81 having intermittent code 44
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Mar 2018
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81 having intermittent code 44
Hi. I recently purchased an 81 vette, with 47k miles, and it started having an intermittent O2 lean fault code. When I purchased the car, it had previously been sitting in storage for several months, not being driven. There wasn't much fuel in the tank, so I added 5 gallons of 87 octane. Started engine and it began sputtering and making popping sounds. It didn't do this while I was with the seller on a test drive. The problem seems to have happened after adding the new fuel. Engine stopped doing this after about 10 minutes. However, this is when the fault code first occurred. Is it possible it's just bad fuel causing this or should I have ran a higher octane? The previous owner used 91. Not sure if it's the fuel or a faulty O2 sensor. The sensor is cheaper than buying a dwell meter and going through the troubleshooting procedure in the GM shop manual.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
It is a computer controlled carb. The sensors are probably right. The carb probably needs gone through. Then many feel any code on that computer is remedied by throwing the computer in the river and getting a non-ecu carb.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 53,648
Likes: 878
From: Southern Cal Ca
St. Jude Donor '22
gas octane is not the issue.
nice purchase.
if no smog in your state,
a new carb and dist/ expensive/ way to lock up tranny
will make the car a 80 or earlier type car.
the computer, smog devices, CARB, take some learning.
try some heavy duty carb cleaner.
can't help because i ain't there.
nice purchase.
if no smog in your state,
a new carb and dist/ expensive/ way to lock up tranny
will make the car a 80 or earlier type car.
the computer, smog devices, CARB, take some learning.
try some heavy duty carb cleaner.
can't help because i ain't there.
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
gas octane is not the issue.
nice purchase.
if no smog in your state,
a new carb and dist/ expensive/ way to lock up tranny
will make the car a 80 or earlier type car.
the computer, smog devices, CARB, take some learning.
try some heavy duty carb cleaner.
can't help because i ain't there.
nice purchase.
if no smog in your state,
a new carb and dist/ expensive/ way to lock up tranny
will make the car a 80 or earlier type car.
the computer, smog devices, CARB, take some learning.
try some heavy duty carb cleaner.
can't help because i ain't there.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,532
Likes: 1,185
From: Arizona - If you don’t know CFI, STOP proliferating the myths around it...
Hi. I recently purchased an 81 vette, with 47k miles, and it started having an intermittent O2 lean fault code. When I purchased the car, it had previously been sitting in storage for several months, not being driven. There wasn't much fuel in the tank, so I added 5 gallons of 87 octane. Started engine and it began sputtering and making popping sounds. It didn't do this while I was with the seller on a test drive. The problem seems to have happened after adding the new fuel. Engine stopped doing this after about 10 minutes. However, this is when the fault code first occurred. Is it possible it's just bad fuel causing this or should I have ran a higher octane? The previous owner used 91. Not sure if it's the fuel or a faulty O2 sensor. The sensor is cheaper than buying a dwell meter and going through the troubleshooting procedure in the GM shop manual.
Post up your findings for others.
Last edited by Buccaneer; Mar 28, 2018 at 10:59 PM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,662
Likes: 2,563
doubtful it is timing and you have to disconnect the ECU from the distributor to check it. Why did put only 5 gallons in a car with almost no gas in it?
Did you buy the gas at a station you normally go to?
Did you buy the gas at a station you normally go to?
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Racer
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 474
Likes: 64
From: Portage La Prairie Manitoba
Hi. I recently purchased an 81 vette, with 47k miles, and it started having an intermittent O2 lean fault code. When I purchased the car, it had previously been sitting in storage for several months, not being driven. There wasn't much fuel in the tank, so I added 5 gallons of 87 octane. Started engine and it began sputtering and making popping sounds. It didn't do this while I was with the seller on a test drive. The problem seems to have happened after adding the new fuel. Engine stopped doing this after about 10 minutes. However, this is when the fault code first occurred. Is it possible it's just bad fuel causing this or should I have ran a higher octane? The previous owner used 91. Not sure if it's the fuel or a faulty O2 sensor. The sensor is cheaper than buying a dwell meter and going through the troubleshooting procedure in the GM shop manual.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
Sometimes the ecu, O2 sensor and the rest of the sensors are reading correctly and the 37 year old carb is gummed up and not feeding the correct amount of fuel, causing a lean reading. Replacing the oxy sensor is the equivalent of killing the messenger.
Last edited by derekderek; Mar 30, 2018 at 06:37 AM.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 474
Likes: 64
From: Portage La Prairie Manitoba
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Mar 2018
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If you read my first comment, I just purchased the car and it started giving me a code 44 after putting new gas in. The previous owner had been using it as a daily driver. All I wanted to know is what can cause a lean O2 reading and that's it. I would have expected you to read all the comments and not be an idiot.