Notices
C5 General General C5 Corvette and C5 Z06 Discussion not covered in Tech

[Z06] Running Rich or...?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Nov 13, 2014 | 08:55 AM
  #1  
nskyline34's Avatar
nskyline34
Thread Starter
Racer
 
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 494
Likes: 12
Default Running Rich or...?

So the last few times I've taken the car out it has been for more *spirited* drives, nothign crazy like not even WOT, just hitting 4500rpm or so now and again. So when I get back and park it i notice the rear quarters, rear facia, and some of the back of the trunk lid has some fine black dust/soot on it. It wipes right off with a microfiber and the car runs like a raped ape. Just wondering if maybe this is the car running rich becuase I'm assuming the previous owner never got a tune when he did an intake and went to borla exhaust? But then again this doesnt make sense to me because I feel like more air in and out should lean the car out? haha Can anyone maybe shed some light on what this is?

Like I said it wipes right off and doesnt smear or anything, just curious what it is? Also doesnt seem like road grime because its black/charcoal looking and not a brown like dirt?

Satin white - first world problems! haha
Reply
Old Nov 13, 2014 | 02:49 PM
  #2  
bobby777's Avatar
bobby777
Melting Slicks
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,334
Likes: 11
From: las vegas nv.
Default

Maybe the car needs some 6500 rpm clean-out--let it rip for afew miles--carbon build=up? Do a Ferrari tune-up-3rd gear at 6300 for awhile-
Reply
Old Nov 13, 2014 | 02:59 PM
  #3  
nskyline34's Avatar
nskyline34
Thread Starter
Racer
 
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 494
Likes: 12
Default

Originally Posted by bobby777
Maybe the car needs some 6500 rpm clean-out--let it rip for afew miles--carbon build=up? Do a Ferrari tune-up-3rd gear at 6300 for awhile-

Hahaha ferrari tune up, I'm gonna have to remember that one!

No it def gets cleaned out, a couple times a drive Ill tap the limiter, just never seem to get it WTFO. The rear starts to squirm about 60% throttle so push it as far as I can but too much more and it's pointless. Lol (frozen asphalt)

I'm starting to think it's just normal... Hopefully once I get a cam and LT's a tune can help it a little...

I cannonballed it the other day from a friends house home because I was going to be severely late and when I got home it was a satin white car with a nice charcoal grey tint on the rear quarters and facia. Made me laugh.
Reply
Old Nov 13, 2014 | 05:39 PM
  #4  
bobby777's Avatar
bobby777
Melting Slicks
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,334
Likes: 11
From: las vegas nv.
Default

Its just carbon if its dry and not wet--is it using any oil? BTW a Ferrari tune-up has been around for many-many years--If the motor has a 8000 Red line--they run em to 7500 in 2 or 3rd gear and hold 7500 for afew miles--cleans them out and ready to go--
Reply
Old Nov 13, 2014 | 06:07 PM
  #5  
dbgoodwin's Avatar
dbgoodwin
Safety Car
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 4,346
Likes: 755
From: Greensboro Nc
Default

Mine does it too–little black sooty specs all over the back constantly. Mine consumes a bit of oil but this always seemed too dry to be oil.
Reply
Old Nov 13, 2014 | 06:15 PM
  #6  
racebum's Avatar
racebum
Race Director
15 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
Default

you want a car to be rich in open loop. i know guys seek more power by leaning them out a little but it also raises cylinder temperature and on extended bouts of high rpm driving not only is it more detonation prone, it can crack rings

some oil burning in high rpm driving is normal, mix that with unburned fuel and you have black soot
Reply
Old Nov 14, 2014 | 02:35 AM
  #7  
StingrayRebel's Avatar
StingrayRebel
Acct Suspended APR 2026 by request
 
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 10,367
Likes: 1,272
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
C5 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
Default

do you have cats?... if not that is another contributing factor since the cats job is to absorb unburned fuel... mine gets dirty fast but I know my car runs rich, no mystery there... I agree with racebum, I'd rather have a car run slightly rich rather than slightly lean... you can always get a wideband and check it out for yourself and/or get a tune done just for peace of mind
Reply
Old Nov 15, 2014 | 09:40 PM
  #8  
JBoyle997's Avatar
JBoyle997
Instructor
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 103
Likes: 9
From: N.J
Default

What would be signs of a car running too lean?
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-1

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

 Brett Foote
story-7

Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-8

10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

 Michael S. Palmer
Old Nov 15, 2014 | 09:43 PM
  #9  
racebum's Avatar
racebum
Race Director
15 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
Default

white plugs, white/grey ash deposits, speckles on the porcelain

a wideband that tells you so
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Running Rich or...?





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:09 AM.

story-0
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-2
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

Slideshow: Ranking the top 10 Corvette engines by torque output.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:58:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

Slideshow: A Corvette pace car nearly matching IndyCar speeds sounds exaggerated, until you look at the numbers.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-04 20:03:36


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

Among a rather large group of them.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:56:44


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

Slideshow: the top 10 things Corvette owners want in the C9 Corvette

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-30 12:41:15


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

Slideshow: 10 Important Corvette 'firsts' that every fan should know.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 17:02:16


VIEW MORE
story-9
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

Slideshow: Should you buy a 2020-2026 Corvette or wait for 2027?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-22 10:08:58


VIEW MORE