ok first things first, i have read the CEL sticky and i did research the Article with the p0171 code... BUT i need some guidance on where to start..
CHECK IT...
I have an 06 cobalt SC full vibrant longtube headers and downpipe, CAI injen.. ive never had the 2nd bank o2 sensor in the down pipe for the last year plus, and never had this problem...

Problem is, just recently my car while i was driving would have sputtering issues while i was coming to a stop and sitting at idle. it would do small jumps from 800-1500 rpms and then sometimes die or sometimes level out and just idle at 1000 rpms. I cant hold the gas at 2k rpms because it will slowly rise up with alot of effort and just drop adn try again, so driving makes me sound like a newb when i take off lol.. any ways, i have no problem starting the car but i ran through a friggin tank of gas in 180 miles!!! wtf!?!?! i went and had my codes ran and i pulled up p0171 p0141 and p1133, which i believe per the advanced autozone guys reader is, undetectable by his machine or whatever...

i read on the sticky the possibilities of problems... Air intake, o2 sensor, fuel injectors, MAF sensor, Vaccums.... ok what i have tried so far was i took off my intake cleaned it, unplugged the maf that plugged into the CAI and disconnected the battery and replugged the MAF and the battery and started the car up... nothing but a clean airfilter came of that...

Next step that i want to take is to check the fuel injectors, reason why i say this is, previously before a couple weeks ago, i had no inner tire well plastic that divided my front tire and my CAI, well when it would rain, my intake would suck in water and spit out tons of white smoke behind me.... yea so im thinkin maybe injector finally **** on me?

PLEASE GIMME A LIL INPUT!! much appreciated guys!!! (sry for the long ass story)

 

my LSJ used to get this with my zzp 3in intake, used to sputter real bad especially when cold out, and sometimes want to die. Got the code twice, just cleared it.

 

Do u have a afr gauge??? If so what is it reading when it does this??? And get a hydro shield its worth its weight in gold..lol and do u just have a plug in bank 2???

 

Try cleaning your MAF sensor

 

Ive heard of this problem happening before and all it was was the throttle body got oil and dirt from the cai.. You should try that. It's been working for a bunch of other people with the exact same problem. Plus tb cleaner is only $3 or $4!! Let me know if that works! It's very possible that the water sucking in your intake was enough to pull debris and oil into your tb causing the internals to stick and this causing the idle problem and throwing codes.

Oh and don't forget after you clean the tb to reset your ECM by disconnecting the battery for 5 or 10 minutes.. That should clear it up if it's what I think it is..

 

P0141 HO2S Heater Performance Sensor 2 -PCM
P0171 Fuel Trim System Lean -PCM
P1133 HO2S Insufficient Switching Sensor 1 -PCM

 

I dont have an afr gauge(idk what that is lol) and i have a hydro shield but it only does so much when you are driving through down poors back to back lol.. tx is working its way out of that drought.. ALTHOUGH... it has won me over! i love that dam thing! best accessory you could ever buy for your CAI!

Good thought, i haven tried it, i only disconnected it...

it could be, i did have my TB replaced along with the PCM about a year ago... ill check that out, how would i go about cleaning it? just remove the intake and clean it? or direct me to the thread that has it.... and when i left the battery disconnected about 5-10 mins last time but ill give it a go this time again..

 

DUDE!!! i kinda hope it is!! the ******* dealer replaced that crap a year ago when it went out.. but i went into engine reduced mode and had worse crap go on when PCM went out.. i was thinkin it tho.. plus i had like 8 codes pop on it too.. tps code as well.

 

A friend of mine was having very similar issues to what you are having but was only throwing a P0171. But would sputter and randomly stall. Cleaned his MAF sensor last night and it runs like a champ. So hopefully it's something simple like that.

 

Afr gauge is air to fuel ratio... If u have modded ur car (intake and exhaust) ur afr will be off... U need an afr gauge to tune... And ur gonna need a tune... And clean ur throttle body and mafsensor.. They sell maf sensor cleaner just spray and let dry... When I clean my throttle body I just take off my intake and use carb cleaner and a rag...but I know some ppl taks it off and clean it...

 

sweet... MAF clean and TB clean... i can make that happen, ill let yall know if that dont work.. next step PCM... lol..

 

Yup let us know. There's a guy on here that has a thread about how it cured his idle problem.. Hopefully it's that simple. I hope that helps it for you. But those would be the first things I would think of and try.. They make tb cleaner at oreilys autozone and advance auto parts and I wanna say its under 5 and you just spray and wipe and as far as the maf sensor they should have some kind of solvent for that too.. Another it could possibly be is the fuse box.. There's a circuit board in there that runs all sorts of things like that. It could be bad.. But let's all hope for your sake it's the cheap stuff! Let us know!! The circuit board is $200 at gmpartsdirect.com.. Good luck!!

 

I know my LT kept giving me this so i turned it off. same sensor in the stock mani now no more codes so sensor is still good

 

^ do what now?? lol..

 

I soaked the MAF once in my 06 LSJ by driving through a SC downpour, and after it finished running the water through the engine, it through a P0171.

This part sounds like the PCM switching to open loop due to a percvieved MAF failure:
But this part makes it sound like a vacuum leak:
It could be your TPS though. I had mine go into limp mode about a week ago because of a difference in TPS voltage and actual TB voltage. Turned out to be the TB, but I ordered a new TPS (w/Accelerator Pedal) just in case. So if that ends up being your problem, I can sell you the one I got from Rock Auto. Never even took it out of the box.

 

Id like to add to suggest to check your intake for leaks. A Leak in your intake will allow unmeasured air into your induction and engine wich will coase your system to run leaner then programed and thus increase your ltfts

 

that wont throw the afr off:cussing

 

See when the tps code threw a few months ago it ended up being the PCM. Smfh... Idk... Ima check for leaks first

 

My course of action would be:
1. Clean the MAF
2. Clean the TB
3. (While MAF and TB are drying) Check IM bolts, SC bolts, and filter clamp
4. Re-install MAF/TB and check TB clamp
5. If problem is not solved, check the intake tube itself for holes.

If it's not solved after that, its probably not vacuum related

 

I'm not the greatest at repairs, but from what you say, it definitely sounds like the MAF needs cleaning, or the throttle body.

Also, can you install a MAF backwards? There's an arrow for the direction of air right? Just thinking little errors..

 

i've heard of it being done, not sure how though. the screw holes dont line up i thought

 

check check and check....

and ya it wont line up if you try and flip it around...

.... OK so yesterday i took off the intake and the TB and went through a bottole of carb choke/tb cleaner, and checked for any kinda vacuum leaks after reinstalling everything, and left the battery unplugged for about 30-45 mins... results...

Car doesnt run as harsh, and its alot smoother, but.... it still has the slight idle problems, itll start to jump in the RPMs a little while at a stop light but it mellows right out and sets normal, i think its still running lean as well, but for the most part it IS running +1 better than yesterday..

ideas about the remaining slight idle problems?
FYI TB AND CAI CLEANING WORKED! Good **** guys!

 

Glad to hear that! One more thing I can think of, do you have a aftermarket cai and what brand is it?? Injen and a couple others do cause idle problems cause your maf tables get thrown out of wack.. If yOu have a aftermarket cai it's just going to be like that till you get your tune straight.. Zzp offers a ECM with the option of different intakes to adjust maf tables.. Just a thought.. Oh and what about the cel's you were getting? Still there??

 

Bro ive had similar probs, P0171, 1133,0133. But mine runs fine until it gets warm/hot then poopy and throws codes. I think my issue is the throttle body. As for your idle, with a CIA from injen its expected. I would intertain a tune, for less $ you could contact zzp for a easy flash seeing the mods you have. This is the only case i would suggest a can tune, any more stage mods and you should get a custom tune. FYI, you have to mail them your PCM. A custom tune is def better but $400-650. GL, and keep us posted.

 

ok yea its an injen, but ive had it on the car for a year and a half and this is the first problem ive ever had like this... the last time i had a major problem, the TB and the PCM had to be replaced...
As of now its still burning through gas like a MOTHEREFFER!! only 120 miles and ive gone through 3/4 tank of gas!!! FML.... and the idle does jump up and down a little bit and it still feels a bit restrictive when i press on the gas.. the main thing is that the running car has a problem running fuel correctly... i will check on them codes if i can today and get back with yall...

Thanks again guys for all the input