bad mechanic? long tube question

**ls1monarch** · 04-12-2008, 11:37 PM

just had pacesetter long tubes and ORY put on. Totally forgot to order the o2 simulators for the rear 02 sensors. From what Ive read its should still run ok untill i get the simulators, it will just have the SES light come on. The car drives like shit, EXTREMELY rich mixture... absolutely no performance and it pains me to drive the car... its sitting at the moment. Apparently the mechanic decided to first put the rear o2's in the front slot and leave the front o2's alone. So I thought this was the reason for the problem. I told him to change it, which he said he did... still runs shitty. Will the simulators fix the problem when they come in? Does anybody know of a place that tunes ls1's in tucson or phoenix?

-one more thing... he said he had to take the coils off in order to get the headers on. is this normal? didnt do my research before i bought them, and im no wrench turner so im really in the dark on this one. what do i do!? thanks!

**tonyjnjz** · 04-12-2008, 11:42 PM

you NEEED a tune.....thats y it runs like shit

**jimmybling31** · 04-13-2008, 12:57 AM

Originally Posted by tonyjnjz

you NEEED a tune.....thats y it runs like shit

have to agree. if it's not the tune it could help identify the problem. heck when I first installed my long tubes it was only a slight gain because of the tuning getting so far off doing the heads and valve train without a tune.

**BlackSS1** · 04-13-2008, 04:15 AM

Originally Posted by ls1monarch

just had pacesetter long tubes and ORY put on. Totally forgot to order the o2 simulators for the rear 02 sensors. From what Ive read its should still run ok untill i get the simulators, it will just have the SES light come on. The car drives like shit, EXTREMELY rich mixture... absolutely no performance and it pains me to drive the car... its sitting at the moment. Apparently the mechanic decided to first put the rear o2's in the front slot and leave the front o2's alone. So I thought this was the reason for the problem. I told him to change it, which he said he did... still runs shitty. Will the simulators fix the problem when they come in? Does anybody know of a place that tunes ls1's in tucson or phoenix?

-one more thing... he said he had to take the coils off in order to get the headers on. is this normal? didnt do my research before i bought them, and im no wrench turner so im really in the dark on this one. what do i do!? thanks!

Yes LT's cause havoc with you A/F mix, you need to get a tune for it to run well (unless you were way lean to start with but not likely).

Pulling coil packs makes the job much easier esp passenger side, but it is not mandatory. I left mine on and got all scratched up instead

**Too Fast** · 04-13-2008, 05:22 AM

I guess I must have been one of the lucky ones, I have my LT and ORY for 18 months now with no tune, no problems except the Service Engine light, I gained .4 and 3 MPH at the 1/4, and 2 MPG higway. And the sound....too bad I did not get any cutouts!

So, are you sure your mechanic has the O2 sensors that were the before catalytic convertor plugged into the pre-cat wiring and working? If he just put in the pre-cat sensors and plugged them into the post-cat wiring, that could still be the problem. You need the front sensors working. Usually you have to buy wiring extensions so the pre-cat sensors' wires will reach to the new location. Does that make sense?

**Silver Streak** · 04-13-2008, 05:25 AM

Are you sure all the plugs and wires are in properly (cliks twice for the wires, etc)? Mine ran ok for a couple weeks before I could get it tuned.. Go to Advance or autozone and have them pull the codes and see what its pulling...

**ls1monarch** · 04-13-2008, 10:53 AM

sounds good thanks alot guys. i think ill check the o2 to make sure he properly lengthened them(they came with extendors) and put the front two in the pre cat slots. I found a place on this website called lsx tuning that does mail order tuning. worth while?

**mark21742** · 04-14-2008, 09:39 PM

lsxtuning is a yes, frost is out to my make people happy, give him a little time and he will get back to you ,if you have any questions ask him, he is very knowledgable

**Spaz** · 04-15-2008, 05:26 AM

Originally Posted by BlackSS1

Yes LT's cause havoc with you A/F mix, you need to get a tune for it to run well (unless you were way lean to start with but not likely).

Pulling coil packs makes the job much easier esp passenger side, but it is not mandatory. I left mine on and got all scratched up instead

not really... after a bit the PCM will lean out or richen depending on what the sensors are reading... it has nothing to do with a needing a tune...

the problem is the car is in "limp home mode"...

**polarischevy05** · 04-15-2008, 05:58 AM

sometimes the homemade o2 extentions don't work very well so go to the part store and tell them you have a 01 corvette and you need the down stream o2 sensors they have a long enough harnes and the heated element in side is more sensitive so they work great with lts

**Silver Streak** · 04-15-2008, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by polarischevy05

sometimes the homemade o2 extentions don't work very well so go to the part store and tell them you have a 01 corvette and you need the down stream o2 sensors they have a long enough harnes and the heated element in side is more sensitive so they work great with lts

They are so long in fact.. I have mine all wrapped up and ziptied.. lol..

**0rion** · 04-15-2008, 12:36 PM

sounds like you have an issue there. A lack of a tune shouldn't cause the car to run that bad. Did you use premade extensions or use the wires that came with the headers?

**ls1monarch** · 04-16-2008, 08:45 AM

the extensions are homemade (via my mechanic). I will have to go pick up the sensors you all mentioned from the corvette... and definitely still getting a tune. i hate having my car not run the way its supposed to, makes me feel like a bad owner!

**Too Fast** · 04-17-2008, 02:52 AM

Once you get it sorted out, (with your new sensors) you will love your headers. Just make sure the sensors plug into your upstream (pre-cat) wiring harnesses, not the dowstream. And it looks like you found out not to use homemade wiring harness on these things, resistances have a very tight tolerance. Don't worry, your car won't hold this against you!