Hi all

I have a MY95 import WRX with full blitz exhaust system including de-cat downpipe and induction kit. First thing is that the car was already hitting the fuelcut before I fitted the downpipe with just the ehaust and induction kit. Is this right? Should this happen or is something wrong?

I would also like your opinions on fuel cut defenders as I am considering this option. Are they safe? Has anyone had any problems? I feel that the fuel cut is obviously there for a reason to protecet the engine. Wouldnt taking this away be an easy ride to a blown engine?

Any advice and comments appreciated.

 

It shouldnt be hitting fuel cut in standard trim,theres something wrong or the boost has been raised, MBC??, you are right, fuel cut is trying to protect your car overboosting, personally fitting a fuelcut defender is a risky business, if not correctly monitored, fueling etc.. you are asking for a metal jigsaw

 

I'd be surprised if it is fuel cut.

More likely a dodgy coil pack (or 4) causing a misfire.

What is the car boosting too? Only by answering that will you know for sure whether it is fuel cut or something else.

If you haven't got a boost gauge, that is the next thing to buy before you consider an FCD.

Andy is right and FCD in the wrong hands is an engine wrecker. You need to monitor fuelling and knock before considering raising boost past fuel cut level and if you don't already use octane booster, this would become essential at this level.

IMHO any import should use booster unless mapped otherwise even on standard boost.

Rich

 

I dont know what it was like in standard trim. I bought the car with exhaust system and induction kit fitted. It was cutting already with just these mods (which I didnt know till I drove it home. ****!) I then fitted the decat downpipe afterwards which obviously didnt help. But should have been cutting with just the exhaust and induction kit fitted and standard downpipe?

If it shouldnt then something needs fixing but if it should then mods are needed. I dont have a boost gauge yet. If a knocklink, lamda link ect are needed then I may as well go down the scooby ecu route but Im totaly skint and need a gear box rebuild before this. Just getting really peed off with the fuel cut. Its no fun to drive!

 

I had exactly the same issues. On a MY94 Legacy single turbo. 3" back exhaust and induction kit from GGR. I looked at the FCD's but, hmmm, well decided not to go that route as did not like the idea of the ecu not being able to fuel correctly at high boost.

Got it cured today though, fitted a new ECU chip from VOS in Aus which is specifically mapped for early WRX and Legacy as we have the same ECU's...absolutely amazing results! incredible, car absolutely flies now in comaprision, sounds better, idles better, more boost, far smoother etc, etc...brilliant - i am chuffed. Takes 20mins to fit and cost 150 quid delivered to UK.

This ups boost and fuel cut as well, it does not get rid of it completely just moves it higher up, to about 18psi i think..

Best 150 i have spent so far..by a mile! the results are incredible..

 

Sounds bloody good to me mate. Have they got a website or anything?
How long did it take to arrive?
Do you know if its set up for our fuel?
Have you got the relevant guages (AFR, Boost, Knocklink etc?)
Easy fitting instructions?

Sorry about the questionaire!

As long as its not anything else causing the fuel cut. I would hate to get a chip and it still cuts. Dont know till you try ay!

 

Well yeh, same here..dont know untill you try. In the end, i had to put it down to the fact that the exhaust and GGR kit was causing the overboost, so went and fitted the chip. Checked eveything i could think of before and took the advice, the ONLY thing i did not eliminate though is that the previous owner may have adjusted the wastegate preload by shortening the wastegate arm..i dont have a mesurement for the factory setting to compare..

I brought my VOS ecu from a guy in the UK who never used his. £80 inc delivery

Normally he reckons about a week to deliver from Australia. Brilliant support from him to, real good.

They are about £150 UK i think direct from Adrian Vos. Drop him a line, he is REALLY helpfull..

Here is a link to the thread where i found out about the chip, loads of the guys over there are using them with imporessive results. With the chip and better induction, exhaust it is giving over 270 in the legacy!

http://www.rslibertyclub.org/forums/...pic.php?t=2228

Also do a search for VOS chip on that site and there is loads of details..

vosadrian@yahoo.com.au

IF you drop me your email via PM ill send you the fitting instructions, it is REALLY easy, simply plug the new chip into the existing socket, 30mins max!

 

Could be your boost solenoid plugged up with oil thus not controlling your boost properly, cleaning it out easy enough todo.

 

It would be a big mistake to throw items at the car which may make it worse.

As has been mentioned on this thread fuel cut is a process by which the car protects the engine from potential damage and should not be ignored.

The first thing is to determine whether you actually have fuel cut or some other problem. Fuel cut is very severe and a very accurate description would be that it feels like you've hit an invisible brick wall, I don't know how but it feels like it almost brakes harder than if you jumped really hard on the brakes (though this may be because it takes you by surprise).

Secondly, IIRC there a 2 conditions under which fuel cut occurs;

• 1. The boost exceeds a predertimed level (about 16psi on a WRX I believe).
• 2. The ECU has detected a fault (shown by the CEL on the dashboard) and the boost exceeds about 7 psi (this may be less).

You are going to struggle to find the cause without a boost guage, my feeling is that you'll find the problem is item 1.

Firstly if it is item 2., then you need to get the fault code out of the ECU and determine what the problem is.

Assuming item 1. (Over boosting) a few possible causes are;

• Someone's fitted an MBC and wound it up way too high.
• There is a blockage in the boost hose that goes from the compressor outlet to the wastegate actuator
• There is a leak in the boost hose that goes from the compressor outlet to the wastegate actuator
• The boost control solenoid is completely leaking
• The wastegate is seized shut
• The wastegate actuator is knacked

A few of these are relativley easy to check, a visual check should indicate whether an MBC is in use. Plumbing the compressor outlet directly to the wastegate actuator with a fresh piece of boost hose (which will limit boost to the rating of the actuator, normally about 7 psi) should indicate any trouble with the boost control solenoid and hoses.

 

Cheerz guyz thanks for your help.
Time to get her into shape!

(cleaning the boost solenoid is the plug under steering wheel and brake cleaner job isnt it. Think I got instructions at home somwhere that I got off here)

 

Thats the old girl !

 

Zhastaph

What is an MBC and where could I find it?
I will also do the test with the boost hose. If this brings it down to 7psi and it still cuts then something some where else is buggard correct?
The cut im getting is as you describe, very severe, but the power comes straight back in, does this sound right?

 

oh yeah and the CEL has never come on. This is not to say it hasnt been disconnected at some stage. I know now I bought a dog and the previous owner may have disconnected it!

 

Manual Boost Controller

If you follow the small boost hose from the compressor outlet (outlet of the turbo just before the hose that goes off to the inter cooler), it should read the boost solenoid which is mounted on the driver's side strut, this would have 2 other hoses on it, one that goes back to the wastegate actuator and the other to the inlet manifold.

When a MBC is fitted you'll generally find that this is interupted, the hose from the compressor outlet will go to the MBC and then to the wastegate actuator.

 

Not quite, this should bring it down to 7 psi. If you don't get fuel cut in this configuration then there is something wrong with the boost solenoid or the hoses that feed it. Blockage, leaks etc.

If you still get fuel cut then the chances are that it is not restricting it to 7 psi, implying that there is something wrong with the wastegate actuator or the wastegate itself. You could try prising the wastegate open yourself (from outside the turbo) by wedging a spanner or screwdriver behind it's arm and seeing if it moves back and forth. (they're quite heavily sprung when connected to the actuator).

Again though, a boost guage really would give many clues as to the likely cause.

 

ok I will check it out. Thanx again. Still at work must go and av me dinna. Bloody starvin. Mite get back to you 2moro. Cheerz.

 

Just wanted to add;

Yeah, or the bulbs gone. Turn the ignition to the II position without starting and it should light.


I got chicken curry and beer

 

Yeh good stuff there for sure

Check all that through and hopefully you will find the problem. I did all that and still could not find a reason for my overboost - apart from the exhaust and induction..i have got a boost gauge and AFR meter.

So hopefully you will find the cause, then go for the ecu upgrade maybe, it seriously is the best money i have spent so far, and allows you to really take advantage of the induction and exhaust

Two friends today are on ebay and elsewhere looking for old legacies and WRX's now, it has made that much differance...

 

hi stooboy i also have 95 wrx with same mods. which is also sufferin fuel cut
did u mail oz about chip.woul be interested but for £ 150 sounds to good to be true

 

Not yet mate. Will let you know when I do. I will also mail sideforce for the instructions later.

 

ok cheers mate

 

Here is the link to the fitting instructions, and i emailed them too.

Took me 30mins max. Really easy, the ECU has a spare slot, you simply clip the new board in, and transform your car !

http://www.urlich.com/voschip/instal...nstuctions.zip

 

You may find that your ECU does NOT have the spare socket, and you will need one soldering in so you can plug in the adaptor board, or chip if you get the other version.

Search on here for the ScoobyECU, which is a similar idea, and works well too.

See in the Scoobynet shop, I recall one or two people doing them.

 

Hi Chaps

Thanx for the fitting instructions.

Have been in contact with the Guy in OZ and all sounds good apart from one thing. Apparently with the Legacy its fine but when used with a WRX it causes the CEL to be permanantly on. This has no effect on the performance of the car and the Guy said a switch can be placed on the line to turn it off. Ok fine but then what happens when something goes wrong. The car cant tell you coz youve turned the CEL off. A gamble some may take but one I seriously cant afford to take.

Saying that I dont really know the sort of things the CEL warns you about. If its minor things like your indicators out then fine but if it warns of things that if are not sorted will destroy the engine then its a tad risky!

 

As i understand it the CEL is really used for serviing and checking what faults are recurring with the car via connecting the sensors to read back fault codes. So turing it off should not be a problem, just ask him whether the cel functions correctly when connected up to read back fault codes.

Shame that though, really has transformed my car from good to quite astonishing TBH, not just the outright power which is up loads, predicted to be about 270 with this chip and standard airbox/exhaust on the legacy. The MOST impressive thing though is the driveabillity, it comes onto boost and ramps far faster, so the car is miles faster off turns and can now be drifted accurately on the throttle as response is instanteneous.

No more flooring the throttle to get the boost up - response is linear to the throttle. It idles percectly at 550-600 and is perfectly smooth from there to 7k RPM. Boost really comes on strong from 2300 and between there and 6k it just feels great. Amazingly i am getting a lot more MPG as well...

Adrian Vos who builds the boards works at a top ECU buioding and mapping company, he knows what he is doing. Maybe worth having a chat with a few of the WRX owners using his chip? i am sure he will give you some contacts and there are a few on the forum listed - they all seem equally happy, even more so as they are over 280 with it in.

Bloody impressed i am! turn the CEL off and enjoy. Le ********* de Chien...