gp1817

i have a 06 boosted tc runnig aem fic.....as some of you may know,i recently changed my downpipe and put in a dump tube,then i got it street tuned,until i get it on the dyno..car was running fine,

The other day,i took my plastic motor cover off to paint it,and i guess i kinda took it off rough,cause,i have a strut bar,and really no space to play with,and didnt realize,i broke the locking clip,on the coil back spark plug connector,the left passenger side,and when i put the cover back on,didnt realize,that i actually,knocked the plug off the spark plug boot,so bascially,it was only running on 3 cylinder,so i started the car,not knowing,and car started very rough,almost,like it was dying,got the cel right away,im like wtf,i didnt do anything,it went lean 17,18,i shut it down,i rechecked everything,and i just happen to take the plastic,engine cover back,off,and boom,the plug wasnt connected to the spark plug boot...so plugeg it back in,car still ran rough,no cel,motor ran little louder then usual,so i reset the ecu,and from then on there,its running very lean,unplugeg,the 02 sensor,didnt do anything..

sorry for my long story,any advice,i hope i didnt blow my motor,just by starting the car with 1 plug disconnected

i should mention,starting the car,i go from 14.8 to 15.3 then back to 15.0 then goes up from there until it doesnt read any more,

sebbyxtc

iTrader: (7)

Let it relearn its values. Drive it around for a while.

gp1817

as soon as i put connector back on,car ran fine,then i reset the ecu,i mean usually,takes 10-15 mins for the afrs to go back to normal 14.7-15.2,i would start the car,it was start at 14.8 then to 15.3 then try to go back to 15.0,it would try to stay between that,back it spike up to 17.9-18......is the car safe to drive around running that lean.....usually,when i reset the computer,afrs go back with in range quick,does it take alot long for it to ajust since i screwed up something

That_Kid_Ju

I've done that once, where I forgot to plug in a coil pack after changing the plugs. Ran really rough and struggled like hell, but I wasn't running lean. Instead I ran stupid rich due to all the fuel dumping into the cylinder and not igniting. Check your plugs and replace if necessary. Let the car idle for about 20-30 mins (no revving). Usually it's good after the fans come on once, but I let them go on a few times (like 5 or 6) to be sure. Then baby it for a full ride (no boost, < 3500 rpms). Shut off, let it cool for a few hours, then try again.

That_Kid_Ju

Also check to see if you knocked off a vac line when taking the cover off. Usually loose or open vac lines cause leaner conditions. Check fuel trims to see if the ecu is trying to compensate and check MIL codes, if any.

gp1817

any time i needed to reset the ecu,car fixed itself within 15 mins,ever since i ran the car with one of the coils not connected,running lean as hell,i have my street tune saved on my laptop,that my buddy did for me,i dont know if i have to reupload it or not,but i dont see any loose or disconnected vacuum lines,i havent check the sparks plugs yet,would running lean or running with 3 coils plug in,cause the spark plugs to go out !!!!!!!

That_Kid_Ju

Do a vac leak test to be sure. Lean condition = more air than fuel. If all lines are good, then either unmetered air is getting in somewhere, o2 sensor is picking up a leaner mix, or not enough fuel. Check injectors also for vac leak and proper functioning. A faulty injector can lead to a lean condition. If you are running a pull-thru maf setup, then vac leaks can be almost anywhere. If you are running blow-thru maf setup, then usually you'd want to check the seal around the maf, the throttle body, injectors, fuel rail, exhaust manifold.

If you only have 3 coils delivering spark, then one cylinder is getting fuel without spark (assuming the injectors are fine). That usually leads to a rich situation, which can foul out plugs.

gp1817

like you said,def seems like a big leak some where,where im not looking,if the 02 sensor is picking up a leaner mixture on the dp,then would that mean,maybe a manifold gasket or the manifold bolt,came loose some how,def gotta check harder,all this trouble for painted a cover lol....

That_Kid_Ju

Check that the coil pack is seated properly and that the gasket isn't torn. That could also be a source of vac leak.

gp1817

could it be a bad coil pack !!!!,i took the car for a spin,car drive normal,theres no signs of a vacuum leak,car idles fine...doesnt smoke...,i have instant throttle response,afrs while in gear 14.7-15.2..then sometimes jumps to 16.7.....when i come to a stop...its tryed to even out...lowest it went since i took it for a drive,was 16.7,but after like a few secs go back to 17+...when the fan kicks in,goes in the upper 16"s...when i start the car,it starts,at 14.8 for a few secs then 15.0,then 15.3..tryes to go back but starts going up from there,and stays there,seems fine at when driving,im waiting for a cel to come on,could i have had this leak for awhile and not know,about it,until i reset the ecu,only because,i thought i had too after fixing the coil pack plug..is there anything i could spray,on the lines to see if theres a break some where,

my06tc

iTrader: (2)

if it starts up with normal afrs,then jumps up to lean condition,its detecting air which means a leak some where,spray some carb or brake cleaner,on the vacuum lines and throttle body,and if the car idle goes up or down,then you have a leak,def check your fuel trims also...

gp1817

one of my buddies,came over,and mention,that i should replace that one particular spark plug boot,to see if it makes any difference,

gp1817

so,i replace the coil pack i thought was bad,and the car isnt running as lean,have to reset the ecu and hopefully,that solved the issue,

That_Kid_Ju

Good luck! Did you check the plugs? Make sure they are good.

gp1817

i replace the 0ne coil pack resetted my ecu,car starts out as 14.8 then to 15.0 back and foruth for a min or two until car fully warms up,then it goes up to lower 17's to upper 16's.....before it was in the upper 17s and wouldnt budge..check the spark plugs they seem good,have no leaks that i can see,when i took it for a ride,afrs are 14.5-15.3 sometimes its 16.5....i wonder if i shorted out anything else,if it was a bad injector,wouldnt,the car have a hard time starting,misfiring and what not,could it be my coil pack plug harness..theres no cel...

borderguy881

iTrader: (-1)

ummm not to be rude but there absolutely nothing wrong with your readings.... from the factory mine was in the 16-17 range and cruising was in the 14-16 range, the afr will also always fluctuate never stay at 14.7, this is an eco motor so its tuned leaner the ecu wants lean

gp1817

yes there is,im not stock,im boosted,i was running fine 14.8-15.0 afrs at idle before,i ran the car with one coil plug disconnected my cel came on and told me,my car is street tune to run in particular afrs.....running 16-17 afrs at idle or cruising are too lean for boosted cars,i have a leak some where i have to find..

That_Kid_Ju

If you can't find the leak, you may want to get it to a shop so they hook up a smoke machine. Sometimes they are so small, you won't even notice.

You may also want to double check your maps to make sure nothing went haywire during all of this, js.

gp1817

worse comes to worse,ill go to a shop,but im determined to fix it myself,but i bought new spark plugs,gonna change them see what happens,my buddie is coming over and rechecking my tune for me,make sure nothing is out of wack....and gonna recheck over the whole car....

That_Kid_Ju

Good luck. Also pay close attention to the exhaust manifold. I knew I had a leak somewhere for weeks, but couldn't find it. Today I noticed some condensation on the mani, where the flange meets the gasket, when re-installing my oil pressure gauge. Upon start up and inspection for oil leaks through the tee, I noticed little bubbles flying around the corner of the manifold flange, and whaddaya know, there is a small gap. Can't torque the exhaust manifold bolts any more (cuz I think I may have stripped one). Plan to swap the studs out for the Dezod ones when I get the chance and use some red RTV around the flange to be certain of a good seal.