Cold Air Intake - System Too Lean

surfinfreak9000

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So I just put in a cold air intake (spectre, had to stick to a budget) and a magnaflow straight through muffler. The muffler has been on for a while. So a few hours after I put the cold air intake on, the engine threw a code P0171 saying the system is too lean. Does anybody know any tips or ways to adjust the fuel air ratio, or a tuning technique to fix this? (Chips, tuners, anything)
 
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Checked all fittings and clamps, everything is sealed as it was when it was new. I'm assuming the air filter is allowing it to breathe to a point where the computer isn't able to keep up with the air flow. Any other suggestions?
 
Checked all fittings and clamps, everything is sealed as it was when it was new. I'm assuming the air filter is allowing it to breathe to a point where the computer isn't able to keep up with the air flow. Any other suggestions?

It'd be really unusual to peg a mass air meter. Just as a diagnostic aide, I'd put a sponge or something to restrict airflow in the airbox and clear the code. See if it goes away.
 
i believe you are supposed to reset the ecu to recalculate the air fuel mixture....thats what the instructions for the k&n i have says...
 
Clean the MAF. These things let in A LOT of dust, oils, and other debris.

That stuff gets in your MAF, it messes it up.

That's why I refuse to run one.

Just my .01.
 
Yeah you just have to re-set the EFI (electronic Fuel injection) to do this open the fuse box under the hood, locate the EFI fuse (there should be two, a small one and a big one) and pull them, you only need to pull one but i cant remember which one I just pulled both, pull them and leave them out for a minute, turn on the truck but don't start it (it wont start anyway) turn the truck back off and replace the fuse, then start it up and you're good. mine ran kind of funny for a minute or two after I suppose that's to be expected while the computer re-maps your ail fuel ratio.
 
You don't have to reset the ECU as described.

It is a LEARNING computer and after driving around for several days it will adjust to the higher airflow.

Yes if you reset it then the baseline will be post CAI install but it will still be in learning mode for several days regardless.

Also, simply installing a CAI should not give you a CEL. When I originally installed mine I didn't reset anything and I had no issues. You might be getting a CEL from adding to much oil to the filter.

Finally, adding a CAI alone will not give you a huge performance increase, it is going to be a very small change.
 
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Post pics. Maybe we can see what you did wrong, if anything.

If it's throwing a code the O2 sensors are probably showing lean due to an air leak or something (dirty maf possible). There is no relearn needed and there is no more airflow. If it's showing lean there is a problem.
 
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Okay. So I took the intake off and made sure the seals between each piece are in fact sealed, and double checked for any other leaks. I cleaned the MAF Sensor with the cleaner from advanced auto parts, and I disconnected the battery and removed the corresponding fuses. Does this cars ecu actually "learn" as you go? And how long before it is properly programmed?
 

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I have had a K&N CAI on my 4Runner for over 7 years now and no CEL was ever caused by the CAI.

I'm not saying that a CAI is going to cause a CEL. I'm just saying that the pores are being more open is more apt to let bigger pieces of dust and debris into the AI, hitting the MAF, and making it dirty. Especially if you hit trails or desert more often.

I had one on my '99 Taco, 2.4L, and ended up getting rid of it becaue it was causing more problems than it was worth.


Okay. So I took the intake off and made sure the seals between each piece are in fact sealed, and double checked for any other leaks. I cleaned the MAF Sensor with the cleaner from advanced auto parts, and I disconnected the battery and removed the corresponding fuses. Does this cars ecu actually "learn" as you go? And how long before it is properly programmed?

Try moving the part that has the MAF on it to BEFORE the vaccum lines. See if that makes any difference.
 
give it a few drive cycles. if the code comes back, you have a leak somewhere.

as for intake filters, ive seen too many aftermarket oil'd filters screw around with the maf sensor. ive switched to afe dry filters. so far so good, got the drop in filter for the runner.
 
I'm not saying that a CAI is going to cause a CEL. I'm just saying that the pores are being more open is more apt to let bigger pieces of dust and debris into the AI, hitting the MAF, and making it dirty. Especially if you hit trails or desert more often.


Totally agree. I actually need to clean mine soon lol. The MAF is due for cleaning on any 4Runner about 100K.
 
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but that looks like one of those "universal" diy spectre intake kits?

As someone else mentioned, swap the section that contains the vacuum lines with the section that the sensor is mounted on. Right now you are letting in unmetered air. I'm sure that is the issue.

If that's not it, I do have some experience with this same style of intake system. Those coupling clamps don't seal worth a damn. I smoke tested the intake system on a 5.0 swapped bronco that had a lean/no start backfire with one of these intakes on it. Smoke came out around every clamp. sealed it up with silicone, returned the idle screw to where it should have been and the same with the distributor. It fired right up.

Not sure why everyone is so quick to jump on a dirty mass air flow sensor after just a few hours of use... Maybe if you lived in the UAE...

edit: one final question.. what is the diameter of the intake tubing you installed? I imagine 3 inch, but I have seen the wrong size used before
 
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The vacuum line with the shiny new hose on it goes after the MAF (the other one before the MAF as you have it).

The other possibility is that the Spectre MAF 'section' itself is the problem. One trick CAI makers use is to increase the diameter of their MAF section slightly, which fools the computer into thinking there is LESS airflow than there really is, making the mixture lean. On most stock engines, leaning out the mixture a bit at WOT will gain a slight amount of power (which is where a lot of the CAI 'power increase' claims come from). The ECM will generally relearn the long-term fuel trims and adjust for normal driving, but the short-term fuel trims will always show lean, and sometimes throw a code.

If it were me, I'd go back to stock. With that setup, you've got a 'hot air intake', unless you build a box around the filter to keep hot engine-bay air out and route colder air in from the fender well (like the factory box). You might have the potential for more airlow with that filter over stock (and it will make more of that cool noise that makes you think your truck is faster) but the engine doesn't NEED (thus can't use) that extra airflow (unless you have a supercharger) but it does need cold air to make the most power. That setup will likely net less power on a hot day than a stock setup.
 
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I put the vaccum lines after the maf and sealed the clamps around each piece. It seems to be fine now. Hasn't thrown a CEL. So I think this fixed the problem. Thanks to everyone!! Toyota4Life!!
 
Your shiny air tube is supposed to be after the MAF and that is because your engine needs surface area backpressure for that tube to work. I tried it and it works 90% of the time.
http://www.offroadsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/5vzswap92-600x250.jpg

Look how that tube goes to a little box. If you cut your cold air intake short ram in half and use it in combination with the small box. It will fix your problem with p0171.

I prefer weapon R intakes for their growly sound lol.

I worked on yotas for a while. And noticed that the box cools air greatly for the air system. Lean codes due to heat or lack of surface area. You can use your original short ram but maybe use a coil of air tube before it hooks to your short ram as a second suggestion.. half oem and half after market being the first. Cheers!
 

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