Can't find what's making it rich and cruddy

**xemos** · 06-26-2012, 08:13 AM

Background: Bought trans am in 2010. It is a 2000 ta ws6 and i thought I was getting a steal of a deal. Seems a little lemony since then but love the car nonetheless. Since then things have been going bad and I've been finding and fixing as I go. First thing was I had a dry 7th cylinder. Come to find out injector was clogged with rust. Got new injector and fuel filter. Ran good for awhile then more problems. Though dealer said plugs were new. They wernt. So shaped them and wires out and it was good again. Recently I was running ridiculously rich. Found in old diagnosis result ( got t-boned by dumb broad running stop sign on her cell phone in 2011) that my 1 and 5 injectors failed. So I bought a whole new set of injectors and o2 sensors. Installed them and car ran perfect. Till It warmed up.... then I got misfires, knocked. gas cloud behind the car. Near engine shut off. And the lingering fear of suffocation or explosion before I got the car home from the auto shop. I took off throttle body and inside intake manifold is a black carbon liquid tar thing that smells like gas ( not oil which is what it looks like ) and here I am wondering what to do next.

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**Knight** · 06-26-2012, 08:37 AM

Sounds like you may have a few issues going on. The liquid in the intake manifold is more than likely oil from the pcv system. It's a poor design. The installation of a catch can would eliminate that. I would start by cleaning the MAF with some cleaner made by CRC. Ensure your O2's wiring is secure and not contacting the exhaust and melted. Are you running a stock MAF? Are you running LT's? If so, did you use the O2's with the longer harnesses, or splice the wiring?

- - - Updated - - -

Sounds like you may have a few issues going on. The liquid in the intake manifold is more than likely oil from the pcv system. It's a poor design. The installation of a catch can would eliminate that. I would start by cleaning the MAF with some cleaner made by CRC. Ensure your O2's wiring is secure and not contacting the exhaust and melted. Are you running a stock MAF? Are you running LT's? If so, did you use the O2's with the longer harnesses, or splice the wiring?

**0rion** · 06-26-2012, 08:40 AM

is your check engine light currently on? If so have the codes read. If you're that rich there should be some codes there I would think.

**xemos** · 06-26-2012, 08:50 AM

Just about all stock, no mods. As for O2s they are direct replacement so all 4 were right length to go right in. Any links to installing a catch can? (Or even what it is first) . Before the caustic meltdown drive home i had. I was only running 2 codes in the 400s ( can't remember off head as im at work) but it was left side and right side bank running under threshold. Plan on replacing whole exhaust as I thong the underlying problem slowly fried my cats. No LTs yet as I want to fix the problems before I start nodding.

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***SMWS6TA*** · 06-26-2012, 09:18 AM

Can you post a pick of the TB? I ask because I'm wanting to see how much gunk is in there. You can take the senors out and with carb cleaner plus a few Qtips clean it up. TAKE THE SENSORS OUT FIRST.

Like Walt said - oil in the intake is very common. LS1's are oil pigs because of the crappy PCV system.

In this thread below explains the OEM PCV system and some of it's issues, for now ignore the references to the LS6 VCT. The thread has catch can info as well.

Installing a catch can is easier then doing a plug change.

http://www.ls1.com/forums/f6/explain...ct-mod-156010/

After you get the MAF/TB cleaned and installed again check the fuel pressure at the rails. I'm curious to see if what the pressure is because of the injector issues.

Try to see if you are having any codes and post them up.

One more thing - what side did you get T-bone on? Passenger side? I ask because the PCM is located on the passenger side. IF any damage to the unit it could impact the function of the motor.

**xemos** · 06-26-2012, 12:33 PM

Here's the pics

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***SMWS6TA*** · 06-26-2012, 01:06 PM

yep that's oil blow by from the shitty PCV.

Do like I said above, take the sensors off and clean it good. For the IAC sensor I used a rag and wiped as much as I could and also push it in and out to make sure it still moved. That grime can build up and make it get stuck or read bad.

Looks like you are not using a K&N filter - that's good, very, very good. K&N has a record of screwing up our MAF's.

I hate to say it but it looks like you bought a car that was a little neglected and most likely abused. Once you get all the bugs worked out some TLC and routine maintenance and she should purr again.

Don't lose faith in her, she's not that bad and I've seen far worse....

One more thing to ask - I know you said you replaced the O2's but did you connect to the right harness? Is the front O2 connected to the front O2 harness? I ask because it is possible to hook them up wrong. (My son was helping me and had done this, I caught it before we dropped the lift)

**Knight** · 06-26-2012, 01:11 PM

Agree with Scott. A little tlc and you should be good.

**xemos** · 06-27-2012, 05:01 AM

Will be able to work on her tonight. The O2s are correct as old ones were zip tied above connection points so when I went to put new ones in, the connectors were dimply in same point. After the clean ill post the results. Will also be getting a catch can. Is it possible to make it return the oil back automatically?

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**smokestack** · 06-27-2012, 05:16 AM

Did you make sure you got the right injectors you replaced? Any difference and it would run like that until you have it tuned.

***SMWS6TA*** · 06-27-2012, 06:49 AM

^^ good point...

99's have 26lb injectors while every other yr has 28lb injectors.

If the parts guy at the counter gave you the wrong ones you could be starving or flooding the motor depending on the injector.

**xemos** · 06-27-2012, 10:07 AM

Got 28lb direct oem replacements from fuelinjectorconnection.com. they were recommended from another site

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**0rion** · 06-27-2012, 11:34 AM

I don't have my book in front of me......I thought 00's had 26ers?

**0rion** · 06-27-2012, 11:39 AM

almost positive they did......the sticky says they did

http://www.ls1.com/forums/f6/differe...y-years-27512/

***SMWS6TA*** · 06-27-2012, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by xemos

Got 28lb direct oem replacements from fuelinjectorconnection.com. they were recommended from another site

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Originally Posted by 0rion

I don't have my book in front of me......I thought 00's had 26ers?

Originally Posted by 0rion

almost positive they did......the sticky says they did

http://www.ls1.com/forums/f6/differe...y-years-27512/

Orion's right, I forgot the 00's were part of that too. (Sorry)

If you have all of the injectors at 28lb's that is not too big of a deal, you'll just have to get a tune for it. That should correctly your problem.

One more thing - if a full tune is out of your price range contact Frost (Member & sponsor) His mail order tunes are really good, I myself have one, as well as many others and they are very affordable (around $150). You can mail it Monday priority and have it back by Friday same way.

I'm sure he can fix the injector settings plus give you his "tune" and open up some hidden HP

You can go to the sponsor section and click on his link for more info.

**0rion** · 06-27-2012, 01:44 PM

frost didn't renew.....he's no longer a sponsor

***SMWS6TA*** · 06-27-2012, 04:06 PM

well crap I didn't get that memo.....

**cowstandmoto** · 07-08-2012, 08:05 AM

[QUOTE=SMWS6TA;2787373]well crap I didn't get that memo.....[/QUOT]

LMAO!!!! Oh man Scott!! You are awsome!!!

**pajeff02** · 07-08-2012, 09:01 AM

I agree with 0rion -- sounds like you have the wrong injectors. This can be remedied with an adjustment in your tune.

**xemos** · 07-09-2012, 05:07 AM

Ok these mail order tunes seem the same price or close to as the local dying places ( im in fort Leonard wood Missouri if anyone has some recommendations ) finally got the intake manifold off last night, the rear passenger side bolt is a pain in the arse .. pics soon but holy crap is it gunked up. Other than wiping, recommended cleaner to use? And yeah I got 28s in it, so tune is needed.

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