• Mustang Forums
  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech

Long term fuel trim

  • Thread starter Thread starter dew22
  • Start date Start date Jun 29, 2006

dew22

Banned by Troll
Jan 16, 2003
0
6
19
Tampa
Jun 29, 2006
#1
  • Jun 29, 2006
  • #1
I put the car on the dyno and the power was way down.
My long term fuel trim is way out of whack

Longft1 -21
Longft2 -17

Called Kenne Bell and they said vacuum leak.

Could a vacuum leak cause my long term fuel readings to be so out of whack?
 
Reactions: Bearfoot_25

jstreet0204

Active Member
Jun 26, 2003
939
0
36
Winston Salem, NC
Jun 29, 2006
#2
  • Jun 29, 2006
  • #2
dew22 said:
I put the car on the dyno and the power was way down.
My long term fuel trim is way out of whack

Longft1 -21
Longft2 -17

Called Kenne Bell and they said vacuum leak.

Could a vacuum leak cause my long term fuel readings to be so out of whack?
Click to expand...

Yes the vacuum leak is the most likely cause.
 

dew22

Banned by Troll
Jan 16, 2003
0
6
19
Tampa
Jun 30, 2006
#3
  • Jun 30, 2006
  • #3
jstreet0204 said:
Yes the vacuum leak is the most likely cause.
Click to expand...


Thanks


My short term fuel trim doesn't look bad + or - 3% am I missing something?
 

squares98

Member
Aug 20, 2004
852
0
17
Orange,ca
Jun 30, 2006
#4
  • Jun 30, 2006
  • #4
did you read this through the predator and a narrow band 02? If so disregard your results. They hardly ever show true 02 readings
 

ToplessStang

Member
Mar 7, 2004
591
0
17
Montreal, Canada
Jun 30, 2006
#5
  • Jun 30, 2006
  • #5
If your fuel trims are -21 and -17 as in NEGATIVE 21 and NEGATIVE 17, that is not caused by a vacuum leak. A vacuum leak would give you + fuel trim readings. Your car is running to rich if you got a negative reading.

As for your short fuel trims, yes they will always try to stay at around the 0 mark with the Long fuel trims compensating for any big changes.
 

dew22

Banned by Troll
Jan 16, 2003
0
6
19
Tampa
Jun 30, 2006
#6
  • Jun 30, 2006
  • #6
ToplessStang said:
If your fuel trims are -21 and -17 as in NEGATIVE 21 and NEGATIVE 17, that is not caused by a vacuum leak. A vacuum leak would give you + fuel trim readings. Your car is running to rich if you got a negative reading.

As for your short fuel trims, yes they will always try to stay at around the 0 mark with the Long fuel trims compensating for any big changes.
Click to expand...


I'm confused the car keeps throwing code PO172 (rich bank 1) every time the long term fuel trim exceeds -25 on bank 1 it throws the code. I thought that the negative #'s were indicative of the computer compensating for a rich condition.
 

dew22

Banned by Troll
Jan 16, 2003
0
6
19
Tampa
Jun 30, 2006
#7
  • Jun 30, 2006
  • #7
If it's a vacuume leak I'll know in about an hour. It's going on the smoke machine.
 

jstreet0204

Active Member
Jun 26, 2003
939
0
36
Winston Salem, NC
Jun 30, 2006
#8
  • Jun 30, 2006
  • #8
dew22 said:
If it's a vacuume leak I'll know in about an hour. It's going on the smoke machine.
Click to expand...

Let us know how it turns out. It could be a vacuum leak or even an exhaust leak. They should check for both.
 

ToplessStang

Member
Mar 7, 2004
591
0
17
Montreal, Canada
Jun 30, 2006
#9
  • Jun 30, 2006
  • #9
dew22 said:
I'm confused the car keeps throwing code PO172 (rich bank 1) every time the long term fuel trim exceeds -25 on bank 1 it throws the code. I thought that the negative #'s were indicative of the computer compensating for a rich condition.
Click to expand...



The negative number means the PCM is cutting back fuel because the engine is running to rich. If it were a vacuum leak you'd be seeing a +25 for example. If you have negative fuel trims, the car is running rich which is not caused by a vacuum leak.

Some causes of a rich mixture are leaking injectors, badly blocked air filter ect.. but seeing as your F/I you must have a tune and other stuff that may not be working right causing it to run rich.
 

dew22

Banned by Troll
Jan 16, 2003
0
6
19
Tampa
Jul 2, 2006
#10
  • Jul 2, 2006
  • #10
Smoke test done. No leak

Bad sensor? Which one?

Possibly something wrong with the chip I'll be talking to the KB tech's
Wed. They've been helpful and I'm sure we'll figure it out.

Also
I'm at sea level or very close the tech who smoke tested my car said he got a very unusual "Baro" reading (152) he said most cars around here show 156 157ish.

Any ideas?

Thanks
Dew
 

dew22

Banned by Troll
Jan 16, 2003
0
6
19
Tampa
Jul 2, 2006
#11
  • Jul 2, 2006
  • #11
What are normal readings for long and short term fuel trim at idle?
 

ToplessStang

Member
Mar 7, 2004
591
0
17
Montreal, Canada
Jul 2, 2006
#12
  • Jul 2, 2006
  • #12
dew22 said:
Smoke test done. No leak

Bad sensor? Which one?

Possibly something wrong with the chip I'll be talking to the KB tech's
Wed. They've been helpful and I'm sure we'll figure it out.

Also
I'm at sea level or very close the tech who smoke tested my car said he got a very unusual "Baro" reading (152) he said most cars around here show 156 157ish.

Any ideas?

Thanks
Dew
Click to expand...

The baro at 152 is a bit low but not enough to cause a -21 fuel trim. Ideally the fuel trims will both stay at around 0 with the short trims always changing between + and - 6.

If for example the short fuel trims begin to go to high ie + 12, then after a predetermined amount of time the long fuel trims will move into the postive range to compensate so that the short trims can go back to switching at around the 0 mark.
 

jstreet0204

Active Member
Jun 26, 2003
939
0
36
Winston Salem, NC
Jul 2, 2006
#13
  • Jul 2, 2006
  • #13
Did you have a wideband hooked up during the datalogs. If so, did the a/f ratio from the wideband verify the fuel trims. If it did, you need to look for a mechanical problem, like a leak, sticking injector, or something causing the fuel pressure to go to high. Otherwise, look for a bad sensor to be the cause.
 

dew22

Banned by Troll
Jan 16, 2003
0
6
19
Tampa
Jul 6, 2006
#14
  • Jul 6, 2006
  • #14
jstreet0204 said:
Did you have a wideband hooked up during the datalogs. If so, did the a/f ratio from the wideband verify the fuel trims. If it did, you need to look for a mechanical problem, like a leak, sticking injector, or something causing the fuel pressure to go to high. Otherwise, look for a bad sensor to be the cause.
Click to expand...


No

Hopefully getting it dataloged soon (per Kenne Bell request)

Does anyone know which sensor gives the computer the info for fuel trim?
 

jstreet0204

Active Member
Jun 26, 2003
939
0
36
Winston Salem, NC
Jul 6, 2006
#15
  • Jul 6, 2006
  • #15
dew22 said:
No

Hopefully getting it dataloged soon (per Kenne Bell request)

Does anyone know which sensor gives the computer the info for fuel trim?
Click to expand...

It is a combination of the o2 sensors and the MAF that are used to determin fuel trims.
 

dew22

Banned by Troll
Jan 16, 2003
0
6
19
Tampa
Jul 6, 2006
#16
  • Jul 6, 2006
  • #16
jstreet0204 said:
It is a combination of the o2 sensors and the MAF that are used to determin fuel trims.
Click to expand...



Thanks
 

Mike97gt

it doe snot
Founding Member
Jan 26, 1999
10,633
7
89
the people's republic of massachusetts
Jul 6, 2006
#17
  • Jul 6, 2006
  • #17
sorry it took so long for me to get to this. I got your PM but I was out for a few days.

Well a long term fuel trim in the negitives means that the PCM is subtracting from the base fuel trim. -21 means 21 percent less fuel than base trim for that cell.

At -25 or higher the PCM is maxed at how much it can correct the mixture and you will get a code po172,po175 rich bank 1 and rich bank 2

one of the things you may want to check out is the fuel presure sensor on the fuel rail. this reports the fuel presure back to the pcm so the PCM can regulate the fuel presure, if this sensor was off a bit you might have the condiotion you have now.
 

dew22

Banned by Troll
Jan 16, 2003
0
6
19
Tampa
Jul 13, 2006
#18
  • Jul 13, 2006
  • #18
Update

I haven’t had time to have the car wideband dataloged

changed mass air meter same model as before just new. (no change)

installed 2 new o2 sensors (no change)

had a small exhaust leak fixt (no change)

new fuel pressure sensor (no change)

I have noticed something while looking at the data I can get through my
predator the fuel trim at idle now looks much better ( long & short )

What I've noticed is when driving lets say 50 or 60mph and the light up ahead turns yellow and I let off the gas to coast up to the light the long term fuel trim spikes from anywhere between -3/-13 to -22/-26.

Also every other day or so I'll hit the gas from a stop (normal driving) and the car will stumble for just a split second.

 

Dope 97GT

New Member
Jul 16, 2005
439
0
0
Rochester, NY (SUNY Brockport)
Jul 13, 2006
#19
  • Jul 13, 2006
  • #19
sounds like the exact same problem my car is having and i cannot figure it out either. I am N/A but am throwing both the rich codes for bank 1 and 2. I am thinking about new injectors but thats gonna cost some loot especially if its not the problem.
 

dew22

Banned by Troll
Jan 16, 2003
0
6
19
Tampa
Jul 13, 2006
#20
  • Jul 13, 2006
  • #20
I also took out 1 spark plug from each bank and they don't look like the car has been running rich. (whitish to light grey)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

K
Engine 2000 Mustang GT - Fuel issue post-blown spark plug repair
  • kenster1092
  • Feb 26, 2026
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech
Replies
4
Views
288
SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech Mar 10, 2026
kenster1092
K
Fox Xtremely high fuel consumption
  • PonyGTrider
  • Apr 11, 2026
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • 9 10 11
Replies
213
Views
3K
1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk- May 9, 2026
PonyGTrider
B
'03 GT Fuel Pump/Pressure/Delivery Issue
  • Brodach
  • Oct 21, 2025
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech
Replies
8
Views
826
SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech Oct 31, 2025
gkomo
G
2006 Mustang GT o2 Sensor Wiring Issue Car Bogging/Choking
  • GCantero93
  • Sep 5, 2025
  • 2005 - 2009 Specific Tech
Replies
4
Views
824
2005 - 2009 Specific Tech Sep 6, 2025
Noobz347
S
Fuel ‘88 GT Runs Rich Cold — Fixes Itself When I Unplug Sensors (ECT, MAF, O2, etc.)
  • Sufarry
  • Nov 6, 2025
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
12
Views
727
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Nov 9, 2025
Mustang5L5
Share:
Bluesky Email Share Link
  • Mustang Forums
  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech
Menu
Log in

Register

  • Forums
  • What's new
  • Media
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Sponsor
X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?

X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?