Need help with my nightmare
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Cruising
Joined: Oct 2022
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Need help with my nightmare
2006 Chevrolet Corvette (Headers, Intake, Tune)
So at the beginning of last month my car was misfiring, stalling, had smoke coming out of the back, was throwing all kinds of o2 sensor and misfire codes. So far I have replaced all coil packs, spark plugs, o2 sensors, o2 sensor connecting cables. I've had the motor leak down and compression tested and everything looks brand new. Since replacing all those parts, the cars rough idle has not dimmed and it still runs like ****, but the only code the car is throwing is a "No Activity Detected from Bank 1 Sensor 1" after I JUST REPLACED THESE PARTS. Does it seem fair to assume this is a tuning issue?
So at the beginning of last month my car was misfiring, stalling, had smoke coming out of the back, was throwing all kinds of o2 sensor and misfire codes. So far I have replaced all coil packs, spark plugs, o2 sensors, o2 sensor connecting cables. I've had the motor leak down and compression tested and everything looks brand new. Since replacing all those parts, the cars rough idle has not dimmed and it still runs like ****, but the only code the car is throwing is a "No Activity Detected from Bank 1 Sensor 1" after I JUST REPLACED THESE PARTS. Does it seem fair to assume this is a tuning issue?
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Oct 7, 2022, 05:08 PM
Melting Slicks
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Thread Starter
Cruising
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The injectors were all tested and all came back good. If its an internal wiring issue then that would be above my expertise 
. Im just assuming it's the tune because of how rough the car idles, even though the o2 sensor rich/lean tests are all coming back good.
. Im just assuming it's the tune because of how rough the car idles, even though the o2 sensor rich/lean tests are all coming back good.
Melting Slicks
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Thread Starter
Cruising
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The car was mint with no issues until the tune. The day after the tune I started getting o2 sensor codes, but the car drove fine for months and I replaced the parts as needed but now Im back where I started.
Race Director
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Then yes, absolutely, I'd say the problem is the tune. Go back to that shop and get them to re-tune it. A tune is supposed to improve performance; not reduce it, and tuning out O2 sensors after installing headers is a mandatory step in the tune. Sorry to say, but I think you may have spent a lot of money unnecessarily. At least now you have the peace of mind that you won't have to worry about those parts failing for a very long time. My car had gone through the exhaust recall, which added an extra 2 cats to it when it was stock. When I had my headers and cat-less X-pipe installed the tuner tuned out all 4 of the O2 sensors so they don't pop codes non-stop. I think yours missed that step.
Last edited by Corvette_Ed; Oct 7, 2022 at 06:28 PM.
Drifting
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Tuning out the O2 sensors is not mandatory after header and new exhaust install. I have both the upstream and downstream o2 sensors working after the install of the Custom Belanger Tri-Y headers and exhaust. No codes are thrown after the install and the dyno tune.
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If you want to own and diagnose a high performance engine, you will need a wideband sensor and some basic troubleshooting skills at least. It seems like you understand basic troubleshooting but now it is time to consider learning to read wideband behavior. I recommend learning to tune the engine yourself if you plan to make any future changes to any vehicle ever, keep up with it yourself and do the best you can is often far superior to anything anybody else will or can do for your vehicle. The wideband often will allow you to determine the state of an engines tune and operation with respect to quality issues as misfires and individual cylinder related issues, helping to narrow problems related to combustion of fuel and air. Without a wideband you are 'blind'. Back before widebands were available we would tune carbs by reading plugs. But this is wholly unnecessary nowadays using modern ECU with modern engines, a wideband can easily be used in place of ridiculous time consuming plug cycling and reading.
Le Mans Master
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I don't know how your vette would run if all of the O2 sensors were "tuned out". The rear O2 sensors are deleted in the tune when a cat less mid pipe is used. There is no place to put more than 2 O2 sensors is that situation and no need for the second set.
OP needs to back away from the ledge and have someone knowledgeable troubleshoot his Vette.
OP needs to back away from the ledge and have someone knowledgeable troubleshoot his Vette.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2014
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From: Lexington South Carolina
I don't know how your vette would run if all of the O2 sensors were "tuned out". The rear O2 sensors are deleted in the tune when a cat less mid pipe is used. There is no place to put more than 2 O2 sensors is that situation and no need for the second set.
OP needs to back away from the ledge and have someone knowledgeable troubleshoot his Vette.
OP needs to back away from the ledge and have someone knowledgeable troubleshoot his Vette.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2015
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From: Las Vegas Nevada
It is possible the problem was caused with the initial tune, which created problems to continue to crop up, all due to the original tune.
Hope the re-set to factory helps, though you should expect possible air/fuel ratio issues, and maybe 02 issues, both of which can be corrected with a tuner who really knows what he/she is doing. Let us know how it comes out.
Hope the re-set to factory helps, though you should expect possible air/fuel ratio issues, and maybe 02 issues, both of which can be corrected with a tuner who really knows what he/she is doing. Let us know how it comes out.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Southeast TX
Hell, it should have run fine on the stock tune. Maybe a CEL for the rear O2's being vacant, but perfectly fine nonetheless. The only thing a tune does, in this saturation, is optimize the increased airflow from the mods. That computer thingy under your hood will keep the AFR's correct. How did it run when you took it to the tuner?