matth76

Hi
I've got a 2007 hawkeye sti type UK, with custom remap by Race Dynamix but other than that pretty standard (just PPP). The car has only done 30k miles. I always let the car warm up (ie drive for at least 10 mins before going over 3500rpm) and cool down properly (ie let it idle for a minute after a journey). Over the last few days after leaving work for the first 30 secs or so the car has been very jumpy, and when you put your foot down a little there would be a delayed reaction to getting any response and it would be a bit "jumpy". However 30 secs later the car would drive fine and be perfectly smooth so I put it down to the car being cold.

Clearly something was on its way out as yesterday the car has become permanently like the above - delayed response when you apply a bit of gas, jumpy when the power does come in, especially between 2k-3k revs, and the turbo rush is there but probably at about 50% and it is still very lumpy, and not smooth like it normally is. There is no CEL light, water temp is all fine, and the car idles perfectly fine and sounds fine too.. it just appears to be running on one less cylinder perhaps. I can't unfortunatley ring any garages with it being the weekend. My wife is going to take it down to the local Subaru dealer on Tues, although I dont hold out hope with it being a dealer. I have a 12 month warranty as I bought it from a main dealer (only 5 weeks ago!!), but again it is pretty useless and I doubt the warranty would cover anything. I am also going to book it into a local specialist, probably Greenwood Racing (I think that's their name) as they are fairly local to where I am.

Does anyone have any ideas what might be causing these symptoms? I'm thinking it is one of the following: MAF sensor is on its way out, a coilpack, or spark plug, or another sensor. I think it is most likely a coil pack but I'm guessing.

Thank you for any help.

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

I would say take the car to a garage asap, sounds like an engine issue (piston probably).
Should say that if the car has a custom remap then a dealer wont be fixing it as ia warranty would be invalid

Tony

matth76

Thanks for your reply Tony. Im hoping it's not a piston !! My warranty wouldn't cover that regardless. I'm not bothered about the warranty as reading the small print when I got it it covers pretty much nothing and definitely not engine failure of any kind, and not even "known manufacturer faults and recalled items" (that I would question in court) !!! So I gave up on the warranty covering anything, hence went ahead with a remap. Duncan can put back on the base PPP map anyway if needed (I know dealers can read how many times the ROM has been accessed but this is only a counter and some standard cars with just the PPP have had their ROM accessed more than once via Prodrive themselves on the odd occasion for what ever reason back when they applied the map). Any way as mentioned, I'm not relying on the warranty as it wouldn't cover anything even if my car was completely standard.

Hopefully its not a piston though! If it is then it's a possible trip down to API or Greenwood Racing for a forged rebuild and hefty lump out of my credit card Any other possible causes of my symptoms guys? Could it be the cam position or neutral position switch? I've had this kind of thing happen in other cars and it turned out to be as simple as a coil pack or new sensor. Unfortunately I can't read any codes as I dont have a diagnostic kit/cable to plug into the cigarette lighter.

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Neutral pos switch would hit you higher up the rev range (had that problem ), and it wouldnt feel like 3 cylnders, just restriction/holding back (its ok low down).
It was strange that in another thread that you said the PPP felt lumpy too, its suppose to be nice and smooth, could have been an underlying issue there already

Tony

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Whoa! Before we get too carried away, just get the car to a specialist and let them have a look over it for you: could be something very simple such as a sensor on the blink! Keep it off boost as a precaution until then!

Ns04

greatgonzo

iTrader: (1)

Can Duncan not check the map is OK, I had a small problem with mine after a remap with JGM, and for some reason it pulled timing and didn't reset its self, (could of been bad fuel) Simon changed a few parameters and never had any issues since.

matth76

Thanks guys. The PPP map was only lumpy in 1st and 2nd, at very slow speed. The map Duncan applied made the car very smooth at lower revs which totally transformed the car.

My car currently feels lumpy all through the rev range, particularly noticable lower down the rev range, although to be honest I sensibly haven't pushed it until it's checked out, and as recommended am not taking it over 2500 until checked. Strange you mention fuel, as my wife said she filled it up yesterday, just prior to all this happening, although she said it was definitely the Optimum Tesco 99, which I always use.

Duncan, if you're reading this, are you possibly around in Sussex or surrounding area any time soon?

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

Could be a coilpack become unplugged.

Simon

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

Or fuel pressure reg pipe

matth76

Is there a way for me to easily check the coilpack connections myself under the bonnet, with basic tools or just hands? Any pics will help. I'm a bit of a novice! Or is there a way for me to check the fuel pressure reg pipe by eye?

Thanks again guys. Just hoping it is all ok. My wife might blow a gasket when I say I've got to spend 1-2k getting the engine rebuilt with forged pistons etc lol, so soon after buying it, although that is my plan down the road but not this soon.

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

Yes but difficult to explain.

Just check the electrical plug is in each coil pack.

They are on sides of the engine, two each side.

Simon

matth76

Thanks Simon. I've had a good thorough look but can't see where abouts the plugs are or the coil packs. The engine format/layout is a bit different to the engines I'm used to working on. Where abouts in this pic should I be looking: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Su...006_engine.jpg

Thanks again. Really appreciate it.

jura11

iTrader: (7)

Here are service manuals maybe help from classic to newage
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=5...21d66e282a0ee8


Jura

matth76

After searching the internet I found this http://www.scoobypedia.co.uk/index.p...laceSparkPlugs and it appears I can't unfortunately use my hands to check the connections of the coilpacks as I need to remove quite a few parts just to get access to them (certainly a very different layout to most cars). I had hoped I could check the simple things myself. Garage it is unfortunately. Thanks again guys.

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

You can see or get fingerd to all of them removing nothing

matth76

Yes I found them but I couldn't get my hand down far enough through the gaps where the air box is and where the battery/washer fluid is the other side.

matth76

Just so I can go armed with knowledge to the dealer on tues - how much are each coilpack and also for a new MAF? And approx time to fit either?

Do most dealers charge for simply the five min job plugging in the ODB2 code reader to diagnose the problem? I know specialist garages don't normally as my old VW one never did but I do know main dealers do tend to. Although I have no experience of subaru main dealers and whether they are good or not (although so far the Sparshatts in southampton where I bought my car was useless with their after sales care regarding my tracker issues).

Butty

iTrader: (2)

Get a mapper to check obvious problems like connections or vacumn lines and then let them take the car out on the road while doing some data logging.
The dealer will just ask you to throw money at various new parts for a while and then give give up.

matth76

That would be ideal but I need this issue fixed in the next week really as I use it on a daily basis and the longer it's like this I could do damage. Can't believe all this is happening to a four year old car and only 5 weeks after buying it!! I agree with you about the main dealer though. Im only going to go to the main dealer so they can plug it into a diagnostic (as I dont have a code reader) to pull up any codes to try and find out what the likely problem is. And if there isn't a quick solution I am booking a visit to GRD next Sat (if they can fit me in) who is recommended on here.

jura11

iTrader: (7)

Hi matey try contact here Rich@FB Tuning(h is located High Wycombe) or Neil@Slowboy racing(he is located near Brands Hatch),both are Subaru specialist and both have excellent reputation here and other forums.


Jura

matth76

Cheers Jura. It's just getting the car to them as I work all week. Earliest is Saturday and GRD is in Chobam which is an hour and half from me and closest to get to but if they can't fit me in I'll try the ones you recommended. Thanks.

jura11

iTrader: (7)

Good luck matey


Jura

dpn

Exactly the same as mine. It's just had a full engine rebuild with drop in pistons. Sorry pal I feel for you. Get it to the garage quick before you do anymore damage as it's a distinct possibility. My car 2006 spec d and covered 36,000 like I said word for word exactly as I would have described my problem. I hope I'm wrong. Keep posting when you know whats wrong.

matth76

Cheers. Dare I ask how much your rebuild was? Did you get forged pistons added and anything else and who did the rebuild and diagnosis? The car's engine isn't noisy at all though which adds to the mystery.

dpn

I'm from Manchester. Got it done at Autotecnica in Buxton. I'm picking it up tomorrow, hopefully. It went in 4 weeks ago tomorrow. It's been pretty bad. Has a compression test done and all 4 were lower than they should have been. 1-3 around 100 and 4 was 80! So had the heads machined and bored. Then when the pistons were removed from the engine there was some scoring so it had to have a full re-build got Mahle drop in pistons, fuel pump, oil pump, race bearings, cosworth air filter, new Hgs and some other bits to put it all together again. Had a standard sti exhaust and I've got a pro sport one full system with a sports cat. Just going to have to run it in for 400-500 miles then remapped to about 360bhp/400 torque. I've had it since September, got 6 months warranty ran out in March, car went in in April! Gutted! I know what you mean about the warranty as the small print is frankly hilarious, as far as I'm aware I wasn't covered for anything! I'll let you know what it's like when I get it back, not sure on final costs yet. Be less than £2000 in total though. It's a shame your so far away as I can't fault the guy that's doing it and I shopped around before I took it to him.

john1979

This is bringing back memories of a month ago when my 2003 STI broke down on the motorway, was over-taking and it just felt like it didn't have the usual 'go' in it. By the time I had pulled over it sounded worse and I thought it was either my turbo or a misfire.
Strangely enough I had just filled up at the motorway services (the garage was ESSO) and they only had the ''cheap'' stuff avaiable.... 20 miles away and I'm stopped....?

Mine is probably more serious as the CEL light came on and the oil had disappeared? magic.

Mines on its way to API in 2 days for the verdict, I'm currently selling 'an arm and a leg' in the for sale section.
John.

matth76

Thanks guys. I'll update this thread when I find out more. My coolant's all fine, no over heating, no sounds, oil level all fine, no CEL, just drives at half power and very lumpy. I've emailed Duncan to see if he's in the area too to run diagnostics. I'm leaving my car at home and not driving it all week until I can get it to a garage for checks. I'm driving my wife in to work every day in our old banger. Crazy that our old banger is problem free compared to a newish 14k car! Sods law.

matth76

Well I've tried my local Subaru dealer in Chichester and it doesn't look like they can allow my wife to pop down just for five to ten mins (just to plug in a code reader) for them to check, as it has to be booked in formally. They are going to phone me back to let me know if they can fit my car in but I'm not holding out hope. Are there any mappers in the Sussex area tomorrow or this week or evenings which I can travel to? I'm at home every day from 6.15 and live near Littlehampton, Sussex. Or alternatively any specialists open till late some days? No worries if not as Ill be going to a specialist Saturday if they can fit me in. Thank you for any help.

jura11

iTrader: (7)

Try contact Rich@FB Tuning(here is tel.number 07595 493581) or Neil@Slowboy Racing(here is tel.number 077821 06604 or 01474 854812)


Jura

matth76

Update: it's booked into Subaru tomorrow so I'll find out hopefully tomorrow what's wrong. I won't be having any work done there (unless its very small) just a diagnostic.

Thanks Jura. Just rang Neil at Slowboy who was really helpful and said if any work needs doing he can help.