I've got a 1996 960 wagon that I treat very well with 221k miles that I'm trying to drive to 300k.

Most recent history:
Car has been running fine
About a year ago, I replaced spark plugs (will need to check records to see if perhaps it's just time for a full tune-up.)

Two weeks ago, the car started to get a little sluggish from from a stand-still, and seemed to take longer accelerating. Just didn't feel as spirited in traffic or at highway speeds.

I could sense a light amount of surging and falling in power at highways speeds. Then the next day the car started stalling.

Then the CEL light came on, and I rolled into Autozone to get the code read. I believe it was P0103 (high electrical input). This was right when I also needed to do the Texas state inspection and registration renewal. I had my local shop replace the MAF with a new Bosch unit (not cheap, BTW!). The car stopped stalling, but during cold starts it wasn't as smooth as it used to be for half a second, pulling away from a stop was maybe 90% of what I remember, and accelerating on the highway seems to take longer than normal. The CEL stayed off but I had to drive over the course of a few days so the readiness period would pass.

The readiness period passed, the car passed inspection, and then driving home, I took a detour through a neighborhood to check out houses and the CEL came back.

I again rolled into my Autozone near my home, and came away with a new engine code: P0171 System Too Lean

I called the shop to let them know that the light and code returned and I'm planning on taking the car back to the shop, but would like a heads up of what I need to tell the shop because...

the light ended up going off over the weekend.

The car still feels sluggish and hesitates on a cold start. On the phone, they told me they would need to smoke the car to see it it were a vacuum leak. Wondering if anyone has been through this or has a tip. Thanks in advance!

Mileage Part
99,277 Michelin Energy MXV4 Plux XSE
96,833 90,000 service
97,254 A/c svc,ext trim Replace cupholder
114,273 spark plugs
114,273 coolant thermostat, seal, gasket
114,273 tank cap
119,526 blower motor & sensor control
119,080 Timing belt
119,080 tensioner
119,080 drive idle pulley
119,080 serpentine belt
119,526 replaced intake manifold gasket
119,526 replaced six lower injector seals
123,065 transmission flush
123,065 replaced motor mounts
138,142 Ohtsu Zexius
145,417 145,000 Svc - LOF - Replaced Brake fluid,
145,417 sway bar bushings & linkrods, Left ball
145,417 joint boot, Control arm bushings, Driver
145,417 seat cable repair, Left Fog Lamp,
145,417 paint & fill front bumper, replace TAC
145,417 thermostat, seat controls plastic covers
145,417 A/c recharge, 4 wheel alignment, front
145,417 brake pads, wiper blades, wiper
145,417 blade rotor, reservoir cap, gas hood
145,417 shocks, fix vacuum hose leak, repair
145,417 front spoiler & right fog lamp,replace c/d
145,417 radio, left headlamp assembly, washer pump
145,417 pump, seat slide rail
154,594 Oil Change; alignment; front bumper paint repair; transmission mount; power steering and suction hose and cooling coil; right side engine mount
154,594 LOF - Replaced right engine mount,
154,594 transmission mount, bumper repair,
154,594 Power steering pressure and return hose
154,594 & cooler, 4 wheel alignment,
155,546 Purchased by Paul Wilson
155,546 Texas County Title Transfer and Registration
155,637 Inspection & Green Sheet
159,940 New Tires Bridgestone Ecopia EP422
160,000 Brake service
159,629 Oil Change
159,635 AC Service
166,030 Oil Change
166,936 fuel rail
166,936 replaced fuel rail
167,983 Tire Rotation
170,098 Oil Change, Inspection
173,260 Oil Change
176,609 Oil Change
177,347 Transmission Service ($169), Sunroof retime ($88)
180,016 Oil Change
180,500 Registration
181,413 Tire Rotation
183,500 new front brake pads and disks
184,005 Oil Change, Inspection
186,050 Oil Change
186,467 Tire Rotation
187,158 Timing Belt, Serpentine belt, water pump, tensioner, tensioner pulley, tensioner wheel, brake hoses, tightened radiator hoses, idler pulley in timing belt
188,855 Oil Change
192,139 Car threw idle pulley off bearing; damage to battery
192,139 Installed new battery, air filter
192,139 Replaced Idler Pulley, replaced rear brake pads, machined rotors, oil and oil filter change, replaced lower A-fram bushings on both sides of front suspensions, alignment and tire rotation
194,498 Oil Change
194,770 New Tires Michelin Defender
198,845 Fuel pump and filter ($225) and spark plugs ($45)
199,851 Replace upper radiator hose and expansion tank
201,500 Tire Rotation
201,721 Oil Change & Inspection
205,747 Tire Rotation
206,289 Oil Change
207,000 Added Lucas steering fluid with stop leak
208,307 Tire Rotation
208,700 Car detailed
Camshaft Position Sensor lookup
208,790 Replaced Camshaft Position Sensor; Fix LR Door ; Transmission Selector Shaft Seal
209,960 Tire Rotation
210,070 Flat Repair
210,074 Oil Change, Oil Filter, Valvoline MaxLife
211,000 P0103 CEL (High Voltage from MAF (Saturation))
211,000 fuel treatment, air filter
211,800 New Battery
211,874 New Radiator ($524.60); New Air Mass Meter ($351.51); AC Service ($127.58)
212,017 State Inspection (PASS)
212,025 P0171 CEL ON (System Too Lean)
212,030 Lucas high mileage fuel treatment (fuel injector cleaner)
State Registration
P0171 CEL OFF
P0171 CEL ON (System Too Lean)
P0171 CEL OFF
P0171 CEL ON (System Too Lean)
P0171 CEL OFF
P0171 CEL ON (System Too Lean)
P0171 CEL OFF
CEL ON
CEL OFF
214500 parts on order
P0171 CEL ON (System Too Lean)
P0171 CEL OFF
214521 Tire Rotation
214600 Current Mileage

Carefully inspect the vacuum lines for cracks, particularly rubber elbows on the small diameter plastic lines. Check the rubber lines around the AMM/MAF and the plastic vacuum tree fitting near the bottom of the intake manifold bowl.

this is going to sound really dumb, but how many vacuum lines are there and where do I start?

I know there's one off the fuel pressure regulator. What other ones are there?

Any help greatly appreciated :)

Think about the fuel pressure regulator. This would cause an overall lean mixture from the fuel rail that affects amounts of fuel and the spray pattern from the injectors.

I can see why they would want to do a smoke test for excessive air with that code. If the code is coming that is going to lead me to think that there may be an air leak behind the AMM.
This would also throw off the mixture as well.
Check for holes in the snorkel or accordion tube first. Very possible that a hole has been rubbed into it from the fender.
The whole conveyance system may have been put back together wrong or loose.

Phil

Phil, I got a fuel filter and a fuel pressure regulator from FCP Euro. Going to try to get this done tomorrow.

166,936 fuel rail was replaced
198,845 fuel pump and fuel filter replaced
214,600 current mileage

Hoping this helps with the sluggishness below 2000 rpm.

Is this different from the air intake tube?
Thanks for the reply!