CAI may cause engine to run rich

[Ilovemylara]

I have a 2002 slev6 lara, and I recently installed A CAI. I have read many threads saying that this causes the 1mz to run very rich. I havent noticed anything out of the ordinary, except a CEL, but i reset the ecu ( i learned that it was nescesary from a fellow SG member) and it went away. I might have lost a few Mpgs but that is it. anyone else installed a cai on the v6 and had problems?
what would be the symptoms of an engine ruinning rich?
thanx alot guyz,
christian

[ThatVietGuy]

One of the definitive ways to tell if you're running rich is to pull the spark plugs and see if the tips are blackened.

Can't really think of anything else that's simpler at the moment.

[Ilovemylara]

thanx i will try that tomorow...

[Chinky420]

usually when the car throws a CEL at you, it's going to run the engine in a 'warmup loop' all the time. which does make you run a little rich (safeguarding against engine knock or something)

if your CEL comes back on, then you might want to have the code read and figure out what's going on with it.

i know some people had issues with intakes that weren't 2.75", messes up the MAF readings. unless you reprogram the A/F ratio (via an ECU piggyback, or s-afc II device, for example)

the intake itself shouldn't make the car run rich by itself. but if it leans out, the o2 sensor may give the ecu bad readings, triggering the CEL, and then making it run rich.

[Ilovemylara]

Can an engine running slightly rich cause any problems?

[DatSRBoi]

Rich is always a good thing. If you were running too rich your car wouldnt run. So your fine.

[Midias]

what type of CAI did you install?

[redgen1]

.. isnt the whole point of a CAI to fool the maf to make the car run richer - or at least enrich the mixture..?

[CASTRO]

it doesnt fool the maf. If that were the case, CAI or intakes in general would just enlarge the area where the MAF sensor was. It could be reading the same but since there is theoretically less restriction, you naturally get more air which makes it run leaner. A proper intake would be tuned to retain optimal a/f maf readings by either enlarging or temprarily bottlenecking the area in order for the MAF to measure accoridingly and do ita thang.

[redgen1]

well i meant it doesnt really 'fool ' the maf, but because the air going into the intake is cooler (and denser) it adds more fuel to the mixture, hence making it run richer..

[Ilovemylara]

It was a cheap ebay intake, 3 inch straight tube... i've noticed a definate increase in throttle response since installing it

[Midias]

It was a cheap ebay intake, 3 inch straight tube... i've noticed a definate increase in throttle response since installing it

Wow I cannot believe a actual positive response about the ebay intake. You probably mean a noise increase because that thing is crap for our cars.

Also that is a short ram intake not a CAI ant it will probably make the MAF think you are lean not rich.

[Chinky420]

3" piping will always throw a CEL code

in fact, it's the reason i have a code up myself (P0135)

you can fix it by getting an ECU piggyback

or by going back to stock

no it won't kill your engine to run with the code for a while (i've been running with mine on for about a year).

GL with this

[facevedo17]

not all thhe time I ran an 3in intake from ebay had the check engine light at first but after a long while it went away ..then I got the injen SRI No CEL after the install at all then I added the CAir extension no CEL aswell ...

Like Midias saids if anything you are most likely leaning out than anything ebay intakes are not bad is the size diameter that you get that makes the difference

stick to Injen ....