Hi John
No the engine just fired like a spark plug had gone i.e. very uneven beat and really shaky, no major thudding.

Thanks Dave my thoughts were that it would be difficult for the warranty to be a problem with just these being changed.

Anybody else with any ideas, my bet still lies with the turbo (probably just wishful thinking), I'm not sure but would the car really still continue to run off beat with a piston gone?



........... or would it?

[Edited by adair69 - 12/10/2002 2:07:02 PM]

RT

I was very careful on the 1000, in fact I actually gradually stretched the engine up to 3000 miles. I have never ran the car hard ever until its had at LEAST 10 mins to warm up, I had the oil changed at the 1000 service, and then again at 3500 miles. In fact most of the time the car is not opened up too much and indeed most of the miles are clocked up tootling about because the roads are too busy.
Don't get me wrong as the car has loosened up from 4k miles upwards it has been driven spiritedly, but I always let it cool down properly every time even when I've driven slowly for the last couple of miles.
I had driven the car about 70 miles on motorway about 60mph, then onto some twisty roads for a spirited 30 mile drive using the cars ability fully. Probably (flame jacket on) up to about 85-90 mph. I then got to an empty dual carriageway where the car got up to about 115mph, at the end as I saw traffic in the distance I eased off at the end of the carriageway went to accelerate again with no power, boost had gone and the car began running best discription lumpy if the aqccelerator was depressed.
Unfortunately I didn't have a temp gauge but the car I always thought ran hot, hence the long run off at the end of a drive.

FEEDBACK FROM THE GARAGE

Part stripped the engine, think its the turbo, have applied for a PWA?? or suchlike to do a full strip down under warranty. have to await for approval but don't expect any problems. I'm personally still not convinced it is just the turbo, but according to the garage, the big ends don't go in this model mmm Not so sure myself. Will be at least 2-3 weeks though just to get the turbo in and sorted. Oh well.

[Edited by adair69 - 12/10/2002 5:28:31 PM]

Arron

I think yours sounds a worse case than mine,not with the fault but just for the Feckin' around you've had. Really hope they sort it out soon. What sort of miles do you have on it, surely we haven't got two with less than 10k on the clock for rebuild.

As for compression testing, If I'm honest I think that they'll end up stripping it long before they fault it by any other means.

[Edited by adair69 - 1/24/2003 3:10:49 PM]

STi7 born on july 31st this year, 6800 miles and not sure whats wrong with it but it seems to be dead.
Opened up on Dual Carriageway, came to the end and decelerated, I know this sounds familiar but.... Sudden loss of power and a very uneven beat from the flat four. Followed in the next 2 minutes (while I manouvered off the road) with a huge plume of smoke from the exhaust. Now , my thought is the Turbo blowing and then oil pumping out, but I'm waiting to hear from the garage. I wondered has anyone else heard of the STi7 having turbo's blowing, or is it just my driving?? Of course if someone cares to diagnose differently please give me some feedback.

Thanks In Advance

:eek: they just don't know how to build those engines reliably now do they :( I used to think scoobs were reliable due to their engine config but so many STIs go pop :( I would be p!ssed off and scared if I owned one :eek: Hope it all works out for you and it's not off the road too long.

Paul :)

Any mods or was it standard?

Thanks Paul

You know this was exactly the reason why I didn't import, I thought the STi UK would do the job.... but oh well that's what the warranty is for. I hope it isn't long either..

Hi Mickle

GroupN back box, mid-section... HIDs if that makes a difference. Othere than that all stock.

Will the warranty people be ok with the mods?

Paul

adair69 - Blimey I'm in shock, hope everything gets fixed for free

:eek:

[Edited by Mickle - 12/9/2002 3:40:09 PM]

The warranty is Subaru, and they should be fine, as I believe none of those affect the engine, of course if I'd removed the front CAT then well I might have had a problem. But as you say we shall see. I hope that there are no issues but hey we'll see.

There aint many STi's going pop, its just that the few that do get posted on here, they are as reliable as ever.

Nasty when it happens, but thats what the warranty is for :)

just out of interest what sort of speeds had you reached?,wonder if it has anything to do with the top mount theory.

Adair,
Real bad news hope all works out fine and quickly :rolleyes:

I think the others that have gone bang were all low milage demo's and gear selection problems :eek: engine exceeded the 14Krpm limit :( 6th to 3rd instead of 5th :(:(
AFAICR

Tony

running them on 95 RON makes them det their bollox off, were you running SUL and have you always?

Do you drive the car hard? By that i mean fairly sustained periods at high boost, say very spirited cross country runs.

Adair69 - Seems to sound like a blown turbo but it could equally be a melted piston crown. the turbo's hassle but the piston, if it is that, could be a bigger problem. If Subaru deny the warranty if it is a piston it will cancel all the remaining years of warranty re the engine - UNLESS you use genuine new Subaru parts at your cost to fix it, then the new parts will be warranted. But at what cost??

Alternatively, you could opt to have the engine rebuilt elsewhere, which will most likely save heaps off the Dealer prices but will only give you a warranty for as long as ther offer from the rebuilder.............. see the problem??

A new short motor from Subaru is about £1400 for your car plus many hours at probably £50.00 per hour to build and fix.

Keep in touch to see what options are available to you - if you need more assistance or a general engine chat call me at API Engines 01926 614333 office hours

David

knackered turbo after 6000 miles i doubt it....

Dan:D:D

Mine 5hit itself today also after only3 days of ownership.
I am truley jinxed!!!!

Afraid to say sounds like the curse has struck, particularly the circumstances. Suspect a big end, leading to piston damage hence smoke etc.

dhorwich - A nackered turbo is just as unlikely as a blown piston after 6,800 miles but something's happened.

Thanks all for your replies

To answer a couple yes it was a definitely spirited run across country, which had a very quiet dual carriageway where the car had opened up. It was at the end where I decelerated that the car lost all boost, a touch on the accelerator produced an uneven run from the engine. It was only after a short time to manouver away from a bad road, that the car decided to start pumping out plumes of smoke. Now bear in mind that the oil and water were checked 125 miles before (when I started the journey)and when I checked it after transport back to the garage it had just a tad over the minimum oil, and the coolant had dropped about an inch! As i say I'm not sure what it is but I'll wait for the Subaru garage to let me know. I think however that all of your comments are very valid, I personally hope that the Turbo couldn't keep up. I think that my confidence in the brand will drop HUGELY if the pistons gone, in fact it will be the first and last one I'll have.

Arron Bird
You've not had yours long have you, I seem to remember you getting it recently on a post. Any ideas what happened.

Picked this one up on Friday

Do you have PPP fitted??

Just curious, as I am having mine fitted next week...

It just goes to show that cars which are relatively new with many new engine components and features such as the 02 STi, are best left standard until reliability issues have been sorted.

Good luck in getting this sorted speedily!!!

YS.

Tony,

Your post is bit of a worrier.... is any consequent damage/weakness generally concealed?? I fluffed a 2nd to 3rd (went to 1st :(:(:() but it was now some months ago. Clutch took the brunt:( Car has worked fine ever since, however. Don't suppose there's much one can do except hope, anyway.........

Phil

adair, as john felstead asked, what fuel were you running it on?

sounds very familiar to when my MY99 went at 6 months old. I will side with bob rawle on this one.

Hope you get it sorted Ok but I would be very worried due to the aftermarket exhaust you have fitted. I hope everything is sort Ok on the warranty but with the reports I've read on here regarding Subaru clamping down on claims where the car has been modified and the canceling of warranties due to track days I would be very worried as to how they view the exhaust you have fitted.

All the best

Guy

Aftermarket Exhaust...mmm...http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/ohwell.gif

Do you have a boost gauge fitted? What boost were you running/spiking at...could be that your wastegate couldn't flow enough air (have been 2 reports on here)...

My car had PPP fitted.

ARRON BIRD,

I thought you would have learnt your lesson after the problems you had with your P1....

STI is a different car.
Better build quality I thought.