High BLM's BLM's

[liquidh8]

Mods, is this in the right area??


Been trying to chase down some high BLM's. I read a few old posts via the search button. The BLM's are at 150 at idle, int around 128-135. Sometime get a lean exhuast code 44. The exhuast smells WAY rich, like burning eyes rich. This is what I have done so far...

I have an exhuast leaket before the turbo. I read this can cause high BLMs on these engine, so I am gonna hit the autozone see if I can get a new gasket. I'm pretty sure the egr was bad. The turbo that came with the car was stoved, and blowing by alot of oil. The egr valve is loaded with it now. So I made a block off plate and BLM's still are high. I blocked off the vacuum block and it didn't make a difference.

I'll also be taking off the upper plenum and making new gaskets for it. Too bad I don't have one of those power plates, lol. It has a 1/2 spacer in there now.

I picked this car up and I am trying to get it running good, it never ran right since I got it. I haven't driven it, i am fixing all the problems.

Also, will not having both screens in the MAF make a difference? The previous owner yanked them both out. I may get another one used if i can find one for sale.

Thanks guys for any and all tips.

 

[mikestertwo]

Get all your issues straightened out first. Replace your O2 sensor and get at least one screen back in your maf or go with a LT1 maf and translator.

 

[liquidh8]

Well, resealed the uper plenum, and the turbo to header gasket. I still have an exhaust leak somewhere. I am just gonna get all new gaskets, headsides and all, and put them all on. It'll have to wait though. I am buying an EGR valve off a board member, so that'll be fixed. As far as a screen for the MAF goes, I guess I'll get a different MAF and try and take the screen out. Should it go before the sensing element or after? I would assume before, right after the filter?

I'll be this far along, I may just get new intake manifold gaskets too, what the heck right? I don't know nything about this car from the previous owner, so i am trying to get everything strait ya know?

Thanx

 

[mikestertwo]

The screens go before the sensing element.

 

[liquidh8]

Thank you sir, I appreciate it.

 

[QUIP'6']

get a chip from eric at TurboTweak Home your car and you will love it. what is your fuel pressure at idle with the line off. if it is below 40 then you can can raise it to 45 and it will lower your blms some you want to be 118 to 140 that is 128 + or -10

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Exh leaks could well be broken headers.
Common places:
1. Between 3 and 5 cyl.
2. In the bellows on the pass side.
3. At the x over connections.

Also, replace and zip tie all vac lines.
Make sure all vac check valves are working, and in in the correct direction.

 

[liquidh8]

quik, I've thought about it. I already have the ECM modded to use 27sf512 chips, I've been doing my own tuning on my TBI/TPI cars and some other LS cars for a few years. I figured I'd try this one out too. But, I may go that roue anyway. I am still in the air.

Chuck, I'll be pulling all the headers, x-over pipe off to look for cracks and use some new remflex gaskets for them. I went through and zip tied all the vac hoses already, and i checked the checkvalves. They seem good. The FP is 43 with the vac line off. The inj constant is right in the chip. I have a feeling that the intake is leaking, so i am pulling it off and getting new gaskets for it. While it's off I'l be cleaning it up, maybe powdercoat it in work.

Are there any benifits to "porting" it. Just smothing it out and gasket matching is what I'll do.

 

[2QUIK6]

Since you burn your own chips, make sure the inj const is correct for the injectors being used.
I assume you are starting from a somewhere stock car so use a stock chip image to start with.
A vac leak would cause high BLMs which you already know, but maybe also a non-functioning injector....one that is stuck closed...would also cause it. Listen to each injector and make sure they are all "ticking" while the engine is idling.
Sounds like its getting plenty of fuel since the exhaust is burning your eyes..at least its not a fuel pump issue at this point. Also check your O2 cross counts...they should cycle from 0-255 in less than 90 seconds...if not swap out the O2 sensor and only use AC Delco or Denso sensors...if its a Bosch swap it also.

 

[liquidh8]

2quik, I have a mostly stock set-up. CAI, plenum spacer, AFR, 3" DP and 3 inch single shot pipe. I got a stock binary, adjust the inj constant for the injectors, lowered the fan on/off, and the boost settings. So other than that it is a stock binary for now. O, I raised the idle some.

I yanked the intake off, The valley pan gasket was a uncoated steel one, there was a bunch of oil in the intake runners from the old turbo, so I cleaned the lower plenum, got a new felpro gasket and installed it. I am pretty sure they were leaking. I am waiting for the replacement EGR valve from a board member. I took the upper plenum to work to port match the TB and plenum, and took off the valve covers to powder coat them in work. They had no gaskets on them anyway, WTF?

I also bought a MAF from a board member with one screen in it. The one I have has both screens taken out.

I pulled the headers and crossover pipe off and the DS was cracked BAD between 3 & 5, almost completey off. The last dude to try and fix it tryed brazing it with brass rod, but unded up with gold boogers everywhere. Took me 2 hours, but I welded up the cracks. The PS was cracked at the bellows, quick fix for that though. Got new felpro header gaskets. Used some high temp coppr RTV and bolted them on.

In the next week after the valve covers, plenum are power coated, and the EGR valve comes in. I'll see whats what.

I also am buying a used TT chip for stock injectors to try out too. Everyone is speaking so highly of them, I figured I'd try one out over my own tune.

 

[2QUIK6]

Those cracks in the headers were your cause if they were that bad.
Being that you program your own, you may not find much benefit to TT chips since you can program whatever timing and fueling you want. A wideband O2 is a great tool also. When I programmed mine I used a 8-pos thumbwheel switch from Caspers and then used a electronically erasable 27C256 chip that I could concatenate 8 different chips onto that single chip then use the thumbwheel to select which one I wanted to use. Had a valet setting, anti-theft, street, race with 103 octane, race with 116, and various timing settings from 19 thru 27 degrees.
Sure made it easy cause there wasn't anymore switch chips in the ECM at the track.
I still run that setup in the TTA, but went to the Gen2 with wideband AFR tracking and the Extender G chip in the GN so no more chip burning for it.

Good luck, let us know how it turns out when you get it back together.

 

[liquidh8]

I was thinking the headers were the problem too. I have a LC-1 hooked up in my chevy wagon to the ECM, I use it for autotuning and datalogging. I'll be adding a bung to the buick to move the wbo2 over to it to do my tuning. I've been using the 27SF512 chips, so i can put a bunch of bins on it. I have a bin selector i can put in the socket of the 148 ECM, would give me 16 positions to try out. hehe. I actually forgot I had it.

I'll post up when I have some more progress. There are pictures and some of the explination on my cardomain site. I could post some pics over here also if anyone was interested.

 

[2QUIK6]

I've been using the 27SF512 chips, so i can put a bunch of bins on it. I have a bin selector i can put in the socket of the 148 ECM, would give me 16 positions to try out. hehe. I actually forgot I had it.

There ya go, even better! I saw that earlier but for some reason was thinking it was the electronically erasable 2732 setup that Moates used to make...instead of twice the storage of the 27C256....
Something else I found to be a prob with a TT chip was that I have a quick disconnect on my battery as I only drive the car a few times a month if that and everytime I disconnect the battery all my settings would be reset With 16-pos, there's not really much more to be desired besides the AFR tracking ability, but TT has a setup for that as well now, but thats not his basic adjustable chip I don't believe.

 

[liquidh8]

update

Well, got it all back together. It seems to be working good. BLMS at about 134-138. I'll prolly up the FP a lb to get them down.

What I did:
I fixed both headers, new intake gaskets, ported the turbo inlet, the upper plenum inlet the wastegat hole, the exhuast elbow, and the lower intake ports, head side. I powder coated the valve covers and upper plenum. Got a new MAF, good used EGR and a TT chip (from board members, THANKS!). I'll run the TT chip for a bit till I get a new battery for my laptop, and get the WB from my chevy wagon in this. I'll burn a new chip. the TT chip doesn't have EGR, in PA, I need EGR.

I put on 3" duals exhaust with SS magnaflows, I made a new 3" DP. I have a bunch of 3" SS pipe and mandrel bends, when I get the dough, I'll buy a DP flange in SS and make my own SS DP. I put some mechanical gauges in it, oil pressure is great.

Still have a few little issues, the harness was on fire or something in a small spot, or got cooked by the jury rigged DP, so i have to fixe it. (nothing touching, just melted casings) The cooling pipes on the intake developed a hole, so I need to source a new set. I'll be getting a turbo bracket from a member here soon. And I'll be making a new IC scoop in work.