Hi all,

Was just arriving home from work when, as I was coming off the mortorway onto the slip road the CEL light started flashing (after about 20 miles on Mway at cruising speed), as I pulled away to go around r'bout there was a definate loss in power that stayed for the last little bit of journey to the house. Got home and lifted bonnet for a poke around, turbo still seems to be winding up and dump valve sounded ok but tick-over was a bit low and lumpy, sub 1000rpm. Car is 02 Bug Eye WRX as standard except exhaust.
Any ideas??? Petrol light came on at about the same time, worried that I might have pulled some crud into the engine.

Many thanks in advance

Cheers

 

Only way to tell is to get the error code read.

Few topics here

http://www.scoobypedia.co.uk/index.php/Knowledge/ECU

 

There is a petrol light? I thought I had run my bug pretty low in the past on one or teo occassions and NEVER seen a petrol light ! It must have been low then !

As said above get the error code read

 

Read this thread.

https://www.scoobynet.com/general-te...w-flashes.html

 

Thanks guys. Same issue on way to work this morn; drop in power, feels like your constantly driving 2 gears too high

Booked it in for monday at garage; they've been v good to me before with a few mechanical issues but never had them look at any ECU issues yet, fingers crossed!

Yes, serves me right for not paying attention!.... Petrol dial reads below empty before the light comes on

 

The car is in limp mode hence the CEL and loss of power.

 

If it's flashing the car might not be in limp mode.

Loss of power and lumpy running, immediate thoughts are coil packs and / or spark plugs.
The loom plug came loose on one of my coil packs on my bug once once and the CEL came on, car went into limp mode and ran on 3 cylinders - HORRIBLE and chugged like a *******, max speed restricted to about 25-30mph.
Plugged the loom plug back in and cleared the fault code, no problem.

If you get any flat spots on acceleration, check your plugs mate. When was the last time they were done, and were they gapped properly?

 

hmmm.. yes, I did consider that it may be the plugs, I am due to service her over the next couple of months so the plugs are due a change, I'll try and get them done this weekend if I can get a hold of some in time. Pretty sure I'm not running on 3 cylinders though, its not that rough. Its pretty much one big flat spot when it comes to acceleration at the moment!

Cheers

 

Sounds very much like plugs, although I didn't experience a CEL when my plugs needed doing.
Some people will point you toward the MAF but if you know someone with a fault code reader it will definitely help, saves you throwing money away unnecessarily.

Plugs are a cheap maintenance item and if they need doing anyway you might as well bang em in. You can get away without having to remove the battery too; I did mine in a couple of hours on the driveway on my second attempt and with a better set of tools.

Oh - and if you have the recirc valve, unless the car's mapped for a dump valve, I'd advise you to take it off and return it to recirc - most owners report the car runs far better with it, and I've seen some owners at Surrey rolling road finding their dump valves are causing the car to stall - HKS ones in particular seem prone to this.

 

OP, where you from? What area?

Steve

 

Steve,

Near Selby, N Yorks. Work in Leeds

 

Update: Plugs replaced, engine running ok now, mainley because whoever had it last didnt replace the coil to one of the plugs correctly and it had partially popped off (bolt was through the bracket but not screwed through into the engine block)

CEL light still on though and is now solid, car currently in garage, I suspect its the air filter but we'll see.

Notes to anyone who wishes to replace the plugs themselves:
-You'll need a 75mm long socket extension to your plug socket (I had to buy one)
-I had to fit socked and extension into hole and over the plug and THEN attach the wrench so as to loosen and tighten them
-If you value the skin on your hand get them done in a garage, as I now have none left

 

LOL - glad to hear the car is running better now you've changed the plugs and tightened the coil pack properly.

I already had a spark plug socket as a socket set I bought came with one. However, I took the rubber boot out of the plug socket as it came off last time I changed the plugs and was a nightmare to get back out again.

Trust me, second time round is easier when you change them.
I changed the lot in just about an hour on the drive, and that's including removing the air box and water bottle (I don't bother with the battery now), gapping the plugs and fitting them.

Also, if you have a smaller ratchet it makes getting into those arkward places a lot easier .

Air filter shouldn't throw a CEL unless you've fitted a CAIK; however you didn't say if you'd cleared it after fitting the new plugs and replacing the coilpacks.

Note that if you have a CEL it won't just go off after you fix the issue; you either need to clear the code, or wait until you've stopped and started the car a few times - it will usually clear itself after 4 or 5 runs if the problem has been resolved.
The alternative is to find a friend with a fault code reader and get them to clear the codes.