Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications 3.0L Duratec The 3L is up and running!

After nearly 10 months of sitting, my CSVT is finally running again, with a 3L no doubt. The parts list is as follows:

- 2003 Sable 3L Duratec (~17k miles)
- 3L oval port heads (port matched to SVT LIM, 3-angle valve job, other key areas massaged (all done by Livernois Motorsports))
- 3L oil pan
- SVT cams
- SVT LIM (stock 19# injectors, gutted secondaries)
- SVT UIM
- SVT TB and MAF
- DMD (pre-existing mod)
- SHO-Shop Intake (pre-existing mod)
- Weapon-R headers and Y-pipe
- Tru-bendz 3-bolt high flow cat
- exhaustdirect.com 3-bolt flex pipe
- Tru-bendz 2.5" catback (pre-existing mod)
- Torsen T-2 Limited Slip Differential
- SPEC Stage 3 clutch
- SPEC aluminum flywheel
- SCT XCal-2 with PRP

*Thanks to my brother who installed everything!

DTC's at the moment:
- P0171 (bank 1 lean)
- P0174 (bank 2 lean)
- P1131 (bank 1 O2 sensor malfunction)

Review:
I still can't wipe the smile off of my face for finally getting to drive my CSVT again, even if it's not running as good as it needs to be . Right now the car has been idling pretty rough, like lower than it should be, and slightly oscillating up and down in RPM in about a 1 second wavelength (sorry, I got burnt out on Physics II last semester). It also occasionally stalls if the RPMs drop too quickly (i.e. pushing the clutch in during deceleration). I think both of those problems coincide with the P0171 and P0174 codes, and possibly point to some sort of vacuum leak (hopefully not a gasket). The P1131 code just seems to indicate that I need to replace the bank 1 upstream O2 sensor.

Other than those problems it seems to run pretty well for how much has changed. There is definitely some tuning that needs to be done in the RPMs below the old IMRC point. I disabled it in the computer but haven't completely compensated for it in the fuel/timing department. There is mostly a lack of power below IMRC, but it does try and spike up occasionally, so I know it's there, but it just has to be tuned up and smoothed out.

I richened the lower RPMs by 10% and the upper RPMs by 5%, and added 4* of timing across the whole range, and it seems to be running noticeably better. I also played around with the dashpot decay rate to try to stop the car from stalling on deceleration, and it seems to be helping even though the car stalled two more times after I changed it.

I also got livinsvt's Innovate LM-1 wideband A/F meter hooked up to it (thanks Bret!), and it seems to be lean at partial throttle and idle (was idling anywhere from 16-21:1 ), but it was pretty close to what it should be at WOT.

So far I have about 250 miles on the car. I absolutely love how the SPEC flywheel makes the car rev. The SPEC Stage 3 clutch doesn't take any more pressure to push than my stock SVT clutch did. There is definitely a shorter engagement to it, but nothing terribly hard to street. It does shudder a bit at times if you apply the gas and engage it in a certain way, but it seems to be getting better as it keeps getting broken in. There is some slight chatter when the car is in neutral and the clutch is engaged, but it really isn't that noticeable at all.

The exhaust note sounds great and very mean, but not obnoxiously loud, and there's no droning on the highway. The fitment of the Tru-bendz cat was a bit of a problem, though. The washers they sent with it were too small and very flimsy, and the weird angle at the end that connects to the catback made us have to use a thicker gasket along with the one they supplied me. The weird angle also caused the catback to shift towards the passenger side which made the muffler rub, and occasionally vibrate, on the underside of the car. I'm going to take it to a muffler shop to have it fixed as soon as I get some spare cash.

Thanks to 5Speed3.0SE, livinsvt, DemonSVT, warmonger, SVTCuervo, fastcougar, Blackcoog, Livernois Motorsports, exhaustdirect.com, Brent at Brenspeed, Tru-bendz, Weapon-R, SCTFlash and everyone else who helped out with this project, for either giving me advice and insight, or getting me parts at discounted prices. I appreciate it! Pictures of pretty much everything are available if anyone is interested.

P.S. If anyone wants to give me advice on how to get my car running in top shape, I would also appreciate it!

The 16-21 at idle isn't so bad, its the 36-41 that had me concerned.

The setup looks great. Not even a trained eye would no it was a 3.0. You would have to find the stamping on the block. Glad you got it done and glad I could help. Well sorta help at least.

good to hear! I love driving my car all over again!

Congratulations!

Your rough idle is most likely associated with the extra air coming in through the LIM it's not expecting ... get this fuel/timing maps massaged for the lack of the LIM secondaries and all will be good!

SVT 19# injectors + SVT MAF + SVT ECU = Looking for IMRC. The IMRC blocks off roughly 1/2 the engine's incoming air (more like 40-40% due to diameter difference in primary vs. secondary openings) until activation point. If you have "pinned" or "gutted" the IMRC, but are using the SVT ECU, the timing/fuel curves are expecting it. Thus, you are getting only enough fuel for 1/2 the air you are letting in. The "surging" is due to the engine trying to compensate via O2 readings. Fatten up the pre IMRC RPM range with fuel and play with the timing and you should be fine. DemonSVT can get more specific on the numbers to adjust to since he has done this before.

So strange how each car responds differently to 3L engines. My oval port runs pretty well. Only code is for gutted precats. Biggers that I did has the same exact set up and gets an IMRC code. No ryhme or reason as to what will happen it seems.

It's all in the tune ... you will get her sorted out

Mine runs fine for the most part. Idle hunts here and there, but now I can't get it past emissions inspection because a few tests aren't complete and it had 250 miles on it!