Am I running lean?

[Denny]

This is a tie-in with thread: http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=45504

The SHO has been running hotter and hotter as the weather got warmer and warmer. Today it was down in the 50s and guess what, I wasn't running at N but at the A mark on the temp gauge, and I was lead footing it around town. I also decided to fill up when my favorite Shell station had $1.99 while everyone else was $2.27. I calculated my MPG....it was 18.5! That was higher than just five days ago when I filled up and calculated 15.6. Now the fill up last week was on a tank that I only touched the secondaries once, and that was because of evasive manuevering, otherwise I was testing to see how much fuel economy I could get by not succumbing to those secondaries. Well I've been in the process of moving and just like the previous tank, nearly all of my driving has been in town, lots of idling, lots of short trips, and speeds never above 60. I also wasn't easy on the gas by any means.
However, I also noticed that on these hot days, when I would turn the key on, I would hear the fuel pump gurgle for a second, then once started, the initial idle would be rough and you could the gurgling again. After some revving it would get back to normal until the next startup. Today, the gurgle is completely gone.
So...I'm thinking I have a bad fuelpump? And if so, would that cause me to run lean, and if I am, then this would explain the completely hot engine running?
I ran codes, all clear, yesterday, the day before, and today. Is there anyway to test the emissions or air/fuel ratio??

 

[Huntervf]

You could pull a spark plug. White tip = hot = lean.

What's your fuel pressure reading at idle?

 

[Denny]

You could pull a spark plug. White tip = hot = lean.

Alright BRB

 

[Denny]

DAMNIT

I also noticed that my new intake is also forming a rub mark

 

[ycode90]

I'de say she's running a little bit lean.Front motor mount and or subframe bushings cause the rub's.

 

[Denny]

How do I richen the fuel? There are no codes, no CEL. Is this from my EH/BBB intake? I thought the stock ECU could accomodate those?
As for the mounts and bushings, they were replaced about 15K ago, the mounts are SHONUT reinforced ones. Could they alreay be bad?

 

[ycode90]

Check fuel pressure I belive it should be around 35-40psi at idle. I've heard about the so called reinforced motor mounts and saw a pair from shoshop [bs ]they just welded a piece of metal along each side and charged my buddie 150$ double [bs]. Mine are moded w\2 3 1/2" x 3/8" s.s. through bolts & lock washers the best part is you don't have to pull the front to do this. It's a little shadetree but works great and it's cheap.

 

[Slo-Sho]

Dirty fuel filter or a weak fuel pump...or both.

 

[Denny]

Must be the pump then, filter is about 1,000 miles old.
I will see if I can check pressure tomorrow.
I just made another run around, it's 46degrees outside currently according to the dash thermometer, SHO was running much better, and holding temp around the M and A. Fan is working, quiet, but working.

So thus far, hotter out, the pump makes noise, and the hotter the car runs, definitely leaning out. So we can condemn the pump? Any second opinions?

 

[SASHO91]

hmm this makes me think.... mine are white tipped.... but yet, she runs right at the A or L, and on the higway, she runs right below, or right at the L....
I have no power loss, or have i had any... (like yall couldnt figure that out, with all my BS **** stories :laugh_ti:, anyways)
sorry to jack the thread, but i was told that a white tip'ed spark plug was fine.... was i told wrong???

 

[DHMag]

lean = more power ! but too lean = meltdown

 

[Denny]

But how lean is too lean? I pulled two plugs, they were WHITE, and one the hot days if I open up the hood, it's an oven under there!

 

[DHMag]

But how lean is too lean? I pulled two plugs, they were WHITE, and one the hot days if I open up the hood, it's an oven under there!

as of my last dyno 2 weeks ago, i am running an average of 15:1 A/F ratio where stoich is 13:1. my car has been running like this for over a year and no problems whatsoever. at the same dyno on the same day, a friends car went off the A/F chart, meaning it was 18:1 at least.

i dropped one heat range on the plugs and felt a noticable loss of power (10-15hp). i promptly installed a new set of the hotter plugs.

my car sees redline daily, if it means anything.

 

[Denny]

What type of plugs did you get then? Motorcraft?

 

[DHMag]

What type of plugs did you get then? Motorcraft?

a little history on my car regarding spark plugs.

July, 2003: 120K maintainance. OE plugs were still in the engine. removed them and replaced with Motorcraft 32PP plugs.

April, 2004: 8K miles on plugs. after riding in several other SHOs, i noticed i lacked a lot of HP and fuel mileage. removed one Motorcraft 32PP and found evident signs of detonation. swapped plugs out for Bosch Super 7557. the 7557 is 2 ranges hotter than the 32PP. immediately gained HP and fuel mileage.

April, 2005: 10K miles. removed the 7557 just for inspection. electrodes are clean, no detonation, and a bit too white (indicitive of a lean condition). put in Bosch Super 7556 plugs, which are 1 range hotter than stock, 1 range colder than the 7557s. noticed a slight drop in HP but fuel mileage remained the same.

300 miles later, i swapped in a new set of the 7557s and switched to 93 octane fuel instead of 87 octane.

if youd like, ill take pics of the first set of 7557s, the the 300 mile 7556s, and the new set of 7557s with 1000 miles on them. ill also see if i can find the Motorcraft 32PPs to compare.

so, in conclusion, i am not running Motorcraft plugs any more.

 

[Denny]

Yeah, I'd like to compare your plugs to mine, the whiteness that is

 

[DHMag]

Yeah, I'd like to compare your plugs to mine, the whiteness that is

will do tomorrow...err..today...no, tomorrow...umm..today...argh...ill get the pics asapais (as soon as possible after i sleep).

 

[DHMag]

Denny, my apologies for not posting this morning. but here are the pics.

 

[Denny]

Hey no problem! Wow, those are the three different types of plugs you were talking about, all white? Hmmm well I guess running a little lean isn't such a bad thing...right?

 

[DHMag]

Hey no problem! Wow, those are the three different types of plugs you were talking about, all white? Hmmm well I guess running a little lean isn't such a bad thing...right?

argh, i knew i forgot to type something. that is only of the first set of Bosch Super 7557(all 3 pics are of cylinder 4 plug). the Motorcrafts got thrown away unknowing to me. the Bosch 7556s werent in the car long enough to get an indication of how it was burning.

when i dynoed a year and a half ago, my A/F ratio was right around 13:1 very flat and smooth. last month, running lean at 15:1. i have no idea whts making it run lean, but it doesnt seem to hurt the motor.....just makes it run a little warm...