Intake Air Temperature (IAT) Sensor

The 2-wire manifold IAT sensor is installed in the resonator with the sensor element extending into the air stream. The IAT sensor is a two-wire Negative Thermal Coefficient (NTC) sensor. Meaning, as inlet air temperatures increase, resistance (voltage) in the sensor decreases. As temperature decreases, resistance (voltage) in the sensor increases. The IAT sensor provides an input voltage to the PCM indicating the density of the air entering the intake manifold based upon intake manifold temperature. At key-on, a 5-volt power circuit is supplied to the sensor from the PCM. The sensor is grounded at the PCM through a low-noise, sensor-return circuit.

The PCM uses this input to calculate the following:

• Injector pulse-width
• Adjustment of spark timing (to help prevent spark knock with high intake manifold air-charge temperatures)