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YOUR RESEARCHThinking of a tune...
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Check owner's manual
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Read evidence and context
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Suggestion
Check the owner's manual for this car or any other.
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Suggestion
if u really want to dig it out, u can go to dealer with porsche computer to hook up with your car and check all paramters of your running engine.
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Suggestion
if u really want to dig it out, u can go to dealer with porsche computer to hook up with your car and check all paramters of your running engine.
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Suggestion · Original poster
Haha, lets see, make my Porsche run longer and cause less wear and tear...
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So Winter came and the temps dropped to around 20-30 degrees outside. My 99 C4 seems to be running fairly rich now. I'm also pretty sure it smells like gas after driving for awhile. No leaks of anything as far as I've noticed btw. So now I'm thinking I should get a tune to make it not run as rich if it is running this rich during winter. Even after idling for a long time the exhaust is still dripping a lot of fuel condensation. Any ideas here? Tune or just deal with it?
Considering tuning cost $500-$1000 in my area, I would save my money and buy something else with it.
If it is smoking black smoke there is something wrong FI wise, should not be running too rich even in the cold.
It is not smoking black smoke at all, just white, and just the white that almost all cars here are putting out in the cold. That's how much tuning would cost me too probably. While we're on the subject as a side question what would you go with Tippy?
I just can't figure out why it smells a little funny after driving for awhile ever since its been cold. And no, it definitely isn't the clutch. So I figured it was an issue with the fuel with how much drips out when idling in this weather. Wonder if I just ran over a plastic bag like one winter in our old S2000, smelled for weeks and it turned out a plastic back was stuck to the exhaust and melting slowly as we drove...
That isn't fuel, it's water. It's a natural by-product of the combustion process and it indicates that the engine/exhaust system isn't completely warmed up.
BTW, if you're idling the car during cold weather to warm it, that's the wrong thing to do. Start it up, wait a second for the oil pressure to come up, and immediately drive it. Use a light throttle until it comes up to operating temperature.
If you still notice water coming from the exhaust after you've driven the car, you haven't driven it long enough.
your emission system needs to reach a very high temp to burn extra gasline in the exhaust.
in cold, they are not as effecint, that's why the gas smell.
i don't know what u mean by "tune up", those cars dont need it. if u have lean/rich problem, u will get check engine light.
the white stuff is mostly water.
if u really want to dig it out, u can go to dealer with porsche computer to hook up with your car and check all paramters of your running engine.
20~30 degree is nothing, put winter tires on and have fun.
Hmm, this isn't just a response to you Doug but that's interesting. Is it necessarily "bad" to warm up this car by idling it? Meaning starting it and waiting inside (with a careful eye on it, of course) and letting it warm up? I don't just sit in the car and wait for it to warm up if I'm going some where right away. Call me stupid but you saying "that's the wrong thing to do" makes me think that.
And otherwise alright, thanks for the help everyone. I'm not used to so much water coming out of the exhaust during cold weather so that's good to know. As well as the likely cause of the smell, pl.
Thank you all again.... I feel like such an idiot...
And trust me, I have snow tires and have had plenty of fun
Hence part of the concern of the smell
What do you plan to "tune"? Are you thinking of getting an aftermarket computer or reprogramming the stock unit? Just seems silly to me unless you've got a wideband O2 reading suggesting you are rich. If anything the colder air would be denser causing a slight lean condition, not a rich condition.
Check the owner's manual for this car or any other. In the section that talks about starting the car, it'll say something to the effect that you should begin driving immediately after starting the car.
If you need defroster heat to clear the windshield, etc., you don't have much choice. But idling any engine to bring it up to temperature is something that should be avoided because it contributes to excessive wear and tear due to the thing running for a longer period of time outside of the normal operating temperature.
But it's your car and your money so do whatever makes your life easier or happier.
I guy named Brian 944 (if my memory serves) wrote a long article on why you should drive immediately after starting a Porsche engine on Flat-6.net. Sounded like he knew what he was talking about.
Haha, lets see, make my Porsche run longer and cause less wear and tear... Or make my life easier... I think the first one makes me happier.
Good to know. Thanks Doug, I'll have to see the manual, I'm quite shocked... I wonder if all my cars have been like this
Oh, and I just thought I NEEDED a tune. I'm not used to the flat 6 or the short exhaust piping I guess... So I assumed the severe water (which, yes, I actually just touched it and smelled it to be sure on my lunch break) was actually fuel. I have heard of cars running much richer in colder environments so I thought that was happening. Figured if it was running that rich a tune could yield some more gas mileage and a decent bit more horsepower... Guess I'm just dreaming again that the C4 would be as easy/responsive to mods as the Evo
Its a good thing we have forums like these... The S2000 pretty much had to be idled and warmed up to drive properly (vtec) and the Evo didn't matter much but you did have to let it cool down on idle for a bit after driving hard.... Anyway, thanks for the help. Mods can close this thread now if you want.
