The PO crunched something, this is the lower driver side of what I'm pretty sure is the intercooler (closer to the grille, not the one further back you can only see through the grill). It's not great but I can't see a crack and I don't have anyone to throttle for me at the moment to feel for a leak. I don't see any ballooning in the lines, no obvious cracks in the rubbers or issues with the clamps.

I'm topping out at 9lbs of boost, not sure if that's a symptom or the ECU cutting back.

 

I also noticed a sensor between the air box and turbo only has one screw holding it in the line, that wouldn't be enough to cause an issue would it?

 

This may be an easy one. Does that sensor only have one mounting hole? If it does it means that you have, at least, the GMPP tune, and that is not the problem.

I was in the middle of a long troubleshooting instruction, but will basically just agree with @HHGadget .

You can check the oil for fuel contamination, as that is listed as the other main cause of this code.

 

That right there is a busted charge air cooler aka intercooler sir.
It needs to be replaced asap…
As far as the sensor can you provide a photo?
It was / is common to replace the OE 2 Bar MAF sensors with 3 bar sensors for thr GMPP tune and also many of the other aftermarket tunes. The 3 bar sensors only have one bolt hole. It is fine and normal to leave the empty bolt hole well… empty.

 

So the piece with the hole is part of the pressure vessel? I looked around he backside and it sortof looked like just a shield around the actual piece that the hose connects to. Unfortunate, those are mighty expensive and looks like it might take some time to get here. I'm guessing that means I should park her and wait for the replacement? Any short term fix to keep her on the road until I can get to it?

 

The CAC is aluminum and the hole is the size of a pencil eraser, could it not be brazed or welded? Seems like a huge waste to spend $700 + install because of such a tiny hole

edit: and do you feel like the leak explains my original error code?

 

I think I will call around to some local welders tomorrow and see if anyone is willing to give it ago. I'm missing the lower piece of my bumper so I don't think it would be that hard to get under there with a tig gun and patch it up. Fingers crossed that is the only spot leaking and will take care of the issue.

 

Where are you located? I’m replacing my stock intercooler as soon as I can get the time. It’s very expensive to ship however if you’re local I would part with it fairly cheap

 

If you get it welded, i would recommend pressure testing to make sure there is no other damage and / or leaks.
Air leaks in the charge air system can lead to a plethora of issues. Probably safer not to drive much until it is fixed.

 

I should add a decent mechanic should be able to pressure test your intercooler without removing it so not that big a job. Maybe 1/2 an hour-ish.

also to answer your code question directly, yes leaks in the charge air system can cause the code. There are a plethora of other things to check as well but until you have eliminated the obvious issue, why spend the time?

 

Soo you think those fuel pressure numbers are odd?

On my way! to hopefully have it welded now, I can pressure test myself once I find out the correct pipes to plug or disconnect as not to damage the engine, so much mix

 

Ended up pulling the IC. Missing the lower end of my front fascia made it a lot faster than I expected. Dropped it off to be brazed, I couldn't find anyone anywhere near me that welds aluminum without weeks lead time. Will throw it back in this evening and see where my numbers at, reset the code, and drive this weekend I suppose.

 

Good and bad news!

Good; I think this might have solved my problem. Brazed, pressure tested, reinstalled, and I'm no longer hearing any leak and I'm getting 18lbs of boost. I'll spray bottle all the joints for posterity but I think I'm good. Some data below; long term and short term fuel trim seem to be at normal values. Fuel still spiking to 2k but I've no idea what that should actually be

 

Bad news, whatever this is snapped off the intake tube. Not sure if it was already broken or if I did it while removing the cac. Plastic epoxy quick fix perhaps?

Aformentined sensor in the background with one screw. I played with it a bit more and I don't think it's loose enough that it could possibly leak but I'll find a screw for it tomorrow for good measure

 

Based on what I have seen, epoxies tend to not stick to that type of plastic.

I fixed mine by drilling each piece about 1/2" deep with a 1/4" drill bit. I then inserted a 1" long piece of 1/4" copper tubing as a splice. It made an invisible repair on mine and has held tight for 2-3 years. Don't over drill, you just want to run the bit in and back out so that the hole is a little undersized and will grip the tubing.

 

Super common problem. John posted the standard fix.
If you suffer from OCD such as myself you “may” wish to upgrade that hose to the Silicone one offered by a supporting and well regarded vendor DDM.
The upgraded hose will likely outlive the car…

Silicone LNF Intake tube for Solstice / Sky by DDMWorks-DDM-

www.ddmworks.com