I have a 2013 F150 Ecoboost, running an SCTx4 91 performance canned tune (which might be the issue).
The truck has been running rich, and I get a puff of black smoke on hard acceleration. I’ve been getting the P0172 code at random times. After resetting it, the truck can be fine for a week, a day, or just an hour.
I’ve monitored live data with an app, and the long-term fuel trim for bank 1 is always around -25. Bank 2 is lower but still in the -20s.
I’ve cleaned the three MAP sensors, and the plugs were recently changed and gapped. The O2 sensors seem to be reading fine.
I’ll try to attach the freeze frame from the last time the code popped up.
Has anyone else had fuel issues with SCT tunes? I plan on getting a custom tune soon but want to fix this issue first.
From your screenshots, both banks are running rich based on the fuel trims. If the O2 sensors are good, try disconnecting a vacuum line while watching the fuel trims. If they start to go down, it could be an air restriction or a problem with the MAP sensor.
I’m going to try to get the drivers on my laptop working tonight so I can connect to the SCT x4 and get a proper datalog. In live data, the O2 sensors seem to be working. Both long-term fuel trims show the engine is running rich, but bank 1 is worse, which is why I’m getting the code.
Both banks are below -20, which would trigger a rich code since the long-term fuel trims (LTFT) should be between -10 and +10, closer to zero. If your truck is stock and the canned tune is for stock, it should work fine. To be sure, try reinstalling the stock tune and see if the fuel trims go back to normal. Custom tunes, like from 5 Star, are better if you’ve added any mods to your engine.
These are the plugs from bank 1.
tried to datalog with livelink but don’t really understand it yet. Also screenshots of live data with stock tune. At idle and brake boosted.
Looks like the long-term fuel trims (LTFT) are back to normal with the stock tune, so that rich code should be gone soon based on the fuel trim data. Ditch the canned tune and go for a custom one
I read everything except the last part where it mentioned, “oh yeah, this is the stock tune logs.”
Did you reset the KAM (Keep Alive Memory) after loading the stock tune? It also seems like there might be something restricting airflow (as the previous poster mentioned). Have you checked the intake and everything else?
Both banks are running rich. I’d check for fuel leaking into the intake. If your truck has a fuel pressure regulator, remove the vacuum hose and see if fuel is coming out of the vacuum port. Also, the fuel pressure shown on the scan data (21 psi) seems low. That might be normal, but it’s unusual for a modern system. Compare the actual fuel pressure to what the scanner shows. If the pressure is lower than it should be, the computer might be keeping the injectors open longer.
Try disconnecting a vacuum hose while watching the fuel trims to see if they move closer to zero. If they do, you’ll know where to focus. For example, there was a case where a piece of factory foam came off and blocked the air intake, causing the truck to run rich and lose power. Leaking injectors can also cause this problem. Maybe others will share their experiences with similar issues. Hope you get it fixed!
It’s unlikely you have a leaky injector on both sides at the same time, but you can easily check. Attach a pressure gauge and see if the pressure drops quickly when you turn off the engine.
You might not smell fuel in the gas, depending on how much is leaking. There are two fuel pressures to check: one before the mechanical pump and one after, which should be much higher. Make sure both pressures are correct.
Another thing to check is if the MAF sensor is reading high for the amount of air coming in.
Did you ever fix your P0172 code? I’m getting the same code with -25% LTFT and a rough idle. I’ve replaced several parts but still haven’t solved the problem. I’ve been dealing with this for over a month. My next step is to pull and clean the throttle body. I’m stuck on what to do next.
