So the question is why all the screens in the mass air sensor? Are they needed or are they just a big restriction in the intake? How does our maf's work? I am coming from srt-4 so I am not used to the whole maf thing.

 

Your MAF MAP is a sensor... The thing you are referring to is just a plastic elbow that directs air into your throttle body from the air box... The MAF MAP sensor is located inside the elbow and is attached bt the connector and wires your see coming out of the back side of the elbow...

The screens are there for two reasons the metal screen is there to help prevent debris from the air box that may have slipped past the air filters, from reaching your intake manifold and ultimately entering your cylinders through the intake valves and ruining your engine... The second plastic screen with bigger squares is there to stabilize the airflow and kind of direct it better when it enters the intake manifold so it causes kind of a venturi effect...

Yes, getting rid of your little metal screen will help free-up your air flow... but if you do that, make sure that you always clean your air filters and air box because lots of debris accumulates in there...

Getting rid of the plastic checkerboard screen may actually hurt the amount of directional air pressure that needs to reach the front cylinder intakes which are all the way forward...
In the manifold...

Good enough answer...

 

answered very well thank you.