running too rich

[tronno]

my car f/a ratio guage is telling me that i am running rich.i can smell unburnt fuel,which tells me that i am.how can i fix this

 

[justin0469]

you have an aftermarket a/f ? your front o2 could just be bad. do you have a catalytic converter? if not, that can make your exhaust smell rich. If you are pretty much stock and you dont have a check engine light, you are fine enough to be within the ECUs fuel trims.

 

[tronno]

you have an aftermarket a/f ? your front o2 could just be bad. do you have a catalytic converter? if not, that can make your exhaust smell rich. If you are pretty much stock and you dont have a check engine light, you are fine enough to be within the ECUs fuel trims.

yes i have an autometer a/f.i dont have a catalytic converter.my autometer was normal a while ago(bouncing between lean and rich).now its at rich all the time

 

[justin0469]

Since you have no cat, you cant do the smell test. But either you are out of the fuel trims so far the ECU doesnt know what to do (not likely since you have stock fuel system) or your front o2 sensor just crapped. Just happens over time.

It should be rich when you are at WOT, or until the sensor warms up.

 

[tronno]

Since you have no cat, you cant do the smell test. But either you are out of the fuel trims so far the ECU doesn't know what to do (not likely since you have stock fuel system) or your front o2 sensor just crapped. Just happens over time.

It should be rich when you are at WOT, or until the sensor warms up.

wouldn't a bad o2 sensor throw a cel?

 

[justin0469]

It could but I don't think it has to. It could be "working" just not working correctly.

 

[VaB90gsx]

The o2's usually dont throw a CEL until they are completely dead. It's a pretty easy part to disconnect, but they're not cheap. Make sure that's what it is before you buy one.

 

[ADrewzki]

Try taking the ground off the battery for 10 mins and letting the ECU reset. Force it to relearn fuel maps and see if the problem still exists.

 

[tronno]

Try taking the ground off the battery for 10 mins and letting the ECU reset. Force it to relearn fuel maps and see if the problem still exists.

yea, my autometer still reads rich.could it still be my o2 sensor or somthing else

 

[tronno]

can anyone help.i checked my spark plugs and their a bit black so i replaced them.i have a stock fuel system.what could be wrong.please i need some help.any suggestions would help

 

[splattj]

A boost leak would cause a rich condition.

I have a tester and a compressor if you are down in the Gaithersburg/Rockville area sometime.

 

[tronno]

i havent done a boost test but my autometer boost guage is showing vacume at 20,so i dont think its a boost leak.what else could cause my guage to read rich.a bad o2 would but how would i test it.

 

[justin0469]

That seems fine but the only way to know for sure is if you do a test. I still say get a new O2 sensor, but I could be wrong.

 

[tronno]

i replaced my o2 sensor and replaced my spark plugs and my car still runs rich.i did a boost leak test and i can only hold like 7lbs of boost for a few seconds before it goes back down.when i replaced my o2 sensor, i took my heat shield off on my exhaust manifold and found a 2inch black spot where exhaust had leaked out from where the exhaust manifold connects to the engine.could this cause a rich condition at idle?open to any suggestions

 

[Fos]

i replaced my o2 sensor and replaced my spark plugs and my car still runs rich.i did a boost leak test and i can only hold like 7lbs of boost for a few seconds before it goes back down.when i replaced my o2 sensor, i took my heat shield off on my exhaust manifold and found a 2inch black spot where exhaust had leaked out from where the exhaust manifold connects to the engine.could this cause a rich condition at idle?open to any suggestions

7lbs for few secs sounds like you'r leaking somewhere. Check your PCV if you hear bubbeling sounds from your engine. If not figure out where you'r leaking. It's easyer to do, if you disconnect your piping from the throttle body and isolate it and then test it. Then you can be sure if its the piping/cooler or not.

Leaking exhaust mani causes lean condition I think... could be wrong, not a wiseman.

 

[King Salami]

An exhaust leak like you described will cause the car to run rich because air gets sucked in through the leak and mixes with the exhaust gasses. Your O2 sensor reads a high oxygen content in the exhaust gasses (lean condition) and triggers your injectors to dump more fuel.
Once you fix the leak and allow your trims to stabilize, you should be good to go.

 

[Focker420]

So i got a running rich problem for ya. I blew the timing belt on my car (NOT FUN) and when i rebuilt the head I got new cams and ported the head of coase new valves cause the old ones looked like hockey sticks. so when i start the car i idled like a V8 and the rpms whould bounce from 800 to like 1150. The engine light say that its running rich in bank 1 and i have all stock fuel parts and i've check the timing is good, i've seal the exhast and the O2 sensor is new no cat (2 resonators).
My question is why do i have such a crazy idle and how do i get rid of the FREAKIN ENGINE LIGHT. I still have to put in the adjustable timing gears so i think that might fix the idle or is that just high hopes.

Any suggestions would help