hey guys i just put an aps 65 mm cold air on my wrx and i drove the car for at least 10 miles and everything was awesome. but on my way home the check engine light came on and i got it read and its running too lean. i was told you dont need a tune on this cold air intake but apparently i do. i dont know what to do. any thoughts?
If the diameter of the Intake piping is different then the stock intake diameter it will cause issues with the MAF. Tuning is the only way to correct this. If you can't afford to tune the car now, then remove the Cold Air Intake until you can afford it. You aren't gaining anything from the CAI except for the sound. You won't gain any HP really.
ok so a tune is obviously needed. thanks guys. i guess the cobb accessport will be my christmas gift ha. i need to do some research on it though cause im not real sure i understand what the maps are all about and where to take it to get it tuned. unless i can do it myself. im goin to chatt tech for automotive but im still a noob when it comes to tuning.
how much do they usually charge for a tunning session? wheres it located? im in cherokee county by the way.
That is a good idea as the ecu will relearn. Give it a try disconnect the battery and hit the brakes a few times. EDIT:I don't know if it will fix it but definitely worth a try.
If its the 65mm I don't see whats causing the CEL. I had the 65mm Injen CAI on my 03' bugeye with no issues....
The STOCK box can be up to a full air fuel point off at wide open throttle. The other thing is the ECU can be adjusted to the stock box and needs to relearn for the new intake. While tuning is definitely recommended (and I tune also ) try resetting the car first. If it is 65mm it is the same diameter as the stock or very close. As I said, even the stock box can be off. Each car is a little different. While you are at it, make sure and get some MAF cleaner and clean your MAF sensor.
take the aps intake off the car until you can get a tune... otherwise your flirting with disaster and its only going to be a matter of time before the motor goes. For the ecu to throw a lean code means it has to see a +25% long term fuel trim... which is very very bad.
Could also mean that one of your lines is loose somewhere, intake leak pulling in extra air that is past the maf.
i just put my cold air back on and cleaned the maf really well and reset the ecu. i started up and it idled pretty crappy for a bit but so far so good. no check engine light so far. im about to drive it to work and if it comes on then ill just take it back off tomorrow but cross your fingers ha. thanks for all the help fellas.
Honestly, I'd have it checked / tuned by a professional before you hurt that motor. Some cars can get away with running different intakes without tuning, some can't. If it idles poorly, something is wrong. Siegel
it only rough idled at first but then everything was fine. it runs like a champ now. i guess the ecu was just tryin to balance everything out cause now it runs fine with no problems.
since i first posted this the check engine has come on after resetting the ecu. it doesnt come on till at least 3 weeks later. it doesnt seem to have a rough idle either. i know you guys are just going to tell me to get a tune or put the stockie back on but if the piping on the aps is the same as the stock tubing...then i dont understand. i cleaned the mass air flow and check everything over and over. could the aps air filter have something to do with it? i have an aem cone filter layin around brand new so im think im gonna try that. the aps filter is much bigger than the aem filter so i figured maybe it wouldnt suck in as much air...or maybe i dont know what im talking about. worth a shot i guess. if not ill just take it off and sell it cause there is only 300 miles on it or less.
the fact that its the same as the stock diameter doesnt have anything to do with it (or as much as the following). you have to ask yourself an obvious question here: whats the point of this intake/whats it made to do? answer is: bring in MORE AIR. so, right there is a change in what the ecu is used to reading. it could be getting more hot air than its used to/just more air period/or colder air than its used to. either way somethings different. the computer needs to be told what to do with that new air
It's not really the bringing in more air that is the problem so much as the air not being metered the same. Ideally if the intake was the EXACT same diameter as the stock and the MAF sensor was in EXACTLY the same angle and position then there would be no problems. The issue results when the diameter is not the exact same and the position of the sensor is not exactly the same. The factory rom is designed to work with one intake...stock. When you start changing the flow characteristics of the incoming air, it can throw the stock ecu off while in open loop fueling. While I am not sure what the problem is in this particular instance, it sounds like something is still off. Heck it could even be one of our two O2 sensors going bad, there is just no way of telling for sure without doing some testing.
well i just put the stock one back on. i said screw it..haha. but now i have an aps 65 mm intake for sale if anyone is interested. if not ill just keep it until i can afford a tune. thanks a lot guys. you really helped.
I've got a better deal than a $600+ AP. What year is your car? If it's a 2002-2005 WRX, you can buy my Ecutek licensed ECU for $250. That comes with an Ecutek license, DeltaDash (datalogging software), and EasyECu which allows you the ability to switch as many maps as you please. Then take advantage of Topspeed's killer tuning deals. On a simple setup I bet Doug can have you done in 1 - 1 1/2 hrs tops so that would be $150-225. So that is engine management and a pro tune for < $500 with the ability to switch maps, read CELS, datalog EVERYTHING. You simply can not beat that
well im new to tuning and turbos and what not. i get the basics of tuning but data logging and words like that confuse me. im tryin to do research on it. and i cant exactly afford an AP right now cause i dont make shit at target.
99% of new Subaru owners make their first mistake at this point. If you cannot afford the tune, do not try and shortcut it. Enjoy the car how it is and begin to save a couple bones a month for the tune. If you cannot afford it in 6 months, save another 6. The wait is worth it Heck, go out and do a couple auto-x's or something. Learn the car for what it is stock and then make decisions based on your impressions of what you want to adjust or change.
A real Basic setup like yours I can open source tune in about an hour on the dyno. So you would be looking around $190 bucks out the door.