Hi everyone,

I have an 04 996TT and I was told that I'm running rich (based on the mechanic's smelling the exhaust). What would be possible causes for that to happen? I have stock intake and aftermarket exhaust. I don't have any flashes (as far as I know).

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

The aftermarket exhaust probably has high flow cats or no cats at all so will have a fuel-y scent compared to stock.

If you're still concerned that you're running rich get a Durametric and do some logging so you know for sure.

 

Is the CEL off? Do the readiness monitor tests reach complete on the readiness monitors?

The Turbo engine -- any engine -- runs rich at cold start. This is on purpose to feed unburned fuel to the converters where it is burned to warm the converters up quicker. The fuel is supplied air by the secondary air injection system.

My experience is when the cold idle speed drops to near its hot idle speed and the secondary air pump shuts off the engine controller is operating in closed loop mode.

You might smell some gasoline smell even then as the engine is still a bit cold.

Even hot one might smell an odor of gasoline at the exhaust. Depends upon how sensitive one's nose is.

Absent a CEL accompanied by misfire codes -- rich misfires cause the CEL to flash -- or any fuel mixture codes and no untoward behavior the odor of gasoline is probably just normal.

Of course, with an aftermarket exhaust then what sinKing offered can very well apply too and could account for any odor of gasoline even after the engine/exhaust is up to full operating temperature.

 

First if you want to be sure you have to do some logging with a durametric.
But how do ur exhaust tips look, if they're unusually black and sooty yeah that's rich.
Also how old is ur ignition components, plugs and coils.

 

Gotta' love a calibrated nose! Log it, check for codes, ignore nose...

 

better rich than lean we cant tell anything until you log it. - my car smells, (gutted cats) lol,

you know why it smells: because racecar.