I got a check engine light today, P0171 -- System too lean. Has anyone had this code?? I was thinking maybe the helix CEL eliminator isnt working or something, i know it keeps the PCM from performing the OBD II catalyst tests. Also another possibility is the APS cold air. I have had it for at least 6 or 7 months so i doubt that is the problem, not to mention the fact that it is the stock inside diameter at the mass air flow sensor. Can anyone help me out??????
Is that the code the eliminator box is supposed to get rid of? If it's not than i'd start looking at a few things. Lean means that you have too much air vs. fuel in your mixture. I would look for any vacuum leaks, air intake leaks, clogged fuel filter, etc... Anything that would bring more air or less fuel than normal. Lean for a turbo car is no good.
i think the CEL eliminator prevents P0420, catalyst efficiency. but im not totally sure, man i hope its nothing serious. fuel filter is only a few months old so that prolly isnt it. ill have to check for vacuum leaks i guess, anyone know the best way to check for them???
do you have a boost guage? if so what vac hose was tapped to run it? if its the fpr vac line with no clamps it will run lean. a shop hooked mine up this way so i was getting the same cel. actualy this also caused me to blow my engine! but when i got it rebuilt they tapped the bov vac line. soooo. next the 3/16 hose mod ive also done and it never gave me any problems. all that really does is give the solinoid a more acurate reading. it does give more boost cause of the hose diamiter but it for the most part lets the air travel faster through the lines. thats it.
gotcha, i do have a boost guage and its the factory one on the column. i have no idea who installed it and how, it was on the car when i bought it, ill check it real quick. but i wonder how all of a sudden this could happen?? the latest mods ive added in the past few months are brake rotors and pads, antilift kit, and thats it. nothing even remotely involved with A/F. maybe something just gave out?
i just checked over everything real quick and nothing looks to be out of the normal. all the vacuum lines look ok, no kinks in the fuel lines or anything like that, MAF wires look good, boost gauge is tee'd off of the BOV hose. i dunno what the hell is wrong. im gonna unwrap the CEL eliminator sometime soon and make sure everything is ok.
Does he know what repairs they did tho?? i cant afford to take it to SoG right now, so if possible i really need to try to fix it myself. And i have cleared the code a few times and it does keep coming back, usually at cruising speed on the highway or at idle, kinda sounds like maybe a vacuum leak? Last night i went back out and cranked it up and i could hear a high pitched whistling sound at idle from the intercooler/throttle body area, this afternoon im gonna take the intercooler off and check for leaks or cracks in the y-pipe. hopefully ill find something.
he had transmission and differential problems... got those worked on at SoG and the code disappeared too
What intake do you have? This is the CEL thrown by the badly designed intakes (mostly just the APS 70mm). I used to get it occasionally in the colder weather with my APS intake even though I was tuned for it.
its the intake by far....without EM an intake is just about no good to you. The ECU doesn't know what to do with all that air. I used to have the ecutek monitor and thats how I cleared my code. I only threw that cel if I was on a road trip or something long distance. Intakes without EM just are not the right thing. I made less WHP and WTQ with my Injen Cold Air on my car....just the heads up....
Yeah, i have the aps intake but its the new version, i believe its 65mm bore. i guess ill take it off and see what happens, what i dont understand is why it would change 6 months after i installed the intake??? Ive had not one problem since. I am gonna check the y-pipe in a little while for cracks or anything like that.
Has it kept on coming back? Maybe your filter is just clogged or something isnt tightened down all the way on the intake.
Yeah, this is prolly the third or fourth time its come back. I tried to check the vacuum lines and whatnot and i sprayed some brake clean around while listening to the idle speed and i didnt find anything. For right now im gonna have to blame the intake as well, though its been installed for 6 or 7 months. im thinking maybe the humidity or the change in the ambient temp (90's outside) is messing with the MAF. Im in NC right now so whenever i make it back home ill put the stock airbox back in and see what happens, if the code keeps coming on then who knows?? Thanks for the help everyone, ill let you guys know what happens!