PA inspection and tuning questions

[tlundjr]

I got my SHO last year and it is coming due for inspection, will I need to flash it back to stock for it to pass? Also some general tuning questions, Around 1500 RPM there seems to be a slight misfire, could this be because of the tune or plugs? Also another thing I have noticed is that the transmission is lurchy when driving around town, like its stuck in a low gear. Could this be because of the shift points being altered? Been running on the tune for almost 3 months (would have been longer but fuel pump went while on vacation and had to return to stock before taking to dealership)

 

[ZSHO]

I would always revert back to stock tune for a Dealer and inspection visit just to be on the safe side,how many miles on your SHO?? Are they the original plugs??.  Z

 

[tlundjr]

Coming up on 39000 miles and I replaced the plugs with NGKs when I tuned it. Gapped at .030

 

[ZSHO]

Coming up on 39000 miles and I replaced the plugs with NGKs when I tuned it. Gapped at .030

Are there any codes set? Do you (recall)having any oil inside the spark plug wells,mainly #3 cylinder on the rear drivers side,next to the intake charge pipe.  Z

 

[SHOdded]

x2 on what Z has said above.  Codes first, always.  Pull the plugs, see if there is any hint of wetness and/or fuel smell.  That would indicate a fuel injector problem.  If you are Unleashed tuned, you can run datalogs to check on fuel trims that way also.  Too early for a fouled O2 sensor, but ya never know.

The trans should actually be much smoother when tuned.  Does it lurch even when stock tuned?  If you haven't already, you can have shift pressures dropped to 185-195ish and see if that resolves the issue. 

Also look through the TSBs for your '14 to see if the description sounds familiar/close to what you are experiencing:
http://www.ecoboostperformanceforum.com/index.php/topic,3836.0.html
The 2010-12 TSB's:
http://www.ecoboostperformanceforum.com/index.php/topic,496.0.html

 

[navbtcret]

I live in PA and never flash mine back to stock for inspection. Only time I go back to stock is when I take the car in for warranty work.

 

[tlundjr]

Coming up on 39000 miles and I replaced the plugs with NGKs when I tuned it. Gapped at .030

Are there any codes set? Do you (recall)having any oil inside the spark plug wells,mainly #3 cylinder on the rear drivers side,next to the intake charge pipe.  Z

No there are no codes set and I have pulled the plugs a couple of times and have seen no issues with them oil or fuel smelling wise.

 

[tlundjr]

x2 on what Z has said above.  Codes first, always.  Pull the plugs, see if there is any hint of wetness and/or fuel smell.  That would indicate a fuel injector problem.  If you are Unleashed tuned, you can run datalogs to check on fuel trims that way also.  Too early for a fouled O2 sensor, but ya never know.

The trans should actually be much smoother when tuned.  Does it lurch even when stock tuned?  If you haven't already, you can have shift pressures dropped to 185-195ish and see if that resolves the issue. 

Also look through the TSBs for your '14 to see if the description sounds familiar/close to what you are experiencing:
http://www.ecoboostperformanceforum.com/index.php/topic,3836.0.html
The 2010-12 TSB's:
http://www.ecoboostperformanceforum.com/index.php/topic,496.0.html

When it's stock it does not lurch and feels like a much more solid car, Only when it has been tuned for a bit does it do the lurch, with a fresh tune it is fine and shifts really smooth and no lurch. It does it mainly when i'm driving around town, stop and go, hit the gas and take my foot off to coast and the whole car lurches. I worked with Torrie when I first tuned the car back in May, but nothing ever seemed to resolve the issue in 8 or 9 different tunes, It would always come back after about a week or so. So I thought that I was just over thinking it and just let it go.

 

[ZSHO]

I think a good start would be to clear the PCM memory after having any work done on the vehicle,not sure if you tried to perform a battery relearn,pics below.  Z      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZAsoqmqhdM

 

[tlundjr]

I think a good start would be to clear the PCM memory after having any work done on the vehicle,not sure if you tried to perform a battery relearn,pics below.  Z      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZAsoqmqhdM

Wouldn't that be the same thing as writing a tune to the vehicle? I thought when you tuned the vehicle it reset everything...

 

[SHOdded]

Did you have Torrie lower shift pressures?  You can also try the KAM reset like so:
https://youtu.be/hZAsoqmqhdM

Not sure if the tune resets everything, but I am assuming not.  Only the relevant things it needs to, which SHOULD include trans shift parameters.

When you let go of the gas pedal to coast, fuel cutoff is in play, but still sounds like a trans issue (or a motor mount issue possibly) to me.

 

[ZSHO]

I think a good start would be to clear the PCM memory after having any work done on the vehicle,not sure if you tried to perform a battery relearn,pics below.  Z      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZAsoqmqhdM

Wouldn't that be the same thing as writing a tune to the vehicle? I thought when you tuned the vehicle it reset everything...

I dont think it clears everything though,had thousands of codes stored on my SHO,mostly (U CODES)which are body codes after some repair work,BTW did you ever have your module reprogrammed by the dealer,possibly a dealer flash is in order,need to make sure its up to date.  Z

 

[tlundjr]

I think a good start would be to clear the PCM memory after having any work done on the vehicle,not sure if you tried to perform a battery relearn,pics below.  Z      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZAsoqmqhdM

Wouldn't that be the same thing as writing a tune to the vehicle? I thought when you tuned the vehicle it reset everything...

I dont think it clears everything though,had thousands of codes stored on my SHO,mostly (U CODES)which are body codes after some repair work,BTW did you ever have your module reprogrammed by the dealer,possibly a dealer flash is in order,need to make sure its up to date.  Z

I have tried the Kam Reset from the tuner and lower shift pressures but that didn't help any. As far as I know its never been reprogrammed by the dealer, but what they do with it when they get it is beyond me. (Worked at one shady dealership and dealt with a few others including the one I bought the SHO from, which I found out after the fact.)

 

[ZSHO]

In regards to I/M readiness testing,found an easy way to know if your vehicle is ready after repair work or battery removal.  Z  If the vehicle’s engine or transmission has just been serviced, or the
battery has recently run down or been replaced, the OBD-II system may
indicate that the vehicle is not ready for I/M testing. To determine if the
vehicle is ready for I/M testing, turn the ignition key to the on position
for 15 seconds without cranking the engine. If the service engine soon
indicator blinks eight times, it means that the vehicle is not ready for I/M
testing; if the service engine soon indicator stays on solid, it means that
the vehicle is ready for I/M testing.
The OBD-II system is designed to check the emission control system
during normal driving. A complete check may take several days. If the
vehicle is not ready for I/M testing, the following driving cycle consisting
of mixed city and highway driving may be performed:
15 minutes of steady driving on an expressway or highway followed by
20 minutes of stop-and-go driving with at least four 30-second idle periods.
Allow the vehicle to sit for at least eight hours without starting the engine.
Then, start the engine and complete the above driving cycle. The engine
must warm up to its normal operating temperature. Once the engine is
started, do not turn off the engine until the above driving cycle is
complete. If the vehicle is still not ready for I/M testing, the above driving
cycle will have to be repeate

 

[tlundjr]

Ill try that this weekend after disconnecting the battery. I just hope i'm not slowly killing the transmission.

 

[tlundjr]

Could the plugs themselves be the issue? Also been noticing uneven acceleration...

 

[FoMoCoSHO]

Could the plugs themselves be the issue? Also been noticing uneven acceleration...

If you are having misfires that can make it feel like the tranny is jerky.

 

[66 Galaxie]

And if it is the plugs misfiring the jerking sensation will be most pronounced in high gear and low rpms.

 

[ZSHO]

I think your best option would be a dealer visit especially still having warranty,probably need the tech to perform a (power balance)with IDS software to find out exactly which cylinder is misfiring and proceed from there.  Z

 

[tlundjr]

Would the NGK plugs cause an issue with the warranty since used them to replace the stock ones? I replaced the thermostat too, could I get dinged for that as well?