Guys,

I've got a 96 wrx Impreza which I've modded to 330bhp. Over the last few weeks my car has developed a problem which I need to get sorted.

On idle the car runs around the 2k mark, when previously it was bang on 1k. Generally running is fine, fuel consumption, engine noise etc... but when I go to give it some it sputters and heistates around the 4-5k mark and actually feels like engine braking?

If I turn the boost off with my AVC-R its better but she still hesitates.

Another thing, which my or may not be related, after a very short journey from cold, if I go to start the car the engine cracks but won't fire as if its flooded. If I wait for a while it starts but with a rather strange exhust note which after a but of throttle goes back to normal.

I've noted that my exhust is a little blacker than normal too, but I've checked my FPR, Power FC injectors and all is fine, no pinking or deternation so I don't think its running learn or rich.

Any ideas? Someone has said the starting problem could be a solnoid (the exact name escapes me) and the heistation could be my MAF on the way out?

 

i had similar probs,ended up being spark plugs,worth a check,if u replace them then make sure they are all gapped properly......0.7mm cmon joz im waiting!i will just rephrase this..... it COULD be your plugs!

 

I thought it could be the plugs, but I only had the car serviced 2 months ago with new plugs, and I chekced the spacings myself. Worth a check though.

 

leads,coil pack etc,defo sounds like some sort of firing problem to me

 

similar issue here.. similar power... only happens after about a 20 minute drive for a short while - same symptoms whilst giving it hard aceleration - and then idles at 2k like yours... but then it stops and the car is fine as if it never happened. Havent checked the plugs for a while, but guess they could do with changing... keep us posted.

 

i had the same prob as the air mass was uprated for sum reason only had the car 2 weeks now but cleaned out the air mass and it seems to be better so could be worth giving ur air mass a clean

 

Well its off to Special Scoobies tomorrow to find out whats occurring. I'll let thee all know when I know more.

 

Well the starting issue I was experiencing was thought to be the crank sensor, so we swapped that over. Only for me to experience the starting problem again yesterday.

However, the main hesitation problem has been linked to the engine coolant sensor. When the car was heistating the Apexi commander told us the engine was at -34???!!!! One well knackered sensor.

Getting tha changed on Wednesday, so hopfully that will solve that probelm, and maybe even solve the starting probelm as the tw sensors are linked.

So others with this problem, it might be worth get the engine coolant sensor looked at. The senosr is only £30-40. But its a fiddle bugger to fit.