I was told that a reason I could be running so lean is because since I have added a CAI and 2.5" catback exhaust i need to reprogram my computer to add more fuel or get a chip. This didnt sound right so I figured Id run it by you guys. Also, my car is running quite lean, is it safe to baby it for about 15 miles to the mechanics shop? I dont wanna blow her up.

neither a CAI or catback (or a combination of both) will make your car lean. you cannot reprogram our computers (well, not unless you are a manual 97 and you want to buy a new one), and the chips dont work. our computers are smart and dont like to be fucked with.

BTW, how do you know that you are lean? there should be no reason for you to have an a/f guage, did you pull a code or something?

take the negative battery cable off for about 5 seconds, then put her back on.

I pulled 2 lean codes and my AF says im very lean. I have the AF because I got it from a friend who was parting out his car for $10 but I plan on selling it. If it was my timing that is off, how far off would it have to be for it to be lean? Also I was thinking it could be a vaccum leak. Which hoses should I check? Any help is appreciated.

post the codes so we know what kinda situation u are in, could just be a O2 sensor malfunction. and what a/f gauge are you basing you analysis on?? im hoping it's not an autometer..... cause you would be wasting your time watching the lil blinky light guage.

my car will sound like, bumbabumbubavrooooooooooooooomrooooooooahhhhhhhhhhhhh, kishhhhhh
www.dsmregistry.com/detail.php?carid=643
VW= The joy of driving
DSM= The frustration of fixing

Agreed. Don't ever go back to a shop that tells you your intake and exhaust are causing your engine to run lean and that you need some chip. Seriously. They want to sell you some eBay shit and nothing more. Post your codes, but disconnect the battery for a minute or so and let the ECU relearn everything for a bit first.

Well I went to autozone and bought a new O2 sensor and now its working fine. The only thing I dont understand is why it went bad all of a sudden. Before I did the engine work it was fine, but after it didnt work. O well it runs great now. Thanks for the help.

Originally posted by Pyroman415
Well I went to autozone and bought a new O2 sensor and now its working fine. The only thing I dont understand is why it went bad all of a sudden. Before I did the engine work it was fine, but after it didnt work. O well it runs great now. Thanks for the help.

If you have a bad ground for your A/F guage then this doesn't surprise me. That's what I went through. Car bogged down after load, didnt like idling, threw all kinds of system too lean codes. Pulled the guage...*poof* All was well. Just wish I would have figured it out before I bought a new o2 sensor. :bash