Actually the Hot-Wire is a reference to a type of MAF that utilizes a platinum wire that is heated a couple hundred degrees above ambient air temp. As air pass through the MAF it cools the platinum filament. The increase in current required to keep the filament at the correct temp is proportional to the "mass" of air flowing into your engine. The measure of air Mass is fed into the engine management ECU and is used to calculate air/fuel ratio. Which is a real-time effort. However there are two common types of MAF sensors, Hot-Wire and Hot-Film. I am not sure which one you have without looking it up.

The way these add-on "computers" work is to re-map the air/fuel curve according to the new parameters it provides. Basically your throwing more fuel into the engine. However, you can't increase air/fuel without consequence. I would say that you can expect to encounter problems with Ignition timing and advance unless your computer also accounts for these things. You will also introduce a different burn pattern in the combustion chamber that will most likely come from additoinal heat. You should be careful when altering engine management programming, especially if you are looking for long engine life.

Pat

 

Like he said!

Also, the MAFS is hotwire.