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Tracker1989-2004
This compact SUV proved itself to be a fine ecnomical vehicle, good for making its way along any type of surface. Platform: CAMI (Suzuki)
HI! New Tracker owner - lucky to score a 2000 4 dr hardtop automatic 4x4 with only 54,000 kms on it. One older gent owned it to tow begind his motor home, only he decided he didn't like the traveling life! It is the first North American made vehicle I have owned in 21 years. I hope it lasts as long as the 21 yr old Subaru I just retired.... Does anyone have any after market 'accessories' that they really find useful?
I don't think you have a North American Vehicle. A tracker is a Suzuki with GM badges. It's a great Car.
A couple months ago I picked up my first ZUKI/Chevy Tracker - 1998 2 Dr 4x4 1.6 Auto with Rally Top and drum roll please 76,000 miles! I hope it lasts a looong time! 😎
Having some little engine glitches probably from sitting a few years with a full tank of gas! It'll get worked out. (It's still running rich according to my mechanic's Snap on Tools computer --- ideas welcome)
Last edited by Simply Lesa; Mar 29, 2022 at 12:02 PM.
Reason: Typo
Well - my mechanic does my work. I don't really understand what you sent me? We recently replaced the fuel pressure regulator hoping for improvement...I did get better gas mileage. and a front end alignment has helped with the sloppy feeling when steering. I am getting happier!
Tracker owner's often post here looking for technical support. You didn't really pose a question but you ended your post with "ideas welcome." I assumed you meant ideas about your engine running rich.
Tracker owner's often post here looking for technical support. You didn't really pose a question but you ended your post with "ideas welcome." I assumed you meant ideas about your engine running rich.
I did just that. I appreciate your input and response. Do you have any information, perhaps from a service manual about how to diagnose this code on a 98 Chevy Tracker? Or perhaps how to actually fix the problem. I have basic understanding and I've been passing this info along to two of my mechanic buddies. I do not have service manual.
Please know that I really appreciate the time you put in to helping people on this forum and I appreciate your continued responses.
In order for your car to produce the cleanest emissions possible the engine needs to burn one gram of gasoline for every 14.7 grams of air. The accelerator pedal in your car determines how much air enters the engine. The mass air flow (MAF) sensor measures the incoming air. The engine computer (PCM) tries to match the incoming air with the correct amount of gasoline by modulating the fuel injectors. The oxygen sensors analyze the exhaust fumes and send feedback to the PCM indicating if the current air/fuel mixture has too much gasoline (rich) or not enough gasoline (lean). If the O2 sensor sees a rich condition, the PCM calculates a correction called the fuel trim. In a perfect engine the fuel trim would be zero. In a rich condition the fuel trim is a negative number which the PCM uses to reduce the amount of fuel injected into the engine. The scan tool can read the long-term and short-term fuel trims. The sum of the two yields the total fuel trim. In a normal engine the total fuel trim should be less than plus or minus 10%. You can read more about fuel trims here.
Fuel trims are just one way your mechanic might know the engine is running rich. We already discussed the possibility of a stored code (DTC) indicating a rich condition. On a good scanner the mechanic can see the actual oxygen sensor waveform and from that can determine a rich or lean condition. A rich condition is rarer than a lean condition. Here is a list of things Chevy says might cause a 1.6 Tracker engine to run rich.
If you have 17 minutes to kill, watch an expert mechanic diagnose a rich condition on a Cadillac.
In order for your car to produce the cleanest emissions possible the engine needs to burn one gram of gasoline for every 14.7 grams of air. The accelerator pedal in your car determines how much air enters the engine. The mass air flow (MAF) sensor measures the incoming air. The engine computer (PCM) tries to match the incoming air with the correct amount of gasoline by modulating the fuel injectors. The oxygen sensors analyze the exhaust fumes and send feedback to the PCM indicating if the current air/fuel mixture has too much gasoline (rich) or not enough gasoline (lean). If the O2 sensor sees a rich condition, the PCM calculates a correction called the fuel trim. In a perfect engine the fuel trim would be zero. In a rich condition the fuel trim is a negative number which the PCM uses to reduce the amount of fuel injected into the engine. The scan tool can read the long-term and short-term fuel trims. The sum of the two yields the total fuel trim. In a normal engine the total fuel trim should be less than plus or minus 10%. You can read more about fuel trims here.
Fuel trims are just one way your mechanic might know the engine is running rich. We already discussed the possibility of a stored code (DTC) indicating a rich condition. On a good scanner the mechanic can see the actual oxygen sensor waveform and from that can determine a rich or lean condition. A rich condition is rarer than a lean condition. Here is a list of things Chevy says might cause a 1.6 Tracker engine to run rich.
If you have 17 minutes to kill, watch an expert mechanic diagnose a rich condition on a Cadillac. here .
Thank you so much. I finally watched the video.
I bet you are correct - both my master level mechanics have mentioned fuel injectors only briefly. Will it hurt to drive it this way a month or two. I need to save money for this kind of a repair. Injectors are $150+ each I believe plus labor.
Oh and in the first month I went through 2 of the same - O2 sensors a MAF, and a Fuel pressure dampener. I replaced the fuel pressure regulator and am getting better, though not consistent fuel mileage.
I will share this with both my mechanic buddies and make a plan.
To answer your question, no it will not hurt to drive the car running rich. If the condition is not extreme your PCM may be able to compensate through the fuel trims. Now for some unsolicited advice. You have spent a considerable amount of money already. It may be time to invest $27 in your own scanner. I own this
. It works through your smart phone. You will need an app to run it. Apps run from free to $5. This scanner will talk to you Tracker (ISO 9141 protocol). It will display live data as you drive including fuel trims. I took some photos from my V6 Tracker this morning as examples.
My total fuel trim on bank 1 is only 7.8% rich. Nothing to worry about.
But I noticed bank 2 is running 14% rich. That probably needs to be looked at.
