B18B8 Shelby Cobra Diagnostic Trouble Code

B18B8 Shelby Cobra code definition:
B18B8 is a kind of OBD-II Diagnostic B-Body Diagnostic Trouble Code for Shelby Cobra.

B18B8 Shelby Cobra shows up when there's an electrical problem that causes the fuel volume regulator to malfunction and open. It's quite an unusual problem and likely intermittent. There are two wires dedicated for each coil; one is battery feed which usually comes from the distribution center, and the other one for the coil driver circuit from the PCM. The PCM grounds or ungrounds the circuit to activate or deactivate the coil.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a B18B8 Shelby Cobra diagnostic trouble code may include:

Faulty or damaged wiring
The engine oil will exhibit dilution from the ECUs attempts to increase engine temperature. Some vehicles advance the fuel injection timing slightly after top center to afterburn a small amount of fuel to increase exhaust temperatures. Some of this fuel enters the crankcase. When the ECU determines the necessity to regenerate the DPF, the service life of the oil be shortened significantly
Poor fuel economy
Rich or lean exhaust

Possible Causes :

Faulty IMRC actuator relay (if equipped)
A large air leak at or near the number one oxygen sensor would also cause a lean mixture.
A large vacuum leak would cause a massive amount of un-metered air to enter the intake manifold resulting in an overly lean mixture.

Common Misdiagnoses

IC Circuit High Voltage Problem
Control Module Throttle Actuator Position Performance Problem
Air Conditioning (A/C) Clutch Feedback Circuit High Voltage Problem
Cruise Vehicle Speed/Set Speed Difference Too High Problem
PCM Stack Overrun Problem

Repair Processes :

Once located, visually inspect the connectors and wiring. Look for rubbing, scraping, bare wires, worn spots or melted plastic connectors. Look for missing ground strap or a rusty ground where the fuel tank is grounded to the frame. Check for damage to the wiring harness connector. If the engine displays a miss and there wasn't a code, determine which cylinder is misfiring. If the exhaust manifold is visible, spay or pour a small amount of water on each cylinder exhaust port. Water will evaporate immediately on good cylinders and slowly on the missing cylinder. If this can't be accomplished pull the plugs and check the condition.

Process Tips

Diagnostic trouble code B18B8 Shelby Cobra is not difficult to diagnose and repair. Thus, it always pays to have a qualified technician to look after your vehicle should this error code arise.

Diagnosing this code requires the engine to be in good running shape, without unmetered air entering the engine. If other codes that relates to misfiring condition, lean running or air entering the engine is present, then you must first fix those error codes before B18B8 Shelby Cobra.

Fortunately, B18B8 Shelby Cobra is a fairly common OBD code, meaning that it applies to all makes and models of vehicles made after 1996.