Do our cars normally run this rich?

[Mty Mous]

I didn't really notice this too much while it was totally stock, but I recently had the muffler changed to a Magnaflow unit, and then had them Y the piping to make it a Dual exhaust setup. Was not going for performance, mainly to clean up the look and change the exhaust note a tad.

I've noticed that since the muffler was replaced the exhaust tips definitely shows signs of the car running rich! Even more so when its "spirited driving" ...

Anyways, was wondering if the tune from the factory is normally this rich or the ECU simply trying to compensate for a better flowing muffler (which i highly doubt)?
Almost makes me wanna get a wideband O2 on it just to see how rich the factory tune is! :whoa

If it matters, I've been running 87oct Shell since it was brand spankin new!

BTW - The car is running fine, just wondering if this is signs of something possibly wrong or just the norm for our 2.3L engines?

[S.F.W.]

The car runs rich from factory.

[Mty Mous]

hmmm, maybe that's why PSI and CPe are able to get 10~15whp from just tuning it ... too bad I'll be stuck with 91Oct gas afterwards.
Not worth the gains in whp ... atleast not for me, at this stage.

If only there was a way to retune the car to run cleaner with 87oct.