LT1 Based Engine Tech 1993-1997 LT1/LT4 Engine Related

HELP! Car running like crap after Headers and Cam

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Old Aug 13, 2003 | 09:53 AM
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Fast96WS6's Avatar
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Exclamation HELP! Car running like crap after Headers and Cam

After I installed my Jet Hot's, the car seemed to run great for a bit. Burnt wire # 5 twice, but finally have it set up so it wont burn. The car gradually seemed to loose power and Idled like crap esp when cold. I have an A/F guage installed (i know these dont really tell much) but it seemed to be running leaner than usual.

So 2 days ago I changed my 02's and Fuel Filter. It ran MUCH WORSE right afterward. Seemed to bog when the car warmed up around 2000 rpm's. Smelled TERRIBLY rich. I took it on the highway for a while and it gradually seemed to run better, and even idled better when I came off, but also seemed to have less power than when I just installed the headers. But when cold, I seem to still have the bogging problem around 2K. The A/F reads a little richer than before, and MUCH richer at WOT. At one point I gave it gas and it almost died, but a few seconds later it SHOT foward. It seemed like when I opened the TB, the computer didnt know what to do with all the incoming air, then just dumped a ton of fuel in eventually and made the car shoot foward.

My opinion seems to be that its def an A/F problem. I ordered an OBD I conversion PCM from www.Madz28.com and e-mailed him my mods for a custom program. I'm hoping this will clear up the problem. I am taking a decently long trip (2 hr drive) that I've had resorvations for a while but the PCM wont be here before I leave. I'm going to keep the rpm's low while driving, but should I worry?

Any suggestions? Will the new PCM help me?

I'm leaving today around 6 pm so please post your opinions asap.

Any help is MUCH appreciated
Old Aug 13, 2003 | 10:14 AM
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Sounds like an opti to me. But if you have a friend with a similar car you should be able to try out his PCM and narrow the problem.
Old Aug 13, 2003 | 11:30 AM
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I was hoping it wasn't an Opti. It really doesnt seem to have opti symptoms though becasue after the car has been driving for a while and warms up, the car idles ok and just seems to have less power.
Old Aug 13, 2003 | 12:28 PM
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Sounds like the OBDII to me.

My car bogged like hell with the original tuning.

I think your car will run fine after the pcm.

In all the cases i've known the opti feels like a spark plug that isnt firing.. but its not consistant. Sometimes more sometimes less and usually more when the engine is warm.
Old Aug 13, 2003 | 12:33 PM
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thats what ive heard on other message boards. Hopefully driving on this programming wont harm the car on the trip im taking.
Old Aug 13, 2003 | 12:42 PM
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If its running rich then it wont hurt anything.. just waste fuel and run ****ty.
Old Aug 13, 2003 | 03:08 PM
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I took it for another spin, and the A/F guage is reading leaner than normal. But not sure if I should trust it. The car really lacks power as if the timing is retarted.

could having O2 simm's effect the A/F ratio?
Old Aug 13, 2003 | 03:26 PM
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I think a lot of it may have to do with the lack of a computer tune. My car idled rough,almost died unless I two-footed it, and lacked power right after I installed my cam and headers. Once I got the tune it smoothed out nicely and has run fine since.
Old Aug 13, 2003 | 03:46 PM
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Rigth now im gonna have to say tuning also. Try swapping computers with a similiar year real quick, if not just wait for the tuning.
Old Aug 13, 2003 | 04:44 PM
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Are you setting any codes? Mine would throw random misfires all day long.

I know after I installed the HOT cam in my WS6, it ran like crap with the stock computer. It was incredibly lean. Wouldn't rev past 5K. On the dyno, you could see the car bucking. On the track, it ran slower than it was before the cam. Nobody programmed OBDII back in late '97 so I switched to OBDI and it fixed everything.

When LT1 Edit came out, I started doing that and it got even better.

Hopefully that'll be all yours needs.
Old Aug 14, 2003 | 11:07 PM
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Check your fuel pressure. Sounds like the fuel pump may be on its way out.
Old Aug 15, 2003 | 12:29 AM
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I just put long tubes and Hot cam kit in my 97 and its popping up as "random misfire" and I dont know what to do ... boggs down like crazy too. maybe we have similar probs...
Old Aug 15, 2003 | 02:48 AM
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Originally posted by wayne97
I just put long tubes and Hot cam kit in my 97 and its popping up as "random misfire" and I dont know what to do ... boggs down like crazy too. maybe we have similar probs...
You need to have the PCM tuned then.
Old Aug 15, 2003 | 05:13 AM
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Originally posted by ZDriver96
Sounds like the OBDII to me.

My car bogged like hell with the original tuning.

I think your car will run fine after the pcm.

In all the cases i've known the opti feels like a spark plug that isnt firing.. but its not consistant. Sometimes more sometimes less and usually more when the engine is warm.
Yeah, what ZDriver96 said. With the opti, you'd feel the car "chugging" through the entire rpm range, like you had a bad plug or wire. It would start off being bad, and get progressively worse.

If it's the opti, pretty soon the motor won't even start when you try to turn it over. It definitely doesn't sound like opti issues.
Old Aug 15, 2003 | 08:17 AM
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Re: HELP! Car running like crap after Headers and Cam

Originally posted by Fast96WS6
So 2 days ago I changed my 02's and Fuel Filter. It ran MUCH WORSE right afterward.
bing bing bing we have a winnahr!!!



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