91DA-C

Hey guys, I need some advice before I go pull my head. I'm running a stock LS engine with a T3/T4 50 trim .48 AR turbo, Walbro, 550cc's, with ARP head studs and new HG at time of turbo install (3 months ago).

My engine started to run lean 15+ on my wideband at idle, sometimes/rarely when I'm driving it goes that high as well. I scheduled to go for a retune tomorrow but now my car overheats when I boost and sometimes I get a puff of white smoke when boosting. Not a constant stream, just a puff. I checked my oil, not milky. Soon as I stop boosting the gauge starts to drop and engine starts to cool back to normal temp.

I checked my coolant levels and overflow, everything's ok. I doubt I'm getting head lift under boost because of the ARP studs, so my only other thought would be that since I'm running a little lean it's causing detonation which is causing the head lift and that's what's causing the white puff and the overheating.

So should I be ok with going for the retune anyway and having it adjusted to run richer, or is my HG deff blown and I should change it anyway. I pulled my valve cover off last night, my oil was perfect so that's why I'm not sold that my HG is blown, yet anyway.

Any advice?

bOoStEd_180e

You mentioned at idle it sometimes runs lean so i think thats got to do with tuning/ faulty injectors...and as for the car heating up i think its either the sleeves are "walking" too much, deck warped, head warped or head gasket blown...goodluck

91DA-C

I think it is tuning related, hence the retune for tomorrow. My first tune was done in March and with the recent heat waves we've been having I'm thinking the advanced timing + the hot air isn't the best and that's why it slowly started running lean. A retune for the 'summer' may fix it, right?

What are common symptoms for the sleeves walking or the head/deck being warped?

blackcurrantgsr

A way you can check if the headgasket is blown is, drain all the rad fluid out of the overflow tank, go for a drive and see if the car overheats. If it does and that overflow tank is full of antifreeze, the headgasket is blown. If not well then not.

boostedcivicsir

if it is overheating it is telling you something. just because they are arp studs, doesnt mean it didnt lift and is compromised.

it may be a tuning issue, but if it is overheating under boost i do believe it has failed.

when mine lifted, it would run fine but at the top of a run would push coolant out the overflow. just some food for thought.

but again i doubt it is only a tuning issue. also knowing there is an issue and you are still driving under boost? i dont know but i get that from your post.

EsotericImage

iTrader: (8)

last time mine got hot under boost i cracked a sleeve.. ARP's held up fine tho.lol

91DA-C

So pathetic. Any of you guys in the NY Tri State area, DO NOT bring any cars to Midnight Auto in Deer Park NY for any type of work.

I took my car to NRG Tech yesterday, Chris Miller looked at my tune and said it's '****ed'. On top of the timing being shot, he showed me why the car was overheating. Midnight Auto setup my cooling fan to turn off if I go faster than 30mph. He recommended a stronger fan, but with increasing that setting to turn off at 99mph instead of 30mph helped cool the car by 10 degrees and hasn't overheated since that change. I'll be upgrading the fan in the near future as well.

I'm happy it was the tune and nothing else, but just a heads up for anyone looking for a tuner not to go to Midnight Auto. Stick with Chris Miller or Jeff Evans.

Thanks guys.