car is tuned and runs terrible now

**bpopham22** · 03-28-2011, 02:32 PM

ok first off im not here to bash at all. I recieved my car from nelson performance where they did a street tune for me and the car ran great for 3 hours. It was a totally different beast on the highway but then while i was cruising through town the ses light came on and i checked it with my programmer, it said 1133 fuel banks 1 and 2 shifted lean. I cleared the codes and it continued to run fine untill later that night when. I started the car and it died immediately, the battery cable was loose,we fixed that right away then while we were cruising down the road at 45 mph my rpm gauge dropped to 0 while we were driving,like it shorted out,then it came back on a few moments later, the car was running like normal when it dropped. also when i would try to take it WOT it would stutter like the fuel was being cut to it,almost like hitting a rev limiter at 3000 rpms,however when i would drive it normally past 3000 rpms it works fine. also when it starts up cold.....it doesnt wanna start at first, then it idles at 1000 rpms and slowly goes down from there. Ive contacted them and they want me to bring it in ASAP but with work this week i cant. The tune is also locked so i cant install my predator tune to isolate if its a tuning problem or something on my car. All i have is simple bolt ons and i cant think of what it might be. The MAF is SHINY and CLEAN and my k&n is nice and dry. Like i said im not here to bash,car ran like a beast when i got it....i just wanna get it back that way with no problems.

**pewter Z28** · 03-28-2011, 02:45 PM

sorry to hear man that sucks let me know how it works out i was thinking about doing mail order tune.

**bpopham22** · 03-28-2011, 02:53 PM

i think a normal mail order will be fine, i asked for a really aggresive street tune,maybe that has something to do with it

**Firebirdjones** · 03-28-2011, 03:23 PM

Sucks they locked the computer on ya. Now you can't do a mail order tune. You are stuck going back to the same tuner whether you like it or not.

Or buy another computer from Frost with his mail order tune in it and then just swap them out.

Unless you talk sweet to them and have them unlock it, put your stock tune back in, then you can go do what ever you like.

**bpopham22** · 03-28-2011, 03:34 PM

yea ive thought about buying another pcm but if anything ill drive there,give em some time to fix it or just have em remove it right there

**0rion** · 03-28-2011, 04:29 PM

mod list?
Sounds like you might have a battery cable issue as part of your problem. I know you tightened them but re-check them to make sure they're still tight and there's no corrosion inside the insulator. Also, check the battery to alt connection. That tach dropping to zero is what makes me think you have an electrical issue going on.
Verify your fuel pressure and make sure you're not leaned out due to fuel pressure. If you have headers make sure an O2 isn't burned....check for vacuum leaks...especially the pcv hose where it turns to go into the intake.

It really sounds to me like you have a mechanical issue going on there and it sounds like you might have a couple going on so it could be completely coincidental that it happened after the tune. Did you have any work done to the car or just the tune.

I'm also a huge fan of not locking the PCM. I realize people want to protect their tunes but I would never let anyone tune my car that locked the pcm.

**bpopham22** · 03-28-2011, 04:37 PM

I have noticed my voltage being low lately,but only when I start the car and when its idling from a cold start .brand new optima red top,maybe its my alternator. The shop installed my American racing headers,ported tb,and a ton of suspension mods and did my tune.

**bpopham22** · 03-28-2011, 04:55 PM

Just checked,battery cables are good,there is a VERY loud sucking noise coming from the intake,I figure its from the new ported throttle body, the idle is steady,but on a cold start its at 1000 then goes down a lil

**Cutlass** · 03-28-2011, 07:01 PM

Maybe a spark plug wire or Oxygen sensor wire is burnt against the exhaust??

**TLS_Addict** · 03-28-2011, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Sucks they locked the computer on ya. Now you can't do a mail order tune. You are stuck going back to the same tuner whether you like it or not.

Or buy another computer from Frost with his mail order tune in it and then just swap them out.

Unless you talk sweet to them and have them unlock it, put your stock tune back in, then you can go do what ever you like.

I got a new pcm from FROST and had him tune it for my mods. Took the car maybe 10 miles TOPS for it to run perfect.

I kept my old one in case I ever go back to stock gears and a less performance oriented tune.

**TJKIDD** · 03-29-2011, 11:05 AM

I wanna do a tune at nelson performance but now im just thinking about doing mail order tune with frost.

**bpopham22** · 03-29-2011, 02:02 PM

It might be mechanical and not their fault,I'm taking it Friday so ill know for sure. It ran like a beast first thing after the tune though,it was super aggressive.

**TJKIDD** · 03-29-2011, 02:44 PM

Alright hope everything goes good for you i'm getting mine tuned after i find a ls6 intake.

**Frost** · 03-29-2011, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by bpopham22

It might be mechanical and not their fault,I'm taking it Friday so ill know for sure. It ran like a beast first thing after the tune though,it was super aggressive.

tunes don't go bad; parts do.

**0rion** · 03-29-2011, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by bpopham22

It might be mechanical and not their fault,I'm taking it Friday so ill know for sure. It ran like a beast first thing after the tune though,it was super aggressive.

99.999% chance that it's not the tune. Those guys tune a ton of cars. I'd say it's almost guaranteed it's mechanical.

**bpopham22** · 03-29-2011, 03:47 PM

Well any ideas on what part makes for a rough cold start,a 1133 lean code,and cuts the fuel at WOT?

**Firebirdjones** · 03-29-2011, 04:19 PM

MAF??? 02 sensor??? Possible exhaust leak?? Sounds like it could be a couple different things, since you have some odd things going on when cold and warm.

**bpopham22** · 03-29-2011, 04:52 PM

Exhaust is all stainless,not even 3 yrs old,maf is clean I checked,they did say they had to use a rear 02 up front cuz one was bad,maybe the other is too.

**0rion** · 03-29-2011, 05:17 PM

did they tell you which sensor they moved? Looking back at your original post you list the code as a 1133 lean code. 1133 is a switching code for bank 1 (drivers side) and is common after header swaps especially on old sensors. I don't have an a4 file to look at real quick but for a m6 anything below and 89 degree coolant temp the car commands 1000rpm idle. Drops to 900 @ 111 degrees and down to 800rpm@ 133 degrees and up. Your idle sounds pretty normal to me unless it's staying up longer than it should or going much over 1000 rpm on cold start.
Not sure on the stuttering but if you're having a voltage issue with the alternator I guess that could be part of it. Do you have a digital multimeter? Put it across the terminals of the battery at idle and it should read 14.4vdc.

**bpopham22** · 03-29-2011, 08:24 PM

I forgot which one they used,I got 1133 and 1153 both banks were lean. I don't have a multimeter but my voltage is usually sub 13 on the gauge in the car. I really hope its an easy fix I'm taking it to em Friday morning.