Charge air temp sensor - installing

[TurboBaron]

Swapping my '87 Lebaron to an '88 2.2 Turbo I engine.

I was just curious about the air temp sensor that goes into the intake. Does it NEED to be in the intake or can I say, drill a hole in my air box and install it on there?

I'm just curious about this sensor. Is it for detecting ambient air temp or the temperature of the air under boost?

If it's just for detecting ambient air, putting it on my air box shouldn't be a problem, right?

[crazymadbastard]

Charge air is for under boost. After the air goes trough the turbo and gets compressed
and gets hotter. The computer looks at the boost pressure and the temp to compensate with fuel. SO, yes it needs to be in the manifold or just before the throttle
body.

[macncheese]

while the topic is up, though, you don't have to go nuts to get it into the intake. just unscrew one of the vacuum source nipples on the front of the intake, and thread the sensor in. same thread diameter and pitch. run your vac lines to the other nipple and call it a day.
tony

[TurboBaron]

That sounds like a good idea. I'll see if there are any other provisions on the intake!

Just for giggles though, anybody know what size thread to make the hole on the intake for the sensor?

[macncheese]

there are three vac nipples. the one on the back that runs to the brake booster, one on the front near the middle, and one on the front near the bottom. drill away only if you find it entertaining!!!
tony

[DocFish]

Theoretical question. If you run the charge air temp sensor in the airbox, it'll make it run fatter, wouldn't it? Be enough for an extra pound of boost?

[macncheese]

i suppose it would, since it'd be seeing a cooler charge. but for that matter, why go through the bother of drilling your airbox? since you're adding wire anyway, just run it to the nose cone. oh yeah, and assume responsibility for it because i've never tried!!!
tony

[DocFish]

Already did Tony. Swapped from a 2-piece to a 1-piece that didn't have provisions, so I just layed the sensor and wiring up on the cowl. No codes, no harm done.

[TurboBaron]

I guess that would work, for a more performance minded person. Make the computer detect cooler air than it should and it fattens up the mixture. I could see how that would be a good idea. I'm poor though, I'm aiming more for the 30mpg aspect of the car. hehe

[macncheese]

heh, even NOT being poor might make us aim for the 30mpg, because otherwise, the price of gas could MAKE us poor!
tony