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Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2011 7:48 pm
by legacy2003
Hey guys,

I know its been a while since I've gone to a dinner meet; I have been pretty tied up with school and have classes most nights.

Anyway, as some of you know I have a 2000 Subaru 2.5 RS with a JDM Ver. 7 STI RA (EJ207) engine swap. Therefore, the car has the snap-neck VF34.

The car over the past week or two has been having some terrible issues. It almost feels like I have a severe loss of power or the car is otherwise very sluggish or I have magically lost compression in my engine. The sluggishness is most noticeable while driving it before allowing the car to get up to operating temperature, but the problem is still extremely noticeable when at operating temperature. It is very hard to explain, but it almost feels like the car is in limp mode, although it will still rev out to 8k RPMs. Boost response seems okay too; if I push the throttle boost builds (it is tuned for 20 PSI, but I haven't tried to push it that hard since this problem started occurring), but the one time I have tried to accelerate hard I hit what almost felt like fuel cut or boost cut. Needless to say, I have been just limping it around. The car is also backfiring more than usual.
Neither the engine nor the turbo are making any unusual sounds at idle or while driving. The exhaust seems a bit quieter at idle lately though.

Oddly enough, I have no check engine lights, and the idle seems pretty much fine (500 RPMs while warm). My oil pressure gauge was reading so low at idle the other day (about 10 PSI) that it triggered the warning light, but the idiot light for low oil pressure didn't come on my dash. I have a Prosport gauge though, so I take it with a grain of salt. I still checked the fluids and the oil is full (although it needs to be changed). A cursory inspection of the engine bay didn't show anything noticeable. I don't smell anything and I don't see anything burning or dripping.

I can rule out the tune. The car was built and tuned by ECS, and I never have had this kind of issue before. The car has been running on the current dyno tune since at least November.

Besides the sheer fact that the car is driving like crap, I filled my tank last week and I am already down to a quarter tank, having gone only 140 miles. I usually average 250-300 miles to one tank in combined city/highway driving. I am trying to run it out to see if maybe it was just a bad tank of gas.

Thoughts on what this might be? I hope its just a boost leak or a clogged cat or a bad tank of gas and not something more severe. I actually might be selling the car this summer if anyone is interested. I just want something newer and not a "project."

-Mike

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2011 8:45 pm
by complacent
sluggish, shitty mileage? i smell a bad O2 sensor...

a bad tank could sure do it too.

i forget, what are you using for engine management? stock jdm ecu? oem ecu with reflash? standalone?

if you have the ability to gather them, i'd love to see some logs. if not, there are a few of us that have the means to help gather them. (who has the good Dr.'s cable? Sabre? Bueller? )

here's hoping it's something minimal!

(don't you dare talk to me about selling your car... my heart couldn't take it. ;) )

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2011 9:01 pm
by legacy2003
Very sluggish, awful gas mileage, sluggishness is getting worse and worse by the day. I tried to drive out to get some tools tonight to untighten the negative terminal to see if I could reset the ECU. I could barely drive it there. If I give it more than 10% throttle it feels like the car is about to blow up; it has a very back-pressure type feel to it. I'm just going to stop driving it for now and take the Metro to avoid doing any damage to the engine or the turbo, since I have no idea what is going on.

I am running on the JDM Ver. 7 ECU with an open source dyno tune.

A bad o2 sensor could be the culprit, as could maybe a bad MAF. Unfortunately I have no way to datalog the car (I don't even have said 10 mm wrench to loosen the negative terminal on the battery). I'm trying to run the tank out so I can refill it, but it actually drove like this for a day or two a few weeks ago, stopped, and now its doing it terribly and getting worse and worse.

I'm trying to make an appointment to get the car looked at by either IAG or Andrewtech. It seems like Bilbo is always booked solid and I'm not sure if they would be the best place to go for this. At the very least besides finding the problem and fixing it, I want to replace the spark plugs since I'm literally still running on the JDM Densos that have never been replaced ever, change the oil and gear oil, put a new fuel filter on it, and the like.

I don't really want to sell it, but I'm starting to realize that with all my student loans kicking in soon for repayment that I'm not going to get this car to where I want it.

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 2:41 am
by brentcombsphoto
Maybe try cleaning out the MAF?

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 8:37 am
by PGT
I've got an O2 sensor socket and 1/2" breaker bar if you need it. First thing I'd swap (and of course clean the MAF).

edit - never changed the plugs?? there you go....

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 9:40 am
by Sabre
I have the good Dr.'s Tactrix cable, so I could definitely help you with some logging. As the others have suggested, I would look at the O2, MAF, and spark plugs. I have all the tools you'll need. Where are you located? Good news is, cleaning the MAF takes 30 seconds (Just need brake cleaner), replacing the spark plugs (Under $15) takes 30 minutes, and the O2 ($100) takes 30min - 2 hours depending on what headers you have and if it's ever been removed.

BTW, do you smell gas in the exhaust? lol, or more gas than normal if you run rich anyway? The sudden bad gas mileage makes me really think it's the O2...
legacy2003 wrote:I don't really want to sell it, but I'm starting to realize that with all my student loans kicking in soon for repayment that I'm not going to get this car to where I want it.
Sadly, you're making the responsible decision, good for you! Trust me, there is PLENTY of time to build up your dream car again :)

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 9:51 am
by zaxrex
Yuck. I feel for you dude.
Remember there are two 02 sensors, the one in the manifold is going to give you your immediate AFR. That would be the one I would look at first as the 2nd one would be more for long term fuel trim and emissions. Worth a look an/or replacement if you have the change.
If you can post up the Denso sensor numbers on that or other JDM front 02 sensor, I might be able to match it with one that I have. (neither front nor rear 02 from USDM).
Logs would be really helpful, but it does sound like you are running stoopid rich. Old plugs are going to get worse fast in that situation. If you pull your oil dipstick and it smells like gas at all, then the real worry would be your cylinders being washed out by excess gas and resulting scuffing.
Tough to get codes without an OBD-II port, so I would say logs would be the next best thing, followed by plugs, 02 sensors(2), MAF cleaning, air filter change, compressor side pressure test (check integrity of intake piping), TGV solenoid operation (could be stuck closed), CAM sensor, and lastly ECU.
I wish I had known about this earlier, I have a spare JDM v7 UCU back home that I just came from for the weekend. It is not tuned, but depending on the injectors you have, at least we could see if it would run better at tip over than your current one.

You are welcome to borrow any of my tools. I'm on the orange line at courthouse metro. If you want to drive on over, give me a day's heads up and I'll even try to lend a set of ramps, jack, and a set of hands.

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 9:58 am
by Sabre
^^^ Ah crap, I forgot he won't have an ODB-II port :(

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:22 am
by legacy2003
Wow guys, I really appreciate all the help, and offers to help!

Because the engine is a Ver. 7 STI, it is an OBDII ECU, and my OBDII port is fully functioning. Heck, I even pass emissions with the car :) The car is also Open Source tuned through the OBDII port. The engine doesn't have TGV's, because the EJ207's don't have them, so I can eliminate that as an issue.

I drove the car to school this morning and what I can tell you is that basically if I get into it more than 5-10% throttle, the car just feels like its in limp mode or something. I can rev it all the way out (i.e., I don't have a 3k rev limiter like I think happens in limp mode), but it just has no power. I'm just shifting it at 3-4k RPMs to just limp it around. Its definitely struggling, and it feels like there is just a big clog in the system somewhere. The turbo spools if I ease into it, and I got it up to as much as about 15 PSI this morning. EGT gauge is reading around 1200-1400 degrees under cruise as normal; oil pressure gauge sits at around 15 PSI at warm idle, 90 PSI at bone cold startup, and tapers between that depending how I'm driving. Boost gauge pulls -20 vacuum at idle, -30 vacuum when I let off the throttle, and the car tries to go into boost. I just don't want it to be something like the oil pump, a blown turbo, or something terrible. Fluids are all full. I checked the oil a few days ago and didn't smell fuel in the dipstick, but I will definitely check that out today. I need to change it.

This problem sort of started happening all of a sudden. It might even be a boost leak, who knows. It could very well be running pig rich.

I am throwing no CELs, the car seems to idle okay, and doesn't have much trouble starting up.

I am trying to run it out of gas so I can fill it again to eliminate a bad tank as a possible culprit.

As for the o2 sensors, the nice thing about the JDM Ver. 7 is that just about all the components (i.e., sensors, etc.) are interchangeable with USDM 02-05 WRX. In fact, my front and rear o2 sensors are both 02 WRX. Just about all the sensors on the engine are USDM WRX, save for the AVCS, and I think the crank position sensor.

I know that at the very least I want to pressurize the system to check for boost leaks, change the oil, oil filter, spark plugs, and clean the MAF. I'd also like to do a compression test just to make sure everything is okay. The more of that I can do myself, the more money I'd save. I would gladly pay someone to help me, or diagnose the problem, either with money or lots and lots of beer. Unfortunately I have long since stopped working on this car myself (no real time over the past 3-4 years) so its always been going to ECS back up north.

I actually also live in Arlington, right off the Court House Metro stop (North Adams Street, off Lee HWY).

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 11:32 am
by Sabre
legacy2003 wrote:I actually also live in Arlington, right off the Court House Metro stop (North Adams Street, off Lee HWY).
lol, I bet you're within walking distance of Sir Zak. If you all decide on a night, I can probably help :)

BTW, you would probably hear a boost leak, but if it's big enough, maybe not. Damn, wish I could see your MAF readings. That would be one easy way to mark that off the list.

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 4:01 pm
by legacy2003
I realized how quickly my final exams are coming up, which means I have no downtime right now to wrench on my car :( So I called Andrew Tech and I'm going to get it flatbedded there tomorrow morning. I'll keep you all updated. Let's hope there is nothing catastrophically wrong :/

P.S., I also cleaned the MAF this afternoon, as well as put in a new tank of gas, and put in a small bottle of STP fuel system cleaner, and that didn't fix the issue :( I bought a new fuel filter and NGK iridium spark plugs for Andrew Tech to toss in.

-Mike

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 9:09 pm
by thermatico
Try disconnecting the MAF completely. Without the info, the computer may choose an open loop fuel map and allow you to drive normally. The engine will run a little bit rich.

This happened to my truck once. It would rev and then immediately fall off. I couldn't drive it anywhere. However, once I disconnected the MAF i could drive normally with no issue. Of course the first place I drove it to was Auto Zone.

Things could be completely different on a turbo motor, so take my knowledge with a grain of salt.

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:20 am
by zaxrex
Trust me, there is no starting the WRX without the MAF connected.

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 2:57 pm
by legacy2003
Car has been at Andrewtech since this morning. Cross your fingers that its only a minor problem :|

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 3:53 pm
by Sabre
Really hope its one of the problems we have described... nice cheap fixes :) Whatever it is, definitely update us on it!

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 9:27 pm
by legacy2003
I thought I'd give you guys an update.

I got the car back from Andrewtech yesterday. They had called me Thursday and couldn't find anything wrong with it. Sam on the phone told me that the words of Andrew upon taking a test drive were: "so what am I supposed to find wrong with this car? This car is stupidly fast!"

I'm baffled. I had filled the tank up the day before flatbedding the car off to Andrewtech, added some fuel system cleaner, and cleaned the MAF. It was still running like crap pulling it onto the tow truck. Maybe the new gas got through the fuel system and a bad tank of gas was the culprit :eek:

Anyway, thinking it was an intermittent issue, and wanting to also do some maintenance, I had them check for boost leaks, change the spark plugs and do a compression test, replace the fuel filter, and change the transmission and rear differential fluid. A boost leak test was performed and no leaks found. The compression test yielded really good numbers across all 4 cylinders. So the car is healthy, which makes me happy :D

I'll be keeping an eye on everything, but right now the car feels great again.

-Mike

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 9:30 pm
by Sabre
Excellent news! Let's hope it was just some bad gas!

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:44 pm
by zaxrex
Sounds like you got off easy.
Still, we should get a beer when your tests are done.
Your exams I mean.

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:49 am
by sirwilliam
Sabre wrote:Excellent news! Let's hope it was just some bad gas!
I concur!

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 9:18 pm
by legacy2003
Thanks guys, especially for the offers to help. I'm glad the issues (or lack thereof) got resolved quickly. This week driving it is... so far so good. Unfortunately since I have to drive up M Street and Foxhall Road everyday I can't really hammer it to see if its building full boost when it should, but it gives me whiplash when I have room to rip through first or second.

Unfortunately I am contemplating selling it in the next few months because I have to start paying back my student loans, and the job hunt is not going as well as anticipated so far. Hopefully things pan out and I can keep it.
zaxrex wrote:Sounds like you got off easy.
Still, we should get a beer when your tests are done.
Your exams I mean.
I concur! Should be done around mid-May.

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 2:43 pm
by Mr Kleen
If you do have to sell it could you travel back in time to early March 2011 and sell it to me?
I soooo would have taken that car with me. :nana:

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 12:08 pm
by legacy2003
^ Perhaps I could make that happen :D

But in all seriousness, you're the guy I met that was moving to Germany, correct?

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 9:28 am
by Sabre
legacy2003 wrote:^ Perhaps I could make that happen :D

But in all seriousness, you're the guy I met that was moving to Germany, correct?
I'll respond for him since he's probably just landing, haha. Yep, Gabe left Saturday for Germany!

Re: Serious problems with the RSTI

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 1:50 pm
by Mr Kleen
That's me! I hope to go car shopping this weekend if the weather is nice. :mrgreen: