New cammed 4.6l owner.

[valdez]

Hello from Fort Lauderdale, FL! I am new to all of this -- I'm a lexus guy and a former '92 sc400 owner back in chicago, until I moved down here for college. This is my $2600 (now worth $1300) 06 5-speed GT @180,000mi with FRPP cams, Pypes longtube headers all the way back, catless, Airaid CAI, running rich at 10mpg city/12 hwy (93 octane) on the stock tune. Pretty much no synchro left on 2nd, though I don't mind and rarely grind. It's been through a lot, but I'm trying to get it healthy again on a budget -- just did brakes, got new s550 18" rims and tires, O2s, MAF, cleaned throttle body, seafoamed, oil (5w40 synthetic), and about to change my leaking PS rack.
The levers that connect the charge motion motor to the actual CMCV/IMRC valves have been taken off and consequently throw codes, and I've fixed all the other codes except for the P0198 circuit A. No idea where the oil temp sensor even is on the 2006s and could not find it underneath.
Lotta info there, but if anyone has any advice or recommendations I would appreciate the guidance a lot. I plan to get an SCT tuner asap and have emailed Lito already.




The car when I bought it:



Thanks guys.

 

[Gladams]

Welcome to the club from Missouri.

 

[StockishS197]

Welcome!

I am assuming your intake has CMDPs installed if no motor is present, but might be worth checking to make sure the CMCVs aren’t actually there.

Lito will make the car run way better like night and day. Prioritize that above all else given your mods. What Airraid CAI do you have? If it’s the one with a large MAF housing, do not run the car without a tune. Your MAF transfer function will be off in the tune.

The 06 oil temp sensor should be on the driver side of the oil pan, visible from underneath. 07+ had them removed. If you don’t have one in the pan, your oil pan (or motor) may have been swapped at some point.

If you plan on running it hard, might be worth some preventative maintenance on the VCT system via new VCT solenoids, guides and tensioners with a new HV oil pump while you are in there.

 

[1 Alibi 2]

Welcome to the s197 forum, congrats & good luck with the 06..

 

[JC SSP]

Welcome from Miami FL.

With FRPP cams your going to need a tune ASAP.

 

[valdez]

Welcome!

I am assuming your intake has CMDPs installed if no motor is present, but might be worth checking to make sure the CMCVs aren’t actually there.

Lito will make the car run way better like night and day. Prioritize that above all else given your mods. What Airraid CAI do you have? If it’s the one with a large MAF housing, do not run the car without a tune. Your MAF transfer function will be off in the tune.

The 06 oil temp sensor should be on the driver side of the oil pan, visible from underneath. 07+ had them removed. If you don’t have one in the pan, your oil pan (or motor) may have been swapped at some point.

If you plan on running it hard, might be worth some preventative maintenance on the VCT system via new VCT solenoids, guides and tensioners with a new HV oil pump while you are in there.

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, especially after this, I'm probably gonna wait to drive the car until it's tuned.
As for the oil temp sensor, I guess they swapped the oil pan; the original dipstick is missing as well and is clearly a DIY fabrication. I'm hoping it's not too important? I don't drive the car hard (at least not yet)
Driver's side:

I bought the car a while ago, but a couple days ago when the weather cooled down a bit, the car had trouble starting and now only starts without dying if I hold WOT (and back off to 3k) and let it clear in around 6 seconds. Think it's carbon deposits because it smells like a toaster. And this only happens for the first start of the day. The rest are all good. Maybe that has something to do with the missing oil sensor? Fuel dump perhaps?

Last thing, the CMCV; the valves are there. No delete plates. But I can freely move the little ends with my hand; I've kept them open so they essentially function like delete plates. Here's two pictures, one in the closed and one in the open position:

I was thinking I'd use something to lock them open temporarily until I decide to get delete plates or try to fix the cmcv motor. I've seen them made for the s550 cmcvs: https://www.beefcakeracing.com/spma...6Zrb-vDwiSiRut_oaVh4N1rCVgo4DfxCXZjfj0JywQ0AA

This is my MAF housing in the Airaid:

 

[JC SSP]

You can save some money and make your existing CMCV plates deleted with hi-temp epoxy. Super easy to do...

 

[StockishS197]

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, especially after this, I'm probably gonna wait to drive the car until it's tuned.
As for the oil temp sensor, I guess they swapped the oil pan; the original dipstick is missing as well and is clearly a DIY fabrication. I'm hoping it's not too important? I don't drive the car hard (at least not yet)
Driver's side:
View attachment 114200View attachment 114201
I bought the car a while ago, but a couple days ago when the weather cooled down a bit, the car had trouble starting and now only starts without dying if I hold WOT (and back off to 3k) and let it clear in around 6 seconds. Think it's carbon deposits because it smells like a toaster. And this only happens for the first start of the day. The rest are all good. Maybe that has something to do with the missing oil sensor? Fuel dump perhaps?

Last thing, the CMCV; the valves are there. No delete plates. But I can freely move the little ends with my hand; I've kept them open so they essentially function like delete plates. Here's two pictures, one in the closed and one in the open position:
View attachment 114198View attachment 114199
I was thinking I'd use something to lock them open temporarily until I decide to get delete plates or try to fix the cmcv motor. I've seen them made for the s550 cmcvs: https://www.beefcakeracing.com/spma...6Zrb-vDwiSiRut_oaVh4N1rCVgo4DfxCXZjfj0JywQ0AA

This is my MAF housing in the Airaid:
View attachment 114197

Your primary issue here is the MAF transfer function being under scaled in your tune for the Air raid CAI. The car is taking in a lot more air than it expects with the stock tune. You need to hold off on driving until you get that resolved. A close second is you HAVE to do what JC SSP suggested with the CMCVs. Trying to just hold the valves open is asking for trouble and making your own CMDPs is really easy.

I can’t speak to the oil temp sensor and how critical it is, but I’m sure there is some logic in the PCM reliant on it…but 07+ used inferred/calc’d values for the oil temp sensor.

 

[MasterofDisaster]

Welcome!

I'm a little concerned about the 5w40. These things were designed with really tight tolerances.

 

[confidenceman]

congrat and welcome onboard.

 

[86GT351]

Welcome. Also form Florida. Not sure if you are on FB. We have a huge community here in South Florida called Stangs of South Florida. Very active group

 

[StockishS197]

Welcome!

I'm a little concerned about the 5w40. These things were designed with really tight tolerances.

A lot of high mileage 5.4 3v guys run 5w40 rotella to address some of the oil pressure issues without issues.

I personally run 5w30 to meet in the middle.

5w20 was only used for CAFE/emissions but even then it’s proven fine.

 

[MasterofDisaster]

I personally run 5w30 to meet in the middle.

I've used 5w30 when I need to add some between changes. How does it work for you?

Might help w/ my oil burning.

 

[valdez]

Your primary issue here is the MAF transfer function being under scaled in your tune for the Air raid CAI. The car is taking in a lot more air than it expects with the stock tune. You need to hold off on driving until you get that resolved. A close second is you HAVE to do what JC SSP suggested with the CMCVs. Trying to just hold the valves open is asking for trouble and making your own CMDPs is really easy.

I can’t speak to the oil temp sensor and how critical it is, but I’m sure there is some logic in the PCM reliant on it…but 07+ used inferred/calc’d values for the oil temp sensor.

Thank you all for the advice! Did not realize how much support I could get from the forums. Found the cmdpguide pdf online and will make my own delete plates as suggested, then tune.

Separate issue started cropping up ever since it got a little colder a couple weeks ago. It doesn't wanna start and chokes, only on the first start of the day. Otherwise it's solid. I'm guessing it's tune-related and has to do with flooding -- do our cars have a clear flood mode? I would assume it's WOT while starting but I've had more success kicking the gas in short bursts. Weird that it's only happening now, even though I've been driving months without a tune.

 

[StockishS197]

Thank you all for the advice! Did not realize how much support I could get from the forums. Found the cmdpguide pdf online and will make my own delete plates as suggested, then tune.

Separate issue started cropping up ever since it got a little colder a couple weeks ago. It doesn't wanna start and chokes, only on the first start of the day. Otherwise it's solid. I'm guessing it's tune-related and has to do with flooding -- do our cars have a clear flood mode? I would assume it's WOT while starting but I've had more success kicking the gas in short bursts. Weird that it's only happening now, even though I've been driving months without a tune.

Could be a lot of things unfortunately but without doing a data log or knowing anything about the tune, it’s going to be hard to pinpoint.

To me, it’s most likely the CMCVs + cams + MAF. If the CMCVs are stuck open manually running the stock tune, added to an underscaled MAF table with aftermarket cams, the car is running super lean on cold starts during open loop and will make combustion erratic. Once the car is warm, the O2s can adjust to an extent in open loop after about 30 seconds. I would pull a plug and inspect how they look.

I would seriously try not to drive it until you can sort the tune and CMCVs. If it’s on the stock tune, you could be running very lean.

 

[cavero]

Yeah, they have a clear flood procedure in the owners manual. But yeah it's basically hold the gas pedal to the floor and crank it. I've had to do it quite a few times when I had tune issues

+1 on 5W30, FWIW, that's what my engine builder recommended when I got it rebuilt a couple years ago.

 

[stkjock]

Please read these

Hawgman's Board Rules

As written by one of the founding board admins: Here is my take on the "unwritten" board rules. As a member of this board, we ask very little of you guys. But what we do ask is: 1. DON'T F U C K UP THE TECH THREADS. Yes, there are going to be some dumb ass threads that deserve comments...

www.s197forum.com

https://www.s197forum.com/threads/a-s197-posting-etiquette-tutorial.89602/

Tech Section Topics - Please Read - New Guys Especially

This section is for the discussion of technical related topics, i.e. installing parts, upgrading parts, diagnosing trouble, etc. actual physical wrenching or trouble shooting by you. It is not for discussion of which part to buy, what exhaust sounds best, what shop to use, what color is best...

www.s197forum.com

 

[valdez]

Hey folks it's been a minute, but I took all of your advice and have since deleted my CMCVs as JC SSP recommended with steelstik and a dremel. Cleaned out all the intake components and paid Lito for a cammed tune.
The weirdest things have been happening, and it seems to confuse Lito too; it runs great without my MAF plugged in, no idle dipping at all. Unplug the MAF, and not only does it dip, but it hovers more around 400-500 and smokes.
We initially saw a broken EVAP nipple (it's been deleted and sealed with epoxy, no leaks), but it may be due to my brand-new driver's side O2 not reading at all. And apparently there's 4 degrees of cam at idle? Currently about to pull the manifold to gain access to the driver's O2 wire and test continuity throughout. We'll see what happens, but if anyone has livelink and knows what's going on, here's one of my datalogs with a freshly cleaned maf.

 

[Pentalab]

I would not use 5W-40 in these 4.6 L engs. It's too thick.
Below all work fine. Use whatever you want, just make sure it's 100% synthetic and not that semi synthetic junk.

5W-20
0W-20
5W-30
0W-30