Thread: Coincidence?

So I changed my trans fluid and filter along with and oil change on NYE. Drove around quite a bit after the oil changes, id say 40-50 miles. Everything gravy, lovin life.

Now yesterday I leave for work and I notice that my LTFTs are up around 16, drops when I give it gas (0 LTFT at WOT) and it starts to what I believe is misfiring, but it's slamming the transmission like its thirsty for gas and then it gets a big chug... If that makes any sense. It surges to the point that the trans sort of feels like its slipping and then catches. Ive also noticed at idle during a surge, my dash lights dim.

Then while letting my car warm up tonight it throws a P0171 too lean code.

Now, we've been blasted with snow for two days now and my car is currently covered in layers of salt and ice, but otherwise has 100300 miles and its pretty well taken care of. I dont really thing corroded grounds are a concern yet. I checked my batt and the ground right next to it, and theyre pretty darn clean.

I had a spare MAF but I cant find the damn thing, so for now I took my MAF out and cleaned it. No change.

I can say that at idle, unplugging the MAF drops LTFTs from 16 to 3. What exactly does this mean?

I can also say that when I did my oil change, it was so cold out that the oil was as thick as a milkshake and when I pulled the funnel out, I spilled about a 1/2 qt of oil all over the front of my engine bay.

I guess my questions are:
1. Does this have anything to do with my trans fluid change? Something under the trans pan I couldve jacked up?
2. Could oil possibly have gotten on the cone filter and then all over my MAF and ruined it?
3. I did scrape the underside of my car against some pretty thick, tall ice chunks... Could I maybe have knocked my headers loose or something?

Help is appreciated.

Edit: I have heavy duty silicone vac lines and gave them (and the LIM/supercharger) the brake cleaner test and while it did sputter/surge a few times, it didnt seem to relate to my spraying, as I couldnt get it to repeat the same surges twice. The lines are still brand new looking.

Also, without taking the throttle body off, I gave the egr tube a good lookover and it looks fine.

Sounds like you have a vacuum leak.

Ive had vac leaks before with similar symptoms, but my boost gauge would twitch. Also, why such a sudden issue?

Bump. .. any other ideas or specifics on what kind of vac leak can just pop up outta the blue?

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does sound like a vac leak. the t under the snout breaks, the evap line off the TB breaks, the T on the fpr gets loose or also cracks, boost bypass vac lines, map sensor line, ect.

spray some carb cleaner around the engines lines at idle, if the rpm's jump up you found your leak area.

Like I said, all of my vac lines are brand new and I did the carb cleaner test last night. I will look arounr some more

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spray the map and evap, and boost bypass sensors down. never know.

also theres the vac line off the top of the sc for the hvac, is that all working? it runs down the pass side fender by the fuse box on a gp or regal, then hits a wire harness and into the cab it goes, some cars have a T in this line under the fuse box, one side to the cab, the other runs across the bumper to a vac ball in the driver side fender, under the head light. spray all that down too.

will do, thanks

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It was a fluid change, not a flush... and I did it before at 60k no problems

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Ive read that electrical issues can trigger this code... went to check her out today and the battery is deader than a doornail. Ran jumpers to it from the truck for 10-15 min, battery goes completely dead after about 30 seconds. Its 2 degrees out and im done messing with it for today. Battery only 2 months old, this is getting ridiculous. .. she hits 100000k and all hell breaks loose

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sounds like the alt is bad then. unless the battery is defective.

The alt going bad is a possibility, considering my amp amd subs. ive heard they can kill alts.

I guess what I meant to say is that the car wont start AND the batt loses all juice after about 30 seconds from unhooking the jumpers.



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Finally got it started up. Still lean. Code didnt come back yet. Let it run till engine warm, then shut it dowm and tried to start it again... battery dead. Such a mess

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Could a deteriorated pcv plate gasket cause a vac leak? Im still in doubt of the vac leak due to the quick onset of symptoms, but i just checked the pvc and noticed the plate gasket was pretty much gone right around the bolts.

spray it with carb cleaner. see if the idle jumps.

I sprayed the whole engine bay down, nothin

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Although i didnt find the vac line by the passenger side fender

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Does the carb cleaner test work if its like 20*F out?

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