Just today i had the NGK 1 step colder copper plugs installed and gapped to .035 at the dealer. As soon as i start up the car i noticed it idled alot ruffer and a great amount of power has been lost just tring to get out of the dealership. I mean it feels almost 30% weaker around 1500rpm to 2500 rpm compared to the stock platinum plugs. When i drove out of the dealership i see my CEL goes off. For the whole day it just keeps blinking. A few times it stay on and a few times it went off but for the most part it just blinked and blinked at me. Well im off to get the car tuned and it takes almost the whole day to get the o2 bung welded on because the tuner didnt have any open lifts. After maybe 5 hours im finally off to the dyno and did 7 pulls. The first pull was with the stock DFMU settings as suggested my the ATI manual and i got about 240rwhp at redline. The tuner did his thing and after 5 pulls we where still stuck at around 250rwhp at redline. The A/F has been between 12:1 to 11.8:1 and the boost guage read 7lbs at redline. After a few more runs we called it quites and im just about pissed and upset as i have ever been. The whole escapade today has set me back almost 500 dollars and im no where closer to getting the rwhp im suppose to. The car still idles ruff. Sometimes running the A/C will make it even ruffer. Im at home and got the OBD II code, it is 3 10 10 i think. Can anyone tell me what i did wrong? Do i need to change the spark plug gap? Reset something? Find a different tuner that knows 350Zs by heart? Do you think i need to do a compression check or leak down?

 

Do you have a fuel pressure gauge? Is the aux. pump working for sure?

 

Did you see the lights on the DFMU light up when you hit it on the dyno? If the DFMU wasn't working and your making 7psi, your A/F wouldnt be where it's at and you would have a blown motor right now, so I'm thinking your FMU is working. You sure you don't have a leak? I bet you do.

 

Wait, if your seeing 7psi on your boost gauge, then there shouldn't be a leak. Can you go pull the code again? You got to be 100% sure. You sure they plugged the harness back in for the coil packs? Maybe you got one loose. Go double check that. It's got to be a misfire.

 

I would do a leak down if I were you. You could be losing compression on one of the cylinders. this would show boost, keep the a/f your seeing and give you the bad hp numbers. You should be seeing about 350 to 370rwhp. sorry to here about your troubles

 

also check your plugs there could be one that is fouled or he hook up the wires wrong or something. Lets hope for this. a way easier fix. if its not the plugs check the wire harness going to the coil. the one on the drivers side could easly be messed up number 2 up front number6 in the back. you see what I mean or just make sure there clipped in all the way.

 

mprowe350-
No, we didnt have a fuel pressure gauge handy. Right after the 2nd pull and the power was still way low, i suggested that maybe the aux fuel pump wasnt working but the tuner said it had to be if we where making max boost. I just said "oh ok," but it didnt make any sense. The tuner set the DFMU so that the A/F read 11.8 and we where making 20+ more rwph then stock, im willing to bet its because we didnt have enough fuel. The fuel lines are not kinked but do have a few loops. The ATI manual doest say which terminal on the fuel pump is positive or negative so i just followed the pic. This is what i have on mine. The fuel line is at the bottom and a blank space is on the top. The Positive terminal is on the left.

 

#3-10-10 code is a #300 code..Multiple Cylinder Misfire..The Dealer "F" ed up the plug install.You need to go back to the dealer and have them recheck their work..I bet they left a vacume line off or didnt seat the coil packs properly or didnt plug one back in..you need to trace the sequence of events leading up to the rough IDLE...Brought it to dealer fine..Left dealer NOT fine..They messed up...I just hope they didnt go JOY riding around and screw anything up..Your problem has nothing to do with the SC its the plug install...

Ps..To check the DFMU and Aux pump..Take the Vacume line off the DFMU and "BLOW" into it as the car is ideling and you will hear and feel the pump turn on..I doubt thats the issue..If you left the dealer rough then the problem was caused by the dealer..

 

ravaz-

I was not able to see the DFMU light up and thats one of the things i forgot to check during the dyno runs. DAMN IT! I will call the tuner tomorrow and ask.

I got the CEL right after the dealer installed the copper plugs so im assuming you want that code? Does disconnecting the battery reset that CEL cause i think i did that. I can go out for a quick spin if i have to.

 

Enron Exec

If you were making boost and the pump wasn't working you can kiss that motor goodby. Your a/f would be so high it would melt the cylinders. I would say way above 20. So I would venture to say its not the pump

 

Yeah we can look up the code if you can get it. Seriously just like Daking said, a 300 code is misfire, so go check the coil packs, then get your money back and kick them in the faces. Do this, go out to the car with someone, with the ignition on, blow into the vaccum line that goes to the EFMU, it should sense that and you'll see a light come on and you'll hear the fuel pump turn on.

 

You don't read what others write huh?

 

sorry

 

If the dealer messed up a spark plug install I have lost ALL faith..











Which wasnt much to begin with...But I lost faith none the less...

PS..RAVAZ..your so violent...
Me likes!!

 

spazpilot-
daking350-

I should have just went back to the dealer when i saw the CEL lights, but i thought i remember some ppl having the same problem when switching to copper plugs and changing the gap so i just assumed it wasnt a major issue. The first thing tomorrow, i am leaving the car with the dealer and leaving them ATI's phone number. I already missed a day of work today on this disapointing venture.

spazpilot-
Ok, I guess your right on the aux fuel pump working. 7lbs of boost is alot for a stock fuel pump, that eliminates that possibility, thanx.

daking350Z-
Thanx for clearing up that CEL code for me. How did you find out what it ment or do you have them memorized?

What do you guys think i should ask them to set the new gaps at? I saw an old post by 12SecZ saying his setup is happy with .037 and some other ppl's are happy at .039. I am guessing .039 or call ATI?

 

LOL I was only kidding I have PMS cause I won't be boosting no more

 

I have my gap set at .30, but I also ran it hard at .39
Did you go check your coil packs yet? It takes 2 seconds. Go check them and start the car.

 

A sad day for us all....

Enron-

I have mine gapped to .35 and its fine..You want the smaller gap so as not to extinguish the spark under high boost...My old ones were gapped to .39-42 and I fouled them out from running rich... Also listen under your hood to see if you hear "hissing" which would be a vacume leak...As for the codes..
I have the manual and 300 (or 3 10 10) is a MULTIPLE cylinder misfire..the #10 flashes represents 0...a 301-306 code is a mifire on that # cylinder..Ex. 302 is a Cylinder #2 misfire...

 

ravaz-

I will check the EFMU and aux fuel pump like you said tomorrow morning. Currently, no one is here with me to help out so i guess i can get one of the guys at the dealer tomorrow to check the pump.

A few of the service dept employees at my dealer have been supportive of my FI ventures and one of them i think is looking out for my car. I just hope my feelings are right.

 

Seriously, don't fret. It's the dealerships fault. Might ensure they recheck the gaps also. Watch them do it, because if they can't install a set of plugs, who's to say they know how to gap the plugs. For the money you paid for the install you should make them doublecheck all their work.