"welfare" intake = p0171?

[fixmyexploder]

This weekend I built my own "short ram" intake. After the install I disconnected the neg. side of the battery for like 30 seconds. Now i am throwing p0171.... I know that p0171 system Too Lean (Bank 1)... I understand what that means. It didn't show right away maybe.... 20 miles or so. Lean scares me.....

My questions are as follows:

1. Did I not disconnect the battery for long enough?

2. Will the computer "learn" the intake?
(A guy I know has an 05 WRX. It also has a Mass Air Sensor as apposed to the map sensor my SRT4 has. Before he went and has his car professionally tuned he put an intake on and had the same problem.... car was running lean with the stock "tune". He was told the vehicle could not support the intake without it being tuned)

3. I also did a seafoam treatment the same day 1/2 in the oil, 1/2 in the break booster vac mine.... could this have had any effect?

4. If I continue to run lean would it be as easy as switching to 89 octane?

I greatly appreciate all the help and information on this forum thank you to all for the know how and thanks in advance for your help
Bill :biggthump

 

[Fabbed4d88]

Have you cleaned your MAF?

 

[Tbars4]

...Reasons for a p0171...

A) Not the o2 sensors

1) Probably Vacuum leak
2) Clean the MAF
3) EGR tube leak
4) Plugs and wires

OR 5) Intake manifold gaskets..

 

[fixmyexploder]

Have you cleaned your MAF?

I cleaned the maf before installing the filter however, I didn't think about the chance of over oiling the filter... time to pull it apart and look at the maf....

 

[fixmyexploder]

...Reasons for a p0171...

A) Not the o2 sensors

1) Probably Vacuum leak
2) Clean the MAF
3) EGR tube leak
4) Plugs and wires

OR 5) Intake manifold gaskets..

As for this the only vac line i have fooled with is the brake booster line... I double checked that after the seafoam treatment...

I will remove and clean the maf again, also new plugs and wire are this weekend anyway so that'll be 2 birds one stone....

My main concern is that it isn't directly the air intake leading to the lean condition?!?

Thanks for the quick replies!

Bill

 

[RickOTR]

This weekend I built my own "short ram" intake. After the install I disconnected the neg. side of the battery for like 30 seconds. Now i am throwing p0171.... I know that p0171 system Too Lean (Bank 1)... I understand what that means. It didn't show right away maybe.... 20 miles or so. Lean scares me.....

My questions are as follows:

1. Did I not disconnect the battery for long enough?

2. Will the computer "learn" the intake?
(A guy I know has an 05 WRX. It also has a Mass Air Sensor as apposed to the map sensor my SRT4 has. Before he went and has his car professionally tuned he put an intake on and had the same problem.... car was running lean with the stock "tune". He was told the vehicle could not support the intake without it being tuned)

3. I also did a seafoam treatment the same day 1/2 in the oil, 1/2 in the break booster vac mine.... could this have had any effect?

4. If I continue to run lean would it be as easy as switching to 89 octane?

I greatly appreciate all the help and information on this forum thank you to all for the know how and thanks in advance for your help
Bill :biggthump

I have a Ram-Air intake on mine Explorer and had to have it professionally tuned. The problem is that the engine is getting to much air and the computer cannot adjust the air/fuel enough to compensate. I threw the same code p0171 as yours, until I got it tuned.

 

[jd4242]

lets see a pic of this short ram intake

 

[fixmyexploder]

I have a Ram-Air intake on mine Explorer and had to have it professionally tuned. The problem is that the engine is getting to much air and the computer cannot adjust the air/fuel enough to compensate. I threw the same code p0171 as yours, until I got it tuned.

That's what I was afraid of.... did you have to get a tuning program such as a diablo, sct ect. or can they factory open source it?

upping my octane will not help with the lean problem? It would def. help to prevent detonation correct... o

obviously if it's going to run lean I will switch back to the air box unless it was dirt cheap to get pro tuned... I know for the "tuner" cars the people I hang with have it's upwards of like 3-4 hundred for a tune.... If thats the case air box here i come.... i'd rather tune the turbo SRT than my girls explorer 4.0 sohc LOL!

Bill

 

[CDW6212R]

If you are talking about the air cleaner and inlet pipe, and not the intake manifold, then the tune is not the problem.

The PCM can handle almost any change in air cleaner or inlet pipe, or TB, but a real PCM tune would improve it. If you fabricated an actual intake(intake means intake manifold), then absolutely you need a new PCM program.

The intake manifold is a major engine part, and the stock intake is restrictive. If you change it to a less restrictive "short ram" intake, then the airflow is greater and the mixture is too lean. A major flow increase will throw a lean code, but a minor change should not.

Any change can benefit from a better tune, a data logged created tune with a flasher. Good luck,

 

[fixmyexploder]

Pics!

This is what i am working with.... it's hood but it works.... $27 and alittle dremel time vs at least $90 up to $279 for the k&n intake...

 

[fixmyexploder]

Wow i need to flush my coolant HAHA is that motor oil?

 

[CDW6212R]

That lean code should end up being a vacuum leak, or the other suggestions, or lastly a low fuel pressure. Work on those things before the PCM tune.

 

[fixmyexploder]

Yeah pcm tune is outta the question.... just not worth it to me... I didn't think it would allow that much more air to go lean but yeah.... what about bumping the octane would that help at all

 

[jd4242]

i would not think doing just that would have thrown a code,many people do that mod and have no problem

 

[CDW6212R]

The SOHC has very good compression, if your octane changes no more than 10 cents per grade, a PCM tune can help a lot. Meaning don't use 89 or higher unless you tune for it. The 87 is best for the stock tune, the higher grades won't gain you much if anything, and cost more. With a tune, you can put more timing etc in, and you get more power and economy with the 89.

 

[fixmyexploder]

I hear ya..... sounds like back to the stock air box..... last thing I need is to run super lean :thumbdwn:... I'm not a rice rocket kid thinking "awwww man this new filter and new muffler must be getting me at least another 100 whp" but I didn't really think it would hurt either.... def. way smoother through the powerband and it sounded sick! oh well always gotta tinker and make it worse then it was before.... If it ain't broke I'll "fix" it 2 or 3 times... LOL thanks for all the input!

Bill

 

[CDW6212R]

Change the air cleaner back carefully without changing the air seal of the inlet piping. If you still throw lean codes, then it's inward from the TB. If the codes do go away, then something in the installation of the air cleaner allowed air to bypass the MAF(air leak).

Tons of people have high flow air cleaners, and no error codes. Myself included, I have a Volant air cleaner and have yet to do the PCM tuning.

 

[fixmyexploder]

Cool, I'll screw with it and keep you posted thanks again

 

[RickOTR]

This is what i am working with.... it's hood but it works.... $27 and alittle dremel time vs at least $90 up to $279 for the k&n intake...

I use to have an intake set-up like this but then went to a system where I piped 3 inch tubing from the air cleaner to a funnel on the valence on the bumper. I never had a problem with the system like you have in the pic here. When I added the ram-air, it sure changed things though. I had a friend at a Ford dealership tune it the first time with the Ram-Air, but got the SCT tuner with the supercharger from Explorer Express when I supercharged it. I still have the Ram-Air set-up today with no problems.

 

[fixmyexploder]

Well maybe things are looking up..... I will have to screw with it more... here's to hoping!