please help! zzp pcm issue!

i just got my car back from the body shop, and installed my pcm...everything worked fine for two days, then last night, i was racing my buddy's 02 gtp (3"d/p,cai,3.4 mps,104's,18o tstat,custom tune) and i wqas smokin him...im almost stock right now, except for the pcm...anyway, the check engine light came on, so we scanned it and came back as "running too lean, (bank 1)" i dont remember what exactly the number of the code was...

any ideas? i had the pcm on for three days before the accident and didnt have any problems, but i re-installed the stock unit for when it was in the shop, so i know it wasnt something they did....

PLEASE help me out, because im mighty angry right now and want to know how to fix this...

$10 says it has nothing to do with the PCM. If it wasn't doing it before, why would it start now?

my guess is probably your O2 sensor is crapping out.

My $.02: Vacuum leak.

That's a good possibility as well...

why would the code not be there before installing the zzp pcm, and not come on with the new one? what should i try? i LOVE my pcm, and dont really want to send it back for retuning, so i would like to try and fix it...

the O2 sensors list for around 80 bux each, and i dont really have the cash to blow on them only to find out they did nothing...is there any way to test and see?

and how would i know if it was a vaccuum leak and find it?

I would have to concur on the 02 sensor I do'ntt think it'sw an issue with the pcm,a code would help to diagnose your problem.Chico(Pops)

what can i do about the sensor...how do i tell if its gone bad, and wouldnt the stock pcm pick this up as well?

two things... did you have the battery disconnected for more then 30 min before you installed or after you installed the new PCM?

the reason i ask is cause you need to let the fuel trims reset and adjust to the new pcm.

also did you do this the first time you had the pcm installed?

how long did you have pcm in the car before you raced your friend? was it two days like you say? how much did you drive the car before you raced him?

Second:
i have a copy of ZZP's GTP pcm file in front of me. they cut fuel enrichment by about half! making WOT much leaner then stock. on my friends car this caused serious KR issues. as of right now i had to pretty much redo most of what ZZP did in his PCM. Im not saying their PCM's are bad, but it shows not every car will have the same results with the same mods. (also can explain why you could beat your friend with all his mods!)


the things in a bin (besides reduction of KR and timing) that give the most increase in Acceleration are: Trany Shift points and adjusting Torque managment.

would think it had alittle something to do with u racing, system was just too lean for the demand! would not really worry about it.
If u have a scan too monitor it for abit, maybe the O2 is going

i used my scanner and it came up p0171 i think, system too lean (bank 1) and i checked the status of all the system monitors and the only one that would pass was the 02 sensor...BUT, if my sensor was bad, wouldnt the stock pcm pick it up also?
thanks for all the help so far!!!

every mod i do is turning around to bite me in the butt...im about to turn the car back to stock....GRRRRRRR!!!!!

welcome to the world of modding... costs you your car's reliability, if you can't deal with the consequences, don't do it. Yes it sucks but just like they said in the other thread about premium gas, you gotta pay to play.

That's why I have two vehicles. One is decent on gas and reliable, while my GP can hog gas and be a play thing.

yea, i love the gtp...and i loved the modding...but so far, nothing is working out for me...should i try replacing the sensors? its gonna cost about 170 bucks, or should i send the pcm in and get it re-tuned?

how is an O2 sensor gonna cost you $170?

Even ZZP's Denso Race O2 sensor is only $75, and their regular one is $40ish.

the parts stores around here are about 75 bux a piece...

hell the O2 for my Z34 is $125!

you only need one. the rear O2 only tells your PCM if your cat is working or not. Bosch is crap in our cars... get the AC Delco one from ZZP:

http://www.zzperformance.com/grand_prix/products1.php?id=417

It's only $39.99

not to thread jack... but since everyone is talken about PCM's if i bought a pcm from ed morad and used that as my core or sent that in first to get programed when i would get it back would it work ... or would they program that pcm to whatever car it came from?? i just figured it would be cheeper this way so i can keep my stock pcm just incase anything happens

If you go through sparkplugs.com and enter dodgeforum (I think) in the coupon area, you can get a Denso for under $50 shipped. I've got a Denso NIB ready for when I fire my car up.

Denso is good and all, but you can't go wrong with a genuine GM AC delco O2 sensor for like $45 shipped. Stock replacement is the way to go

drummerboy, is that the front or rear? should i just try the front? someone said earlier in this post that they changed the air/fuel ratio so much in their pcm that could be the problem...think that has anything to do with it? because ive been running the stock pcm for almost a week and no ses light came on........

Right after I installed the Plog, my front O2 sensor went. Maybe the changes in the PCM created enough of a disturbance to send the O2 sensor over the edge, as in the changes made the engine components function differently which in turn crapped on the O2.

i apologize for being repetitive, but if it the 02 sensor was bad, wouldn't i still be throwing a code

I don't think it's the O2 sensor myself.

It wouldn't have to be an O2 sensor to throw that code. You could have a simple vacuum leak, maybe a hose slipped off. If you want to have it checked and your scanner can't pull what O2 sensors are doing, go to a mechanic's shop and ask him to hook his scanner up. Chances are, he'll have one that can pull more information.

so now were talking vacuum leak? where would i start looking for that?

Easy. Get a can of carb cleaner or starting fluid. Start the engine and start spraying around all your vacuum lines/intake. As soon as the idle goes up, you've found your leak.

Yah, more then likely you need to get scanned and tuned, because that PCM has broad tables. It's not designed specifically for your car. I would find someone some how close by to hook up a TUNER and figure out whats up.

yea thats what i was looking for, but theres no one around here that tunes the 03...my buddy has a pt that does 98-02, so thats useless to me...anyone around philly,pa that will tune....im willing to travel

He should at least be able to scan and investigate with the PT.

Read this thread. You should be able to tune 03 now.

i think he is going to be upgrading so he can tune it, but i didnt feel like waiting around for him to get motivated...but well see what happens

You have to be the motivator!

Question: If i was to order the ZZP 1.0 PCM would I have to run on premium? I have a 2000 GT n/a.

yes you need to run premium with any aftermarket PCM.

there have been many threads on this topic that you can reference if you have any questions about why that is

dont see why you wouldnt want to run premium? your spending HOW MUCH on performance mods and about $100 for a pcm but you cant afford $.10 more a gallon? i never understood this.... we have what a 16 gal tank even if it was 20! thats $2! TWO DOLLARS and you have spent how much on mods....

its the same thing with tires... so many people spend all this money on performance parts and still run around on a set of grandma all season economy tires.

as for the tuner.... yes he just needs the newest software version from DHP. but even with his old software, he can still scan your car.