My xfire (2006, 11,000 miles) is garaged during the winter. About every 7-10 days I start it and run until it gets warm. If the weather is ok I drive it--very seldom this last winter. Recently the "check engine light" is on. The dealer said he thought it was bad gas. They checked all the possibilites and it was ok. Now every time I stop on an incline the car nearly stalls and I get the check engine light--suggestions?????

 

If you have a CEL, you have to get the codes. We can help you then.

 

What max said. Also, if a mod would move this to the right section you'd get even more helpful advice and ides. Not being hard on you, just trying to give you some helpful advice.

If the check engine light is on, have the codes pulled at autozone or advanced (they should give you a print out) or atleast write them down. Then come back here and post them up. Then we can better help you diagnose your problem and hopefully help you out with a solution

 

P0171 Bank 1 lean.

I found this at MBWorld.org

P0171 System too lean OBD code - MBWorld.org Forums

You may have to join (not a bad thing-and free!) to view photos.

The God of MB knowledge (Buellwinkle) says:

p0131 & p0171 codes - MBWorld.org Forums

But before you start throwing cash at it, run the gas low and refill with top-tier 93 octane.

Clear the code and see if it re-appears.

Best of luck!

 

I'm not trying to be a cynic, but do you have some form of warranty that will run out and then the stealership can say its a fuel injection problem or something else and it will cost $$$$?
A bad fuel diagnosis with no supporting evidence is a bum call. He should have said what the codes were, a CEL usually sets one or two or three.
I would not return to this shop again unless it was the best of a bad lot.

 

I bought the car new but it is out of warranty (time). The dealer used the CEL, he showed the print out but I didn't notice the code number (hey I am an old non-mechanic). However, he did say they chased each possbility -- all checked out ok. The same problem happened three weeks later--same story. Each time the dealer charged me nothing. He said run the car nearly out of gas, re-set code to zero, fill with new gas and see what happens. On both occasions the car "sputtered" leaving a stop sign on the top of a small hill---um..........
thanks for your input

 

The "incline" issue really does make it sound like a H2O in the fuel.

Try some alcohol based water remover- run the car low on fuel.
Fill it up from a top-tier busy station.
Add another alcohol water remover and take a good long drive.

Next tank try a can of Seafoam for a final cleaning.


PS. when storing your car (in in a non-heater storge area) keep the fuel tank as full as possible.

 

Remember that gas attracts and absorbs moisture. So when storing the car for long periods of time you need to put a fuel stabilizer in the tank to keep the gas fresh for long periods of time.

 

Good advice.

 

Gasoline does not attract water and does not mix wth water, ethanol does mix with water quite freely.
The following is a quote from this site; Entropy and Solubility
Gasoline is a mixture of hydrocarbons, including hexane. Gasoline and water do not mix because the nonpolar hydrocarbon molecules would disrupt the water in such a way as to produce a structure that was actually lower entropy; therefore, the mixture is less likely to exist than the separate liquids.
I do not understand any of it so please, no questions.

 

I was trying to not get technical. Most gasolines today are blended with 10% ethanol by volume. Ethanol is hygroscopic, meaning it attracts moisture. Therefore gasoline will attract moisture.

 

I was just making the point that it's not the gas but the ethanol in it, that's not too technical. The amount of water absorbed will be minimal.
I do not see water as the problem, the problem could just be an injector or two or a glitch in the pollution control system.

 

Had not started my car for a few weeks and it has been cold here N.M. last few weeks. Crossfire is car ported only. While idling, the "Check Engine" light on for first time ever. I added HEET to the tank in case of moisture buildup and set out for AutoZone where the guy could not find the in cabin plug-in and was fairly non-plussed about my problems. Then off to O'Reilly's where a cooler guy checked the in cabin plug in without any problems and handed me a print out of my 'problem' listed as "p0410 Secondary Air Injection System".

On way to car parts stores, I had driven around a bit purposely shaking up the full gas tank a bit with turns and brakes...After getting my bad news printed report, I started the car at O'Reilly's parking lot prepared to head home with future time at mechanics to fix the 'problem' but noticed the bright yellow warning light to be OFF.

Went for a nice high speed drive under the New Mexico starlight and car is back home all copacetic. Maybe shouldn't wait so long for next outing. With so many older cars along the way, I keep HEET on hand always. Well worth 89 cents a bottle.

Thanks for 'being there' forum. If light returns you'll undoubtedly hear from moi again.

 

They probably cleared the code. It will pop back on when the problem comes back. It is probably an intermittent problem, a relay sticking, bad ground etc.

 

Well, gas bad or no gas bad. I would first run it low on gas fill with good gas, and immediately change the fuel filter. While under there changing the fuel filter, check the fuel pump for corrosion on the wiring to the fuel pump right next to the filter.

 

Excellent advice...thanks.

 

What advice would that be?
At least show which post you are answering.

 

Began yesterday with this #13 post permalinked at https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...tml#post774235

They are showing up on one page on my screen....sorry to rile you up so, "180 Forum Sponsor".

 

You are not riling me up, but unless the post you are referencing is shown in the post you make, you reply often does not make sense to the other people and they do not answer. I have often ignored threads that I had input into when they became unintelligible because of bad feedback etc.

I know you started at #13, I answered it. The bad gas, new filter etc advice had nothing to do with the 0410 code and could cost you money for no reason. The 0410 code is well documented and the solution should be easy to find.