Car continues to run rich! Need help!

[Kal Self]

Hello all, I should first note that I have a 2008 Ford Mustang GT (Automatic, 3V 4.6L V8).

I've owned the car for 4 months now, picking it up at 82,000 miles. On the second day of owning it, I noticed the CEL pop on. Plug in my OBD-2 scanner, says it is running rich. Since then, I've replaced all O2 sensors, replaced the injectors, replaced the MAF, cleaned the throttle body, reset the ECU, and have used plenty of injector cleaner/upper cylinder lubricant, all of which has been to no avail. I currently get 10 MPG, and have to fill up every 150-160 miles, and I've spoken to others who regularly get 18 MPG. An important thing to note is that the previous owner left a Bama REV-X tuner with the car. I've tried returning the car to the "stock" tune on the Bama tuner, but it just glugs at very low rpm's, stalls out, and dies. I then reload the 93 octane Bama tune, and it starts right up, idling rough and running rich like it normally does. Does anyone have a possible fix? Would replacing the ECU all together be on the table since the stock option on the tuner seems to fail me each time? Any advice is appreciated.

Mods list (all of which came with the car):
- JLT Series 3 Cold Air Intake
- Bama 93 Octane Tune
- BBK Long tube headers
- High flow cats with an X-pipe
- C&L Axle-Back

My wallet as well as myself will gladly take any advice! This thing is quite expensive as a daily driver.

 

[Kal Self]

I've owned the car for 4 months now, picking it up at 82,000 miles. On the second day of owning it, I noticed the CEL pop on. Plug in my OBD-2 scanner, says it is running rich. Since then, I've replaced all O2 sensors, replaced the injectors, replaced the MAF, cleaned the throttle body, reset the ECU, and have used plenty of injector cleaner/upper cylinder lubricant, all of which has been to no avail. I currently get 10 MPG, and have to fill up every 150-160 miles, and I've spoken to others who regularly get 18 MPG. An important thing to note is that the previous owner left a Bama REV-X tuner with the car. I've tried returning the car to the "stock" tune on the Bama tuner, but it just glugs at very low rpm's, stalls out, and dies. I then reload the 93 octane Bama tune, and it starts right up, idling rough and running rich like it normally does. Does anyone have a possible fix? Would replacing the ECU all together be on the table since the stock option on the tuner seems to fail me each time? Any advice is appreciated.

Mods list (all of which came with the car):
- JLT Series 3 Cold Air Intake
- Bama 93 Octane Tune
- BBK Long tube headers
- High flow cats with an X-pipe
- C&L Axle-Back

My wallet as well as myself will gladly take any advice! This thing is quite expensive as a daily driver.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

My advice is to get another tune from a reputable performance shop such as Brenspeed. My car gets 16mpg around town and 27mpg on the highway at a 70mph cruise.
BAMA tunes have a poor reputation and are best avoided.

 

[msvela448]

You don't want the hassle and expense of replacing the ECU.

I would contact a reputable tuner to help you get the tune sorted out. I've used JDM Engineering in Freehold, NJ and can highly recommend them.

https://www.teamjdm.com/custom-tuning-2/

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

 

[86GT351]

You have not states what Trouble codes you have gotten. Remember the code does not tell you specifically what is wrong. It gives you the circuit that is having a deficiency.

 

[JC SSP]

Why was this posted twice?

You cannot return to stock tune with a JLT. Stock air box needs to be installed.

Also what are the codes you’re getting? You can have a simple vacuum leak and change all the sensors and it’s not going to solve the issue.

 

[Kal Self]

Thank you, that seems to be the consensus after some research. I appreciate it

 

[86GT351]

Thank you, that seems to be the consensus after some research. I appreciate it

I asked in your other post about what codes are you getting?

 

[Kal Self]

Each time I’ve checked, it says that Bank 1 sensor 1 and bank 2 sensor 1 both read rich. I’ve changed the O2 sensors and they still read rich. Reset the ECU to see if it would fix it, still nothing to help, the car chugs gasoline like an Irishman chugs Guinness. Super frustrating!

 

[JC SSP]

Add half of pint of cider and you will have a snake bite.

Seriously, what codes are being shown?

 

[JC SSP]

Yeah same here…

 

[Kal Self]

Shows that Bank 1 sensor 1 and Bank 2 sensor 1 are both reading rich, which is what made me replace the O2 sensors, then the injectors following, because a friend suggested that a couple might be stuck open. All to no avail, I’m thinking of just getting a Lito tune since Bama is known to sometimes run rich.

 

[DieHarder]

Shows that Bank 1 sensor 1 and Bank 2 sensor 1 are both reading rich, which is what made me replace the O2 sensors, then the injectors following, because a friend suggested that a couple might be stuck open. All to no avail, I’m thinking of just getting a Lito tune since Bama is known to sometimes run rich.

Cannot go wrong with that. Highly recommend a WB to monitor AFR's. AEM are pretty good.

 

[AHaze]

From my admittedly rudimentary understanding of tuning, I doubt this is an issue with the tune file itself. The O2 sensors will be looking for whatever A/F ratio is being commanded by the ECU, even if that number is horribly rich. As long as that A/F ratio can be achieved within the ECU's adjustment window, you won't get any codes. Something is happening that is causing the engine to get more fuel than the ECU is asking for.
A couple guesses:
-There are parts on the engine that aren't accounted for in the existing tune.
-There is an issue with the fuel pressure sensor on the driver's side fuel rail causing excess pressure. Is the vacuum line hooked up to it?

 

[Kal Self]

Vacuum lines are all hooked up fine, I couldn’t say what is or isn’t accounted for as far as the tune goes. I don’t know a whole lot about cars just yet, but I can tell that the previous owner was slightly a DA. He put stars in the roof, for example. I would’ve never gone with a Bama tune, and didn’t know until a day after I got the car that it’s what it came with. I appreciate the advice but dang this is a frustrating situation!

 

[stkjock]

Threads merged. Please don’t dupe

 

[msvela448]

You need to work with a tuner, and do some data logs. The short term and long term fuel trim data will tell the tuner a lot about what is going on. A wide band air fuel set up will really aid in the final tuning. Like others have said there is no way to account for what parts are in the car and what is in the existing tune file. When you start messing with the intake tube size and the MAF it can severely affect the a/f ratio.

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[06monera96]

If your tuner comes with strategy tunes from SCT you can try that

 

[Juice]

If your tuner comes with strategy tunes from SCT you can try that

Nope. Preloaded tunes are not available when a custom tune is added to the x4. Its custom or canned tune, cannot have both.

 

[Mike2008]

Hello all, I should first note that I have a 2008 Ford Mustang GT (Automatic, 3V 4.6L V8).

I've owned the car for 4 months now, picking it up at 82,000 miles. On the second day of owning it, I noticed the CEL pop on. Plug in my OBD-2 scanner, says it is running rich. Since then, I've replaced all O2 sensors, replaced the injectors, replaced the MAF, cleaned the throttle body, reset the ECU, and have used plenty of injector cleaner/upper cylinder lubricant, all of which has been to no avail. I currently get 10 MPG, and have to fill up every 150-160 miles, and I've spoken to others who regularly get 18 MPG. An important thing to note is that the previous owner left a Bama REV-X tuner with the car. I've tried returning the car to the "stock" tune on the Bama tuner, but it just glugs at very low rpm's, stalls out, and dies. I then reload the 93 octane Bama tune, and it starts right up, idling rough and running rich like it normally does. Does anyone have a possible fix? Would replacing the ECU all together be on the table since the stock option on the tuner seems to fail me each time? Any advice is appreciated.

Mods list (all of which came with the car):
- JLT Series 3 Cold Air Intake
- Bama 93 Octane Tune
- BBK Long tube headers
- High flow cats with an X-pipe
- C&L Axle-Back

My wallet as well as myself will gladly take any advice! This thing is quite expensive as a daily driver.

Was the throttle body changed/modified ?
Injectors?
Too much fuel?