I had my car tuned with the v-pro last weekend, and it ran great the entire way home last Sunday. Monday, I started smelling gas when I pulled in the garage, definitely coming from the engine bay. It's gotten worse; STRONG gas fumes, like, sticking-your-head-in-the-gas-tank strong when you open the hood after a drive. I also started noticing that my a/f ratio at idle was really rich, anywhere from 11.5:1 to 12:1. WOT I'm seeing about 10.8:1, which is probably about right considering he left it pretty fat up top for added safety. Just normal, cruising down the steet in 4th gear, 2500 rpms, sometimes I'll see as low as 11.5:1. Oh, and when I left Houston, my car would start right up every time when cold. Now, I have to crank and crank for a few seconds to get it to start.

My fuel pressure shows 32-33psi at idle. I'm running 1000cc injectors.

If it weren't for the rich condition, I'd just assume I had a fuel leak somewhere. But I'm stumped. I've even changed my plugs, thinking they could have been fouled, which didn't help. What should I check? I really don't think it's a tuning issue, I think it's something physically wrong in the fuel system somewhere. It was running great in Houston.

 

Are the fumes coming from underneath the plenum? If so, it maybe a pinched fuel injector O ring.

Good luck.

 

I would bring it back to whoever did the work and installed the stuff.That sounds like a bad fuel leak..Dont drive it , have it flatbedded.

 

I just pulled off the plenum and looked at the rails, injectors, and fuel lines. I don't see any sign of a fuel leak so far. If it were leaking somewhere bad enough for it to smell as bad as it does, you'd think I'd see it pooling up somewhere, right?

Could my FPR be bad?

 

One more bit of info: Right after it was tuned, my mileage was really good, I drove from Houston to Tulsa and only filled up once, and had over a quarter of a tank left when I got home. This is with getting on it and cruising at 90 most of the way. Now, my mileage sucks azz. So, something must have went wrong, mechanically.

 

Bro I think your problem is with the 1000cc injectors....why that big...you going 1000hp or more??

 

I just didn't want to have to upgrade injectors again further down the road. The fcon has no problem working with larger injectors.

I'm thinking my FPR isn't working properly. I'm no expert though

 

bigbri,

there are several guys running the 1000's using the FCON with no problem. Tim is running this set up with 615whp and Phunk was running it with 440whp with the stock block.

 

Sounds like your FCON needs some tuning adjustment, and/or some troubleshooting of your fuel system. Your car should not be idling and cruising at 11-12AF range. Many people have FCON's tuned with 1000cc injectors, and their cars idle, start and cruise perfectly.

 

Sharif my a/f is kind of rich at idle and so is Tim's. My car starts perfectly. I don't even have to depressed the gas peddle on warm start like I use to. My idle is right on most the time, but sometimes it is jumpy. Generally after a hard pull when I push in the clutch and come to a fast stop. If I don't push in the clutch and hit the brake and then push in the clutch as the car slows down the car won't stall. Mark was telling me I need to mofify the trottle plate. The idle and stalling is worse in really hot weather (above 85 degree) but in the 70's and 60's no problem.

I am waiting on the HKS DLI I bought which will help with the idle, but I think I will still need to modify the trottle plate.

 

Hmm...but is it in the 12's and 11's at idle and cruise? Thats much too rich, and will foul out your plugs pretty quickly. I recall that Phunk's FCON idled his 1000cc injectors at 14.7:1

Plus, your fuel economy will be really poor at cruise.

 

Just at idle. My fuel economy is pretty good. I got 260 miles out of full tank of gas and you know how I drive. I use to get 320 miles when the car was stock.

 

Okay, I found a HUGE problem.....torn injector o-ring!

I removed the plenum and checked everything for signs of a leak and saw nothing. Until that is, I primed the fuel system by turning the key to ACC a couple of times. I got out, and to my horror, saw gas streaming out the top of injector #6, right where it goes into the fuel rail

I pulled it out, and sure enough, the o-ring was ripped to shreads. I replaced the o-ring, re-installed the injector, primed the system again- no leaks!

I'm going to take it for a spin and see if that helped anything. I know that the FCON has a target a/f ratio function....I wonder if it was just over compensating maybe?? I'll report back in a few.

It's an act of God Almighty that I didn't have a massive fire

 

Nice...and we know how hard you drive your car.

Chris, glad you sorta out your fuel system issue..woohoo!

 

I am going to be spending more money on gas then I have in mods pretty soon. Ok I am exagerating a little, but I filled the car around 12 noon today and had to refill at 6 pm. At today's price it took $46.

Chris I am glad you figured it out. Let us know how it goes.

 

All is better! I'm seeing a little over 13:1 at idle. I wonder if that's because my idle is set at 1000rpm, and he added a little fuel to make it idle smoother? Who knows, but it idles great and the throttle response is awesome. When cruising and at WOT, it's right where it should be. I guess the fcon WAS compensating, thank GOD!

 

I too have the AAM fuel upgrade system. I only have 440 injectors though. Several of us who have this system have complained of the STRONG fuel smell in the garage after driving. To my knowledge no one ever found anything that was causing this. AAM couldn't really help us with this either. They weren't sure why we were getting this. It's been like this for two years and no real problems other than the smell.

I mean, I couldn't be leaking fuel for two years and not know it could I? I have NEVER seen any physical evidence of fuel anywhere.

 

My idle AF is around 14.7. It gets as lean as 15.1 and as rich as 13.5, but idles pretty well right now.

Jorge, what are you seeing for AF at idle?

 

My bad. When you told me by pm that your car was rich I was assuming it was richer.

between mid 12's and mid 14's.

 

I didn't see any signs either until i actually pulled off the upper and lower plenum and primed the fuel system, and watched it pour out. There is no reason why anyone should smell heavy gas fumes, unless there is in fact a leak. I remember a post from Phunk from a long time ago, talking about having to de-burr the AAM rails because they'd chew up o-rings. I'd check your injectors and hose connections.

More bad news....I think I'm leaking again. I'm smelling gas and running richer. Not as bad as before, but it's getting to be. There must be a serious burr in that fuel rail where the injector plugs in. I'm going to completely remove the rail tonight and look it over and de-burr.

It ran so good for the first few minutes Oh well, at least I know what the problem is.