running lean or rich + white smoke on idle

**Talsition** · 09-11-2009

So my car has been idling really bad for most of the summer but drives fine. One day a few weeks ago my CEL came on and I brought her in to get it checked out. What they found when it was scanned was that it was running either lean or rich and didn't really tell me what I should get looked at. Then since then I notice that when I am at an idle with her there is white smoke coming out my exhaust, not a lot but enough to make it look as though its 20 degrees out or something. So what do you guys think. I was going to replace my 104's with the stock 106's and then check my MAP sensor. Any other info on why it would be doing this would be awesome.

**Talsition** · 09-11-2009

really guys no input at all...

**Planeboy18** · 09-11-2009

Might want to try a new front o2 sensor. If nothing else it should improve your gas mileage a little. But that's where I'd start since it's telling the pcm how to adjust your air/fuel ratios.

**blueguy** · 09-11-2009

Stock are 605's or 606's. Spark Plugs won't make THAT much of a difference IMO.

Get a new o2 Sensor, the first one in the rear manifold.

**blowfishRus6** · 09-11-2009

how is your gas milage???

if its bad then its probably rich. if your 02 sensors are bad, its gonna be rich.

**Talsition** · 09-12-2009

Originally Posted by bluegtp91

Stock are 605's or 606's. Spark Plugs won't make THAT much of a difference IMO.

Get a new o2 Sensor, the first one in the rear manifold.

yeah I didnt think it would make that big of difference, but i thought i seen somewhere on here that says not to run them unless your running a smaller pully.

and yeah I think I will pick up a new o2 sensor tomorrow.

**turk182** · 09-17-2009

I have the same thing going on, and after looking in to this it looks like the o2 is not able to read the parameters that are emitted form your engine look into getting an aftermarket o2 that can read a higher # than the stock oem that's what i am looking into

**Reptile** · 09-17-2009

So they didn't tell you what it was doing? That doesn't make sense at all. You have to know where to start looking first. They usually throw a code for running too lean, but without having the actual code, throwing parts at it is a waste of time and money.

**E90 87SS GTP** · 09-17-2009

Well on most cars white smoke is normal, just water... But could also mean head gasket leak.

**PowerStroker** · 09-18-2009

Originally Posted by E90 87SS GTP

Well on most cars white smoke is normal, just water... But could also mean head gasket leak.

Yup! Check your coolant.

**turk182** · 09-27-2009

Tanks for the info. Looks like I need to address the TB. With the intake I've built the maf won't read the propper signal the air flow bottoms out inside the TB at lower RPM it reads at mid to high RPM mostly. Depending on air quality and idle maf malfunctions only at lower rpms the result is bad tourqe curve in a dig sucks.with a after market maf it will read all peramitters when the oem won't. I'm going with a u bend and resinator delete going to need the after market front o2 any how when you start mods to this car it looks like it will spit code like you Read about so keep up with the info oh and what about re-pogrammed pcm is it a good idea but thats another thread so hit me up pics to come soon

**Talsition** · 10-17-2009

So I once I got some time I replaced the upstream O2 sensor, this did nothing so I took it to another place and got it scanned. They said its running lean and it through the code P0171. So I hunted down a t20 tamper proof bit and took off my MAF and then used some cleaner on it. Still got my SES and car is sluggish and rough idle. Its going in storage soon so I will have plenty of time to trouble shoot it. whats everyone's recommendation to check out first?