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**cooljess76** · 08-09-2009, 07:22 AM

To be honest, I'm fairly certain that it's not going to be a simple "plug and play" modification. Reason being is that the two items work off of different principles. The MAF sensor(newer style) has a strip of film that heats up at a perscribed interval. The film is then cooled by the incoming airflow and a measurement is calculated and relayed to the ECU which then controls how long the fuel injectors stay open. The older style used on '95 318ti's is called an Air Flow Meter(AFM). It measures air by volume rather than flow. Basically the air passes through a trap door where it is metered and a signal is sent to the ECU. I'd start by getting a bentley manual and reading the pinout for the Mass Air Flow Sensor and compare it to the pinout of the Air Flow Meter. I'm thinking the AFM won't have the same type of heating element that the MAF does. You'll more than likely need to tackle a software issue and very likely rewire a corresponding connector for the MAF.

I still need to check and see if I still have my M44 MAF. IIRC, it's still attached to my old airbox in my trunk. Anyway, I'll PM you my phone number and you're more than welcome to swing by or I can just as easily mail it to ya. I'm 100% positive that it's in perfect working order. My car ran awesome and passed emissions with flying colors just prior to yanking the M44 out for my swap.

I just re-read your first post and the sensor you were looking at was from a 6cyl. There's no such thing as a '94 328i, as they didn't come out until '96 when BMW switched from the OBDI 2.5L M50(325i) to the OBDII 2.8L M52(328i). Either way, the 318ti's OBDII 1.9L M44 MAF sensor will be slightly smaller in diameter than the 6cyl MAF.

LMK if you're still interested, I'll post pictures of the connector on the MAF tomorrow. I no longer have the M44 engine harness, so if the plug is different than the one on your M42 harness, you'll need to source a pigtail.

08-09-2009, 07:22 AM	#5
cooljess76 NOBODY F's with the Jesus Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ventura California Posts: 7,824 iTrader: (6) Photo Gallery	To be honest, I'm fairly certain that it's not going to be a simple "plug and play" modification. Reason being is that the two items work off of different principles. The MAF sensor(newer style) has a strip of film that heats up at a perscribed interval. The film is then cooled by the incoming airflow and a measurement is calculated and relayed to the ECU which then controls how long the fuel injectors stay open. The older style used on '95 318ti's is called an Air Flow Meter(AFM). It measures air by volume rather than flow. Basically the air passes through a trap door where it is metered and a signal is sent to the ECU. I'd start by getting a bentley manual and reading the pinout for the Mass Air Flow Sensor and compare it to the pinout of the Air Flow Meter. I'm thinking the AFM won't have the same type of heating element that the MAF does. You'll more than likely need to tackle a software issue and very likely rewire a corresponding connector for the MAF. I still need to check and see if I still have my M44 MAF. IIRC, it's still attached to my old airbox in my trunk. Anyway, I'll PM you my phone number and you're more than welcome to swing by or I can just as easily mail it to ya. I'm 100% positive that it's in perfect working order. My car ran awesome and passed emissions with flying colors just prior to yanking the M44 out for my swap. I just re-read your first post and the sensor you were looking at was from a 6cyl. There's no such thing as a '94 328i, as they didn't come out until '96 when BMW switched from the OBDI 2.5L M50(325i) to the OBDII 2.8L M52(328i). Either way, the 318ti's OBDII 1.9L M44 MAF sensor will be slightly smaller in diameter than the 6cyl MAF. LMK if you're still interested, I'll post pictures of the connector on the MAF tomorrow. I no longer have the M44 engine harness, so if the plug is different than the one on your M42 harness, you'll need to source a pigtail.