pinchers

iTrader: (1)

I think i have a stuck wastegate arm, the story is.... when driving the boost wont go above 0.5 bar, ppl on here have said check the wastegate arm isnt stuck, so i went out with a pair of pliers and tried to see if i could move it, but i couldnt, would this be normal or should you be able to move the arm, I was going to take the heat sheild off but the bolts looked a bit tricky to get to.

Any info would be good.

Btw i have blobeye with PPP

saiklon

With a stuck wastegate arm, you will usually get no boost at all or the maximum boost that the turbo can produce.

Did you use enough force on the wastegate? It takes a surprising amount of force to move it.

It's most likely due to an issue with your boost control system, it can be anything ranging from incorrectly connected hoses to a stuck boost control solenoid (which can usually be cleaned with brake cleaner).

Take the hose off the wastegate actuator and drive while keeping a very close eye on your boost gauge - beware, your boost will rise uncontrollably if you floor it completely. If the boost rises rapidly to 1 bar (where you should lift off), then look at the boost control system.

pinchers

iTrader: (1)

i havent been using the car recently, it has been sitting most of the week then maybe getting used for a couple of hours at the weekend, when giving it gas the boost goes up to 0.5 bar every time and wont go past, so now im thinking it might be the boost solenoid, so to clean it i gues remove the pipe work and give it a skoosh up the hole with brake cleaner then replace.

pinchers

iTrader: (1)

Ok update, i just popped out there in the dark with a torch to clean out the boost solenoid, so i unbolted it of the car unplug cabling then the 2 vacuum lines and skooshed some brake cleaner up into the solenoid, took it for a drive.... no change soo any more ideas or hints what to try next.

When driving it i held it thru the rev range, it goes up to 0.5 bar and holds there perfect with the boost, when close to red line and i take my foot of there is a split second where the car is still trying to accelerating before you feel the power back of, maybe cause it isnt dumping.

so any more thought on the prob, i know the cel light isnt on but i do have a tactrix cabel and software for it, are there any errors that can show up that wont set of the cel light i could look for with the software?

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

You sure your ECU hasn't - for whatever reason - gone into 'limp home mode'? I'd perform a reset before condemning anything else! Thing is you have to have the correct software, a llaptop and an OBDII lead to do that on New Age cars. Does your software have the reset feature?

pinchers

iTrader: (1)

Yeah i have software that can do a reset, but why would it have gone into 'limp home mode' should there not be an error showing if its like this.

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Possibly - the CEL should light shouldn't it?

But a reset can't do any harm, and gets you back to a 'level playing field', as you will have ruled out, at a stoke, whether it has gone into limp home mode. ... before putting the effort/money into tracking down/rectifying the possible problem . Plus it costs nothing and is quick to do .

Who knows, it might just be the reason!

pinchers

iTrader: (1)

Yeah true i will try that tomorrow and see what happens

pinchers

iTrader: (1)

Well i was up this morning at 6am in the dark before work trying to get the ECU reset before i left, so after fiddling about in the dark i finally found the 2 green plug and got the ECU reset, took the car out quickly and the problem is sorted, sooo now is there any ideas why it went into 'limp home mode' and why i didnt get a CEL light on, only thing i can think of is recently cause the car is getting left, the battery is near enough flat when i start it or totally flat, i struggle to get the engine to turn over and when it is the alarm sounds for a second, so maybe that has triggered it somehow.

Anyhow thanks for the advice everyone

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Glad you got to the bottom of your 0.5bar boost issue

Re battery, 3 possible things come to mind...

1) Big, abnormal drain on it overnight e.g. alarm, etc.

2) Knackered battery i.e. too old, lol... Check to see if it's a maintenance one and top up the electrolyte cells with distilled water as necessary. Then recharge overnight with a battery conditioner/charger.

3) Knackered alternator e.g diode packs, brushes, etc... I think the Subaru ones are 'smart' i.e. they don't charge much, unless you have at least one electrical item on, e.g. sidelights, A/C, etc. (radio too? ). From now on, leave your sidelights on all the time (they are wired to the 'acc on'. switch, so will turn off automatically when you switch off. Which is nice. )

pinchers

iTrader: (1)

Hey thanks for all your advice, the battery is a maintenance free so looks like its time for a new one.

Thanks agains

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Yeah, start with the cheapest item, lol. FTR, my battery is holding 'only' c.13.7V (should ideally be c. 14.5V) when running - but it seems okay.

However, before condemning the battery, why not take it out tonight, trickle charge it overnight and then drive on it the next day. If it doesn't maintain at least c.13.5V - but preferably 14/14.5V (check with volt-/multi-meter at end of run with engine still idling) - then battery is prob knackered... then change it. (Still could be alternator though.)

Halfords do the batteries. They do the OEM spec one... and a 'long life' heavier duty one at a bit more cost.

Also, I think you can get one of those modern physically small 'motorcycle style' batteries for the Impreza (don't know where from though - possibly Halfords too? ). These are good if you intend to fit a FMIC later on, as it makes more space available for the inflexible metal IC to TB return pipe... I think, lol.