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[Z06] Mobil/Ethanol trouble codes

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Old Jul 14, 2006 | 02:58 PM
  #1  
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Default Mobil/Ethanol trouble codes

I have a 2003 Z06 with a performance tune from Diablo Sport.

My check engine light just came on. The trouble codes are as follows:

P0171 Fuel trim, bank 1 system too lean

P0174 Fuel trim, bank 2 system too lean

Couldn't figure out why this would happen and then I remember my last tank of gas down Cape Cod at a Mobil station. As I was going to fill up I saw this 10% Ethanol sticker on the pump. Something I never noticed before, so I went inside and asked the owner if this was OK for a high perfomance type engine. Of course he said, Mobil couldn't sell it if it weren't ok. All Mobil gas is like this.

I just saw on the Ethanol thread that Mobil was selling this blended gas in certain markets , Boston being one of them.

Is this dangerous for a Z06 Engine?
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Old Jul 14, 2006 | 04:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve Zaino
I have a 2003 Z06 with a performance tune from Diablo Sport.

My check engine light just came on. The trouble codes are as follows:

P0171 Fuel trim, bank 1 system too lean

P0174 Fuel trim, bank 2 system too lean

Couldn't figure out why this would happen and then I remember my last tank of gas down Cape Cod at a Mobil station. As I was going to fill up I saw this 10% Ethanol sticker on the pump. Something I never noticed before, so I went inside and asked the owner if this was OK for a high perfomance type engine. Of course he said, Mobil couldn't sell it if it weren't ok. All Mobil gas is like this.

I just saw on the Ethanol thread that Mobil was selling this blended gas in certain markets , Boston being one of them.

Is this dangerous for a Z06 Engine?
Ethanol leans out your fuel readings, so it is entirely possible that this is EXACTLY the problem. Here in California, we have all sorts of freaking additives and I do know that some Tuners here have to tune differently than they would, just to allow for the lesser quality and octane of our Gas.
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Old Jul 17, 2006 | 03:47 AM
  #3  
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I got a tank of it in Iowa 93 premium with ethanol. Car seems to be rich
and does run as well,as with the fresh 91 octane,I get locally.They fill 5 times a week.
I buy at the highest volume station normaly, Fresh 91 is better,
is better than old 93,
ethanol sucks period.
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Old Jul 17, 2006 | 08:12 AM
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Do you have an aftermarket air intake on the car (blackwing, Vararam etc....) ???? If so this could be causing your problem, lots of owner report SES lights..... I used to get a light every week or two until I dyno tuned the car.
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Old Jul 17, 2006 | 09:14 AM
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Yes I installed a Halltech Stinger and I also did the ram air modification by cutting out the plastic/rubber baffle and mounting an air scoop underneath. Not to change the thread, but the Staples plastic air scoop that I have used ( if you now what I am talking about) keeps breaking. If I buy it again I am going to reinforce the leading edge with a strip of metal.

Back to gas. I have always used Mobil 93, what do others use? I would probably switch to either Shell or Sunoco.
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Old Jul 17, 2006 | 10:56 AM
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[QUOTE=Steve Zaino]Yes I installed a Halltech Stinger and I also did the ram air modification by cutting out the plastic/rubber baffle and mounting an air scoop underneath. Not to change the thread, but the Staples plastic air scoop that I have used ( if you now what I am talking about) keeps breaking. If I buy it again I am going to reinforce the leading edge with a strip of metal.

Back to gas. I have always used Mobil 93, what do others use? I would probably switch to either Shell or Sunoco.[/QUOTE

All Sunoco stations here in MI. use 10% alcohol even in their 94 octane gas. I use Shell, BP and Citco.
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Old Jul 17, 2006 | 06:20 PM
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10% Ethanol is required by law in all areas where they used to use MTBE to reduce emissions. It is one of the reasons Ethanol prices peaked and gas supplies got tight.

Bill
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 09:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Steve Zaino
Yes I installed a Halltech Stinger and I also did the ram air modification by cutting out the plastic/rubber baffle and mounting an air scoop underneath. Not to change the thread, but the Staples plastic air scoop that I have used ( if you now what I am talking about) keeps breaking. If I buy it again I am going to reinforce the leading edge with a strip of metal.

Back to gas. I have always used Mobil 93, what do others use? I would probably switch to either Shell or Sunoco.

Well this would be the reason for the lean code..... most likely has nothing to do with the fuel but it may not hurt to try another station
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 12:14 PM
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I read a thread about about top tier gasoline stations. Something about the quality of the additives, since mobil/exxon wasn't on the list, I switched to Shell V-power, which was on the list. If you have a shell station nearby, try it.
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 02:47 PM
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That Top Tier thing is a bunch of crap. None of those suppliers exist in my area. I have been filling my cars up with Mobil for 20+ years and have never had a problem with them. As for the 10% Ethanol that is required by law as of May of this year.
Bill
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 05:42 PM
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On two occasions, I didn't properly seat the gas cap after filling, and got those codes.
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 06:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Bill Dearborn
That Top Tier thing is a bunch of crap. None of those suppliers exist in my area. I have been filling my cars up with Mobil for 20+ years and have never had a problem with them. As for the 10% Ethanol that is required by law as of May of this year.
Bill
Oh ok, since you've never had any problems, then we'll all take your word that all the additives, or lack there of, do not affect performace in any way.
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 07:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Bill Dearborn
That Top Tier thing is a bunch of crap. None of those suppliers exist in my area. I have been filling my cars up with Mobil for 20+ years and have never had a problem with them. As for the 10% Ethanol that is required by law as of May of this year.
Bill
Also, it's my understanding that the government just reduced the requirements for these additives recently and the companies not on the list proceeded to reduce their usage of them to save money. We are fortunate here in Middle Tennessee to have Chevron fuel (with Techron).
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 08:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Nithros
Also, it's my understanding that the government just reduced the requirements for these additives recently and the companies not on the list proceeded to reduce their usage of them to save money. We are fortunate here in Middle Tennessee to have Chevron fuel (with Techron).

All gasolines are not created equal. I'm not sure the 'premium' versus 'regular' labels traditionally used by oil companies mean too much anymore. Environmental regs imposed by tree-huggers in a host of U.S. cities and states mandate different chemical formulations thought to be more environmentally friendly in those areas, which contributes to the confusion. Part of the reason for last year's storm-related shortages was limited refining capacity for certain gasoline / additive formulations.

I've really never seen any independent verification of the performance characterisitics of gasolines produced for use around the country. I suspect meaningful differences do exist, but oil cos. and local governments would prefer to keep most consumers under-informed about the extent of such performance differences.
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