high-70's temps rolled around.

How do I know the engine is happy?...well she likes to run lean when it comes to fueling (courtesy of realtime OBD scanner display), and the power loss is less drastic as weather temps rise. When the 87 oct is no longer cutting it, the lean mixture gets closer to 0% or may even dip into the rich % side, and engine response gets doggy (the onset of heatsoak).

I switched to 89 oct just before the weather started getting really hot around here. I could distinctly tell it liked it, because the instantaneous mpg gauge was reading an increase of 5 mpg, right off the bat. I'm not saying my tank mpg will automatically be 5 mpg better, though. I could just tell there was going to be an mpg improvement relative to whatever it was before (which was probably a game of losing mpg points as the weather got warmer).

Now that the TX heat wave is in effect, even the 89 oct is getting to its limit...not sure when/if the final jump to 92 oct is coming. Still lots of TX summer to go, though. The user manual never says that 92 oct will have any benefit on the auto RT, but I can certainly see thresholds where it would, and thresholds were the minimum 87 oct requirement would not cut it.

 

[rflight]

Hi folks I live in Eastern Canada (mid 70s hot summer day ) i have a 2010 classic r/t auto and i am installing a mopar cai, i know not the best but i love the look, Question should i relocate my IAT senser or just install the new style IAT senser in old location, car has grey plugin. No track time just the occassional fun drive lol. ps other than cai, car is stock. Thanks for your help,,,,love this forum!!!!!!!

 

[rayzazoo]

Hi folks I live in Eastern Canada (mid 70s hot summer day ) i have a 2010 classic r/t auto and i am installing a mopar cai, i know not the best but i love the look, Question should i relocate my IAT senser or just install the new style IAT senser in old location, car has grey plugin. No track time just the occassional fun drive lol. ps other than cai, car is stock. Thanks for your help,,,,love this forum!!!!!!!

Just get you the long IAT sensor for around $6-10. Since you have the grey plug, this is just a plug n play.

 

[Jillum]

Has anyone installed a Gforcechip on their 2012 Challenger SRT8 392. If so share your experience with me. Best, Jillum

 

[rayzazoo]

Post #1 updated to include more information regarding throttle body selections and now includes the DiabloSport Intune review.

 

[Crush]

A local tuner says the long sensor gives false readings to the 09 and 10 Challengers, so I put my back to stock.

"Old sensor 2volts = 90 deg F and on new 2volts = 60 deg F"

 

[efxman]

Would love to hear more on what Crush said as I have a 2010 RT and switched it over to the long sensor a long time ago. Anyone else here able to confirm what Crush is saying that the longer sensor gives false readings?

 

[DTru]

A local tuner says the long sensor gives false readings to the 09 and 10 Challengers, so I put my back to stock.

"Old sensor 2volts = 90 deg F and on new 2volts = 60 deg F"

I have also heard of people switching them out and data logging to show that there was no difference in the intake vs ambient temp.

 

[Hal H]

I have also heard of people switching them out and data logging to show that there was no difference in the intake vs ambient temp.

I data logged mine for my custom tuning and the difference (long IAT sensor since '11 on mine) - it reads 15-20* above what the ambient air temp sensor behind the front grille indicates.

At slower speeds or sitting still, the IAT reading will climb up some, but once moving it drops back down quickly.

 

[19johned53]

I have also heard of people switching them out and data logging to show that there was no difference in the intake vs ambient temp.

I switched to the "Charger Tube" which comes with the long sensor, a few years ago.

I can't data log, but I can see the two different temps on my EVIC. Depending on the outside air temp, they both can read within a few degrees of each other. With hotter ambient, on the road, temps usually with in 10-15. Hot and long idles, I've seen up to 30 for a few minutes.

Have no idea what the voltages are, just the EVIC readings, but the car seems to run fine or a little better than when it had the stock tube/goiter.

???

 

[Crush]

Would love to hear more on what Crush said as I have a 2010 RT and switched it over to the long sensor a long time ago. Anyone else here able to confirm what Crush is saying that the longer sensor gives false readings?

I wish I had some more info to give you. I was debating on getting the B&G tune or going with this tuner who has done hundreds of custom tunes. I specifically asked him about torque management and then the long IAT sensor. Another local guy has a custom tune from him and had to put his stock IAT in before he could get his custom tune properly dialed in. I'm sure this goes deeper than just comparing temps or it wouldn't be an issue.

I've been running around for 2 years with the long sensor and thought it ran better. Then put the stock back in and now I'm not sure if it was just the placebo effect.