vararam install check engine light on
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
vararam install check engine light on
installed vararam snakecharmer on 08 ls3 coupe
two weeks ago. check engine light on even after six hundred miles
local chevy dealer says no signal to mas. patrick with vararam says it will go off eventually. i doubt it. the engine hesitates and sometimes
coughs. i disconnected the battery during install and have disconnected
it for several hours a couple of times since. the check engine light
does not come on initally until i stop the engine and restart it. it comes
on again and will not go off. engine does not have enough power.
can any one help. i did install tbs and have checked it it seems ok.
thanks
two weeks ago. check engine light on even after six hundred miles
local chevy dealer says no signal to mas. patrick with vararam says it will go off eventually. i doubt it. the engine hesitates and sometimes
coughs. i disconnected the battery during install and have disconnected
it for several hours a couple of times since. the check engine light
does not come on initally until i stop the engine and restart it. it comes
on again and will not go off. engine does not have enough power.
can any one help. i did install tbs and have checked it it seems ok.
thanks
Tech Contributor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,094
Likes: 197
From: Colorado Springs, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Having no CEL doesnt mean your car is running any better than the guy with a CEL. When you change an airflow part you need to tune. The car is able to maintain the air fluel ratio of 14.7:1 but within a range of +24% to -14%. If you arent tuned and dont have a CEL you are likely at +22% and the guy with the CEL is at 24.2% which triggers the code but both are pig rich at WOT. They are both out of tune and will benefit from a tune. The Long term fuel trends are used to meter the amount of extra fuel dumped when you go to wide open throttle and both untuned cars would be running pig rich while only one has a CEL light.
A tune is the only fix and not predicated upon the presence of a CEL. Most of the benefits of such mods arent realized until you tune. For the record the car runs too rich from the factory and thus any mod that affects airflow makes it further from optimum. headers, air cleaners, and intake manifolds are the biggest culprits.
Having the code means the car cant compensate for the excessive lean condition in closed loop so you get the double slam in the butt by it running lean in closed loop in addition to too rich at WOT. The car without the CEL can be peaking too lean but not enough to trigger the code....but its still dangerous.
A tune is the only fix and not predicated upon the presence of a CEL. Most of the benefits of such mods arent realized until you tune. For the record the car runs too rich from the factory and thus any mod that affects airflow makes it further from optimum. headers, air cleaners, and intake manifolds are the biggest culprits.
Having the code means the car cant compensate for the excessive lean condition in closed loop so you get the double slam in the butt by it running lean in closed loop in addition to too rich at WOT. The car without the CEL can be peaking too lean but not enough to trigger the code....but its still dangerous.
Last edited by SpinMonster; Jun 24, 2008 at 12:16 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,596
Likes: 19
From: Portland Oregon
installed vararam snakecharmer on 08 ls3 coupe
two weeks ago. check engine light on even after six hundred miles
local chevy dealer says no signal to mas. patrick with vararam says it will go off eventually. i doubt it. the engine hesitates and sometimes
coughs. i disconnected the battery during install and have disconnected
it for several hours a couple of times since. the check engine light
does not come on initally until i stop the engine and restart it. it comes
on again and will not go off. engine does not have enough power.
can any one help. i did install tbs and have checked it it seems ok.
thanks
two weeks ago. check engine light on even after six hundred miles
local chevy dealer says no signal to mas. patrick with vararam says it will go off eventually. i doubt it. the engine hesitates and sometimes
coughs. i disconnected the battery during install and have disconnected
it for several hours a couple of times since. the check engine light
does not come on initally until i stop the engine and restart it. it comes
on again and will not go off. engine does not have enough power.
can any one help. i did install tbs and have checked it it seems ok.
thanks
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Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,446
Likes: 1
From: Garden State
I have a 06, my LTFT didnt go above +6 even with my MAF screen removed. Prior to the removal I was at +5 LTFT with the V-ram and throttle body spacer.
It sounds like there may be an air leak which is not hard to imagine since many have had problems installing it.
It sounds like there may be an air leak which is not hard to imagine since many have had problems installing it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,261
Likes: 1,431
From: Brentwood CA
Some folks have reported an air leak at the spacer. If tightened too much, it can warp and cause an air leak. Sometimes it is hard to spot. If you can't find the problem, you may want to remove the spacer and see if it solves the problem.
