Running rich
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 14,130
Likes: 7
Cruise-In II Veteran
If its the black soot at the mufflers,it doesnt always tell the whole story.You can see if its running rich by looking at the plugs and the 02 sensor and see what is on it.
If the plugs are black,sooty with carbon,then its a good bet its running rich.If the plugs have alot of whitish spots,its running a bit lean.
If its a gray tanish color,then its running fine.Check the 02 sensor and see whats on it as well.Of course,running the car with a scanner hooked up can show you the readings if its on the rich side or not.
Thats a good way to check it.A bad o2 sensor can cause a rich condition but so can a bad or faulty MAF or bad vacuum leak somewhere after the MAF.The ecm can see false air and think its running more lean when its not and turn up the gas.
One last thing,your oil can also tell you sometimes.If it smells like raw fuel,youre definitely getting too much gas.Do you see a black smoke cloud when you punch the throttle?
If the plugs are black,sooty with carbon,then its a good bet its running rich.If the plugs have alot of whitish spots,its running a bit lean.
If its a gray tanish color,then its running fine.Check the 02 sensor and see whats on it as well.Of course,running the car with a scanner hooked up can show you the readings if its on the rich side or not.
Thats a good way to check it.A bad o2 sensor can cause a rich condition but so can a bad or faulty MAF or bad vacuum leak somewhere after the MAF.The ecm can see false air and think its running more lean when its not and turn up the gas.
One last thing,your oil can also tell you sometimes.If it smells like raw fuel,youre definitely getting too much gas.Do you see a black smoke cloud when you punch the throttle?
