causes for running rich?

Davey

New Member
i'm seeing a lot of black smoke out of the back of my car, so i'm guessing(hoping) its running rich.
Now, i know 'R's run rich anyway, but mine seems to be over the top.
As far as i can see,it doesnt do it 100%of the time, so i may have an intermitent fault somewhere?
What are the most common causes for running rich?
Air leak,dodgy maf, dodgy lambda sensor?
Cheers, Dave :D
 

Fast Guy

Moderators
Staff member
Ones that spring to mind...
Lambda sensor
MAF
Injectors in need of a servicing
Blocked air filter (not so common, but a possible cause)
Blowing exhaust (---------ditto----------------------------)
 
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Anonymous

Guest
im having the same problem, except on the dyno mine went off the air fuel ratio gauge, all it could read too was 10:1 and mine went richer then that so fuck knows what its running.(thats at 1 bar boost)
lambda sensor is only used mainly for closed loop and how rich it is on idle, has nothing to do with wide open throttle richness.
(maybee u have a huge fuel pump or bigger injectors)
or u could have a boost leak somwhere, like what mine has escept they cant find the leak.
(suspect it is the manifold that is leaking now on my beast)
 

Timur 008

Member
mine does the same thing! runs a bit rich, i'm going to check my fuel pump tomorro (anyone know what the code is on the standard one :?: ) if it is standard i got a walbro on the way for replacement... (coz i am running 1bar with APEXI's & been advized to moake sure the pump is uprated - as is v dangerous to run lean with loads of boast with add on computers :roll: )
but yes a lot of black smoke comes out of mine when giving a bit of welly :evil: .
it does have a Mines ECU & sounds like a propa rally car - do you reakon its that making it run rich?
 
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andy n

Guest
check out the thread at the top of problem solving. its a piece of P155.
mine runs rich and needs a new knock sensor. could be that. does your boost drop to .5 when your enine gets warm?
 

Timur 008

Member
i still don't get it - how u short it out & make it flash..? etc... im a bit thick when it come to these sort of things. if it don't take too long maybe on the PTS shoot out one of the other R owners can do it for me?

As for the knock sensor - on my Apexi safc II gauge it shows a knock sensor & sometime does go a bit wild (but not too high) only when heats up though - not sure about this turbo .5 also (i think when it heats up it gos to the middle 0??)
:cry:
 
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andy n

Guest
all you do is switch the ignition on and then join the 2 right hand end contacs together on the grey plug in the little box down on the right of the steering wheel. the codes flash up on a light on the dash. you can short it with a bent paperclip or a split pin or something like that. i'm not sure if having a safc affects this mind you? the deal with the turbo is (i think, feel free anybody to correct me on this) running std boost it should reach the top end of the gauge on full welly (+7) but if your ecu has sent the car into safe mode due to eg: a faulty sensor then it will only reach +5 on the gauge. it think safe mode also retards the ignition and overfuels to prevent damage. but there are people on here who know loads more about this than me!
hope this helps
 

Timur 008

Member
it does a lot! thanks andy n :wink:

my one i think is on this ( safe mode also retards the ignition and overfuels to prevent damage. ) cos it is defo over fueling & my AVCR is set like this mode 1) no boost (when giving it large only goes up to 0.5), mode 2) 0.7 bar goes up to 0.7, 3) max 1bar [goes past 0.7+].
but still not 100% sure though..

does any1 know if an uprated pump or ECU can cause the engine to run rich? for safety or is it this safe mode which the R's have?
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Antone know what the standard fuel pressure should be? Mine cars a bit hesitant on accleration and i have an adjustable pressure regulator (make unkown but i know it works cos i fitted it to another car)i can fit to raise the pressure if needed. Ta
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Andy N, i saw in your post asking if his car drops to .5 when warm. Thats exactly what my cars been doing since i got it. For the first wee while it will go up to the '7', but then all of a sudden it only goes to the '5' when you floor it. Very annoying. It also has a bad misfire at idle. It came up with the fault code for tyhe MAF so am going to try another one. Have you have a similar problem?
 
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andy n

Guest
mine drops into safe mode cos of a faulty knock sensor. i'm sorting it this month. well i say i'm sorting it. ollie is doing it!
 

Timur 008

Member
Olly is v good! he done my clutch 2weeks back!! - if i had known about this i would have asked him to check it for me.
Dam! :(

oh well... maybe at the PTS i can get someone to check it for me... :roll:

cheers for the knowledge guys :wink:
 
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