Problem with my LS (really). P0172

Hey all. I have a 2002 Lincoln LS v6 automatic. Used to run great. Now when I start the car it feels like it has a dead miss at idle. When I drive it the car has no power and surges a bit. Also feels like there is a miss all the way through the rpm range. The check engine light is on. I had a buddy hook up his scan tool, and we only got 1 code : P0172, bank 1 too rich. Where should I start? I searched and there looks like tons of info on a lean condition, but this is a rich condition.

Does the exhaust smell rich? Unfortunately, bank 1 is not the easiest to access the plugs, but you will also want to pull the coil packs and plugs to see if the coils are sitting in oil or if the plugs show evidence of not firing. Remember, a plug that is not firing will allow a bunch of unburned fuel into the exhaust where the oxygen sensors can pick it up as a rich condition. Typically these codes would be accompanied by a misfire code though.

Higher end scan tools can access the component parameters which will display if various cylinders are registering misfires, even if the counts are too low to trigger a code.

-Rod

i gurantee your issue is either bad coils bad fuel pump or bad injectors,if your car is sputtering while you drive it its your coil packs.if the car runs good after that and it still takes a few seconds to star than you have a bad injector or injectors.