SRT-4 question

I'm looking to buy an SRT-4 and I can get a good deal on one, but it has a problem with the air fuel ratio according to the dealer. Someone there was tinkering under the hood and messed something up. I guess when you hit the throttle it wants to bog down. Any suggestions on what to look for and if you've heard of this happening before?

It should be OBD-II and the onboard diagnostics should point to the problem. What kind of dealer is it? Dodge or other?
R.

Its a little side show type dealer.

I like the Neon platform so I'd say do whatever you can so you can take it to a dealer and have them run the diagnostics on it and tell you what it needs. Then you can decide or have a further bargaining position. Or you could just buy it and hope for the best!

What's insurance going to run on it?

R.

They probably threw an after market wastegate on it and cranked the boost up to high. To much boost with out a PCM reprogram/fuel modifications will cause a lean condition. Does the car have an Air/Fuel ratio gauge on it?

The SRT-4's are just an awesome little package.

Unfortuntely, the target demographic that owned those cars watched too much Fast and Furious and spent a little too much time in the internet forums trying to make more power without getting the hands dirty, by fooling with the PCM. This creates problems. Big time.

The all-time most hilarious "mod" to an SRT 4 is an aftermarket exhaust ($$$$$$). The factory one is straight-thru: can't get any better than that can you? So if that crowd can fall for "cold air" kits, (on a turbocharged engine??? WTH? ) and exhaust systems that does nothing, then you can just imagine how the rest of the car is boogered up.

If you can find one with low miles and is bone stock (good luck), GET IT.

Anything like the one you described, leave it for some other chump.

Sorry if this sounds like a rant, but I looked for an SRT-4 for a long time and just gave up because of all the hack-jobs out there.

They are nice little runner's. We had my sons running 12.80's @ 108 with just a few simple mods. Ron

Does the car have a wideband? If so where is the air fuel ratio at wide open throttle? Maybe someone put a map clamp on it? Look for a little box with a adjustment screw on it (wired on the the map sensor under the hood). Is the check engine light on? Are there any computer codes?

get a picture of the engine bay. id be willing to bet someone threw a agp wastegate on there. there junk. they are a hell of a platform. any more details on the car?

Quote:

---

II guess when you hit the throttle it wants to bog down. Any suggestions on what to look for and if you've heard of this happening before?

---

I can only tell you from experience:
SRT-4s will collect oil in the lower intercooler hose.
The fix is a catch-can attached to the PCV valve that will catch the oil before it goes into the intake system.
When I first bought my car, I removed the clamp on the lower hose and drained about a quart (!) of oil out of the hose. (car had 19,000 miles on it at that time.)
I then reattached the hose- but apparently didn't get the clamp on straight, and when I test drove it- it blew the hose off!
INSTANT bog on acceleration/no power/etc. Made a big POP sound too!
Got home, got it clamped on correctly and, problem solved

So- my guess is that you have a boost leak somewhere on the pressure side of the system (this is the hose that runs by the bottom tank of the radiator). You can see this hose just by looking under the car. Because of it's position- and the fact it is exposed, I'd check it for holes/looseness/damage before I went diagnosing the blowoff valve. The blowoff valve on the SRT is down in the gap between the upper cowl, the valve cover and just to the passenger side of the turbocharger. And a REAL PITA!
ask anyone who has installed a Mopar 'Blue Plate' on the factory BOV. You need to be a contortionist with three hands!

Hope this helps narrow it down.

CC.