Picked up my new WRX on Saturday. When I got home from the dealer I took a good listen and look at my new pride and joy and to my surprise the engine sounded quite tappy (not sure if this is a real word?), something I would of thought from a 100,000 miler. But in the end I just put this down to the thin running in oil.

Then when driving I experienced in 3rd and 4th at around 2,000 rpm a kind of rattling or pinking noise, this I was guessing was due the engine not being able to pull from these revs. But in 3rd I can accelerate from 1500rpm with no problems until 2000rpm when the noise occurs for 2 seconds or so. Since I have tried to avoid 2000rpm in these gears, which is quite difficult, when I can only cruise around with 1500rpm to play with.

The next morning I go to start the WRX or at least tried, it started eventually on the 3rd go and then later in the day it took 2 go’s to get it started. Hummm this is when I start to think all is not well.

Monday, All seems to be running ok now, though the engine still sounds tappy. But then it’s time to go for a beer or at least I thought it was. The WRX starts fine but there glowing away is the check engine light, damm no beer!!

And there we have it, the WRX is sitting in the garage and I’m sitting at home sulking, well not quite, its Christmas!

Anyway I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar. I am most concerned about the tapping from the engine, can anyone say if this is normal for the running in period.

Come Thursday I will be down the dealer throwing my toys out of the pram, but I would be grateful if I new that these things were normal or not, excepting the check engine light of course.

 

Charlie

The pinking noise you describe at 2000 odd rpm is a common noise on the new WRX. Dont worry its not your car detting.

The car turning over and not starting again is fairly common. My old WRX did it on more than one occasion. One of my old shape cars didnt start at all on one occasion. The problem can also be exagerated if you have your foot on the throttle and try to start it.

Cant help on the other noise without hearing it.

Jonathan

 

I notice the starting thing occasionally.
I've now covered 3000 miles in my WRX wagon, and about once a week there will be a time where it takes 2-3 attempts to start.

No pinking noise (I do run only on SUL though, may be worth a shot?) at all though... BUT.....

....a HORRIBLE smell of burning rubber / fishy electrical type smell any time I do a hill start in reverse. I have to do this every time I visit my 'rents once a week.
And I do know how to drive, I'm not BBQing the clutch unnecessarily!!
Any thoughts??

 

had my my01 3 months now no such prob's or noises my advice is straight back to the dealer.

 

DONT start the car with any throttle at all, keep you feet away from the loud pedal until the engine is ticking over !!!. You will have real problem starting it if you do. Dont know about the pinking noise, take it in and get them to check it.

cheers

chrisp

 

eye majic I've got that smell on my UK300. We've got a really steep slope from the garage in our offices. Every time I leave and have to drive up that slope I get that exact same smell. I've also got a steep drive but don't have to negotiate any walls so can drive up that quite fast and I don't get the smell then. I'm hoping that it's because it's new.

 

pete,

just been talking to my old dear, who got a Forester (non-turbo) 8 months ago.

Says she had the same thing for about the first 4-5000 miles, then it just went away. Fingers crossed it is just a "new" thing.

 

Took the car back to the dealer today. They diagnosed the problem as out of sink Tumble sensors in the inlet manifold. I had the car back within the hour and now it seems much better, so touch wood for the rest of my WRX ownership.

Had another Impreza owner wave at me today, which was cool, are we all supposed to do this? I like it!

Later and happy driving.

Charlie

 

Tumble sensor? Sure you haven't been putting damp clothes in it to dry them off?

Glad it seems fixed now anyway.

As for the bad smell, yep, it's the clutch complaining. I get it on my MY00 but only in reverse and only on hills. I put it down to the 4wd system not liking going backwards particularly, but it really is not pleasant at all Doesn't seem to affect the operation of it - I just minimise the amount of backwards starts I have to do.

A thought on the starting thing... I found this happened occasionally, but only after lots of wind and rain, so I think water was getting in somewhere. Sure enough, liberal spraying of WD40 in the spark plug areas worked a treat. I got the dealer to reseat all of the HT leads at the next service and (touch wood) it hasn't happened once since.

Cheers
Richard

[Edited by Bitten Hero - 12/30/2001 5:41:36 PM]

 

I have had my car a couple of months and have experienced it failing to start once.

I turned it over and just a it caught I released the starter and the engine died. It took me 5 minutes to start it again. I put it down to flooding the engine.

 

I have done coming up to 15K in my MY01. No probs with it what so ever.

Bit pizzed off with the delicate paint... But no problems with the actual car.

 

Had MY01 for 3 months, 7k and not a problem in sight, take it to the dealer.

Rob

 

We get that horrible burning clutch smell too in our MY01 WRX but only when Chris is trying to reverse into a (huge) parking space on a hill or attempting some other reversing manoeuvre on a slope of some kind - I put that down to his inability to a)park and b)reverse, actually that's not quite true, he can park but only if he goes in forwards otherwise he has to get out and let me do it for him

Yes, it's true

Sal (mental note to self: keep Chris away from pc for next fortnight )

 

LOL@Sal. You are so busted when Chris gets back from work

 

Neil - he is working from home today, he's on the laptop upstairs in the kitchen

 

The kitchen's upstairs??? I think i've got his work email address here somewhere, how much not to grass you up??

Back on topic, is the burning smell's from MYO1 a normal phenomenon?

 

Town house Neil and too late, he's finished work now and is off to B&Q to do blokes stuff

I'm hoping the smelly clutch thing is just 'cos it's new how many others experience this?