MichelleWRX1994

Which is continuous (no I haven't got low fuel ) someone mentioned I could have blown the cat as the exhaust pops occaisonally.
The only cat is in the mid section, if this is the case why does it happen and why does it lose power?

Don't take the pi55, I genuinely wish to learn about my car.

Cheers,

Michelle.

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bdrought
Scooby Regular
Posts: 56
From: UK
Registered: Feb 2001
posted 20 August 2001 08:56 AM
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Spark plugs would be my guess on this one.
Lou had the problem on hers. Changed the plugs (prev. owner had put Splitfires in) and everything was fine.

Bri

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Adam M
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Posts: 1691
From: London
Registered: Aug 1999
posted 20 August 2001 09:53 AM
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Can you describe the power loss better?
Does it happen as you boot it at certain rpm in certain gears?

Is it a hesitation asd the revs climb?

I have something similar on mine which is prob due to due to spark plugs, but on your car I reckon it is the coil packs.

These are modules that plug onto the spark plugs and create the spark. If on high boost with dodgy coil packs, a weak spark can be blown out by the fuel causing a misfire.

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MichelleWRX1994
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Posts: 1562
From: Chick with a helluva fast Scoob......
Registered: Mar 2001
posted 20 August 2001 04:01 PM
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I would say it is an all round loss of power, it just feels sluggish.......it is still RAPID!!!! But I can tell the difference, I doubt someone else would tell so easily.........obviously it is more noticeable at higher revs, cos th eWRX is fairly laggy till 4000 revs......
It has slight hesitation too, but barely noticeable and not regular....

Check engine light flickering on too????

I think my clutch may be starting to slip, it is taking probably a tenth of a second longer to catch the power when I change up on heavy acceleration.

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druddle
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From: Berkshire
Registered: Mar 2001
posted 20 August 2001 04:12 PM
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quote:
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Originally posted by MichelleWRX1994:
Check engine light flickering on too????

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if the check engine light is flickering it may be the lambda sensor that is knackered.

my understanding of the sensor is that it measures the content of the exhaust and it can tell if the engine fuel/air mixture is too rich or lean. it then enables the ECU to change the mixture so that the engine runs correctly.

if it is faulty then it could be telling the engine to run too lean ??? not sure on all the technical stuff, pete croney is your best bet !!

dave


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MichelleWRX1994
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Posts: 1562
From: Chick with a helluva fast Scoob......
Registered: Mar 2001
posted 20 August 2001 04:24 PM
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quote:
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Originally posted by druddle:
if the check engine light is flickering it may be the lambda sensor that is knackered.

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I hope not, it has had a new one after the accident!!!!!!

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Adam M
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Posts: 1691
From: London
Registered: Aug 1999
posted 20 August 2001 04:48 PM
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IIRC, when the lambda sensor is buggered, it runs rich not lean, as it is safer that way.
Michelle, it is entirely possible for another lambda sensor to be frazled in this time, especially if you have been driving it hard.

I am no sure but I think a select monitor will show it up.

Earlier cars had the lambda sensor in the headers where it is much hotter instead of ion teh downpipe like on later cars. It is worth you moving yours there even if this is not the problem.

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MichelleWRX1994
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From: Chick with a helluva fast Scoob......
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posted 20 August 2001 05:31 PM
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I will look into that thank you Adam.

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EvilBevel
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Posts: 611
From: Belgium
Registered: Oct 1999
posted 20 August 2001 06:26 PM
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Adam, (this should be in drivetrain BTW), doesn't the MY94 up to MY00 run on closed loop under power (fixed map according to MAF and MAP inputs) ? I would assume a dodgy lambda sensor would be noticable at tickover, not under power ?
Just thinking out loud ...

Theo

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MichelleWRX1994
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Posts: 1562
From: Chick with a helluva fast Scoob......
Registered: Mar 2001
posted 20 August 2001 06:37 PM
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So, nothing to do with the exhaust then? Can this be totally elimated from our enquiries?
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BOB.T
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From: rags to riches..yeah right!
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posted 20 August 2001 06:45 PM
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HI
I'd doubt the oxy sensor would cause a misfire, it would probably show up as high fuel consumption. Faulty plugs usually give a misfire rather than a power loss, having said that it's not a great loss if you replace them anyway as they're a service item.

Has this occured since filling up or has it done it over a few tanks of motion lotion? A dodgy batch perhaps?

Have you looked at your turbo hoses and intercooler? If your're losing boost it might make the check light come on due to the boost, throttle position and rpm etc figures not tying up.

Failing that take it to your dealer and hand over fistfulls of cash

Bob

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BOB.T
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From: rags to riches..yeah right!
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posted 20 August 2001 07:02 PM
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Sorry forgot to mention the cat thing!
Imagine a silencer box and a honeycomb, ok? The honeycomb goes inside the silencer box and is made up of amongst other things precious metals including platinum, that's why they're so expensive. The gaps in the honeycomb are only about a mil across this is why they're so restrictive. Now, the catalyst's job is to burn up any left over fuel which it does by adding left over oxygen and igniting it cos that's a catalyst job and it runs at about 800 degrees After it's done all that your're left with water!

So back to the point, as you can imagine if the cat is at 800 degrees and you go through a puddle at 15 degrees, the cats not gonna be chuffed, likewise if you bottom it out it's gonna be less the pleased and what tends to happen is the honeycomb comes loose and rotates in the silencer bit, blocking it and restricting exhaust gas flow hence the loss of power. This would be constant accross the rev range and possibly what you are experiencing, so go get a cat replacement pipe, failing that go to your dealer.......

I hope that makes sense!
Bob

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CRAFT
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Posts: 248
From: Rossendale
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posted 20 August 2001 07:28 PM
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"Jesus" BOB, You're a minefield of information
CRAFT

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MichelleWRX1994
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Posts: 1562
From: Chick with a helluva fast Scoob......
Registered: Mar 2001
posted 20 August 2001 07:46 PM
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I suspect that it may be the cat, should a catted exhaust pop?????
There you are Bob, now come here and I will take you back to the Muppet Forum, sorry for leaving you!!!

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BOB.T
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From: rags to riches..yeah right!
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posted 20 August 2001 11:07 PM
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Cool smiley Craft
The popping in exhausts is unburnt fuel exploding so in theory if the cat is working there should be no unburnt fuel to explode.

Anyone see which way Chelle went?

Bob

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johnfelstead
Scooby Moderator
Posts: 2372
From: West Of The Field,Cheshire,UK
Registered: Oct 1999
posted 20 August 2001 11:23 PM
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Oy Michelle, something wrong with my forum?
It could be that it is overboosting and the ecu is compensating?

have you got a boost gauge installed? If yes. what is it reading?

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MichelleWRX1994
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Posts: 1562
From: Chick with a helluva fast Scoob......
Registered: Mar 2001
posted 21 August 2001 12:11 AM
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quote:
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Originally posted by johnfelstead:
Oy Michelle, something wrong with my forum?
It could be that it is overboosting and the ecu is compensating?

have you got a boost gauge installed? If yes. what is it reading?


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Sorry John!!!!

Could you do the honour and transfer this over???

It is not over boosting if anything under boosting, should boost between 1.1 and 1.2, it is more around the 1.0 mark even on cold days.

Michelle.

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johnfelstead
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Posts: 2372
From: West Of The Field,Cheshire,UK
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posted 21 August 2001 01:22 AM
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sadly i can only manipulate at will in drivetrain.
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MichelleWRX1994
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Posts: 1562
From: Chick with a helluva fast Scoob......
Registered: Mar 2001
posted 21 August 2001 01:38 AM
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Okay I will see what I can do......

EvilBevel

LOL, first we tell Michelle this stuff should be in Drivetrain, so she does, and then everyone ignores her

Sorry, couldn't resist ...

To get this going again, my first bets would be sparkplugs, coilpacks or dodgy MAF sensor. Mind you, I wouldn't even recognize a spanner if I tripped over one

Lower boost may be related to weather, but also to clogged solenoid pipes. However, lower boost would not cause misfires...

Do you hear any strange sounds (not in your head I mean ) that were not there before ? Thinking dumpvalve on the way out here, possibly leaking, hence low boost & overfuelling.

Come on folks, let's put this muppypuppy to bed

Theo

Si James

Yup check the obvious first - plugs.
Falkland tell me that there are a lot of quality problems with NGK plugs(SUK recommended plugs), and they fit Bosch.

Since they changed my plugs I have had no problems with hestitation/misfires etc.

Si

MichelleWRX1994

I was going to say, that!!! I don't know, I post it here and it gets ignored!!!!

Okay, how do I check the sparks? I would rather do this myself, as I am very keen to learn about the car, if anyone can show me then great, in fact, John, what are you doing this Friday?


Michelle.

Si James

I would just change them.

It a process of deduction, change them, then you have eliminated them as a source of the problem.

Just my 2p worth.


Si

MichelleWRX1994

So, how do I go about changing them, or is it best that I get a garage to do it?

Si James

Fu*ked if I know.

Involved removing a bew bits.....

Have you got a torque wrench madam ?

dowser

Michelle

If you've got a flickering check engine light, and the car recently came back from work at the garage (is that right?), take it back to them and get them to check for fault codes with select monitor.

Richard

macker

Michelle, I read that you said there was only one cat in your exhaust system (the middle pipe)....well the box in the middle pipe is not a CAT just a resonator box...the only CAT fitted to WRX's is in the front downpipe (just after the turbo...)

So if she is a poppin then it is excessive unburnt fuel not being caught by the CAT because you don't have one...I would assume that normally there shouldn't be a lot of unburnt fuel anyway so maybe you do have a problem with a sensor that is making it run too rich.

Food for thought

Bruce

PS: Damn good to see a woman taking an interest in the mechanical's....don't give up..it takes years to build up experience and usually involves making many errors...

johnfelstead

sorry michelle, not having a great time up here right now with family stuff so i will have to pass on friday.

have you had the car serviced at all since you bought it? I dont remember you saying so?

The first thing i always do, especially on turbo engines when you get a fluffy kind of response from the engine (hard to define but just not sharp anymore?) is put new spark plugs in the engine. 9/10 it will fix it.

This is especially so as the boost levels you are running increase as the spark has a tendency to blow out.

If there is no one local to you who can help, go see my friends at castle performance on the A34 in newcastle, they are cossie specialist but if you say you know me i am sure they will help you out.

(they will take the **** too, that i guarantee! )

Tel # is 01782 715006

Si James

Yes. I like a woman that takes an interest in the mechanicals too.

Especially if they are running hot.


Si

THOMO

same car same prolem its gone know. emailme

KGB

My WRX was doing something very similar earlier this year and it was traced to a combination of a weak actuator and a faulty ECU (common on earlier cars i believe) Hope this helps and that its back 2 full fitness soon.

RB5108

Michelle

If you are going to change the plugs yourself take a look at