running really lean Options

[d3ath2009]

hey i just put a header on my car and gutted the caty.. sounds wicked and u can feel the power difference, but now its running incredibly lean... what can i do to get it to run a little richer?

[fgvillegas]

hey i just put a header on my car and gutted the caty.. sounds wicked and u can feel the power difference, but now its running incredibly lean... what can i do to get it to run a little richer?

do you have an air-fuel ration gauge? i'm assuming you have one that's why you were able to determine that you are running lean.

do you have an SAFC or eManage or something like that? this can help you do the necessary adjustments.

but still, it would be better to determine the source of your problem of why you running lean.

[Jamchell]

Well since it's a 1997 and has OBDII, he can buy/borrow a scan tool that lets you see the live data stream, the AFR is in there along with a bunch of other useful data for solving fuel issues.

[SleekCelica]

wouldn't OBDII have two different o2 sensors? Pre cat and after cat?

[d3ath2009]

i kno its running lean bc its killing my milage and you can smell the gas coming out of the exhaust... i was told that the heat from the header could cause this and i need to cool the engine bay.. any suggestions?

[96stgreendemon]

wrap your header

[Jamchell]

i kno its running lean bc its killing my milage and you can smell the gas coming out of the exhaust... i was told that the heat from the header could cause this and i need to cool the engine bay.. any suggestions?

Hmm, if you are running lean then you will usually have better rather than worse fuel economy, you sure wont be smelling any fuel coming out of the exhaust and you will have 1 or more cylinders missing under load as well.

I bet you are running in open loop since you don't have a proper setup for your O2 sensors, this will cause the car to run RICH and you will have a loss of MPG and notice the odor of fuel coming from the exhaust. Removing both the stock manifold and catalytic converters on a car with OBDII is going to cause issues and you will need to find a way to trick the ECU into thinking those sensors are working again.

This post has been edited by Jamchell: Jun 25, 2010 - 6:02 PM

[presure2]

i kno its running lean bc its killing my milage and you can smell the gas coming out of the exhaust... i was told that the heat from the header could cause this and i need to cool the engine bay.. any suggestions?

if your smelling gas out the exhaust, then your not lean, your rich.
did you mess with the 02 sensors installing the header? chances are that is your problem.
and no, its not from the heat from the header.
heat wrap on those cheap headers is a bad idea. they are already crap steel as it is, it wont take too long for them to oxodize over, rust, then rot from the inside out from the condensation that gets trapped by the heat wrap.

:edit: didnt see the post above mine. he hit the nail on the head.