95 WRX with massive loss of power.
 

Hello everyone,

1st post so little about me. 25 from London, drives a 1995 wrx wagon auto import.

Ex car was 1993 Volvo 480 turbo, w/ T25 turbo, ecu re-mapped etc etc.

I had my impreza for almost 2 months and I'm having problems with it.

The coils have been changed for new ones, I replaced the o2 sensor, spark plugs, engine temp sensor, water and intercooler pipes, fitted air/fuel gauge

The problem

When I picked up the car it was running fine. I later felt the power was off under heavy load then the power started dropping off all the time.

I replaced the coils and it was better but still the power was not how it should be. I fitted my air/fuel gauge which showed lean-stoich conditions but was very sluggish to respond.

The power still off but I had to be in Wales for the weekend so drove up there and the top rad pipe started leaked (samco now) and while driving home to London the air/fuel gauge kept going out and the engine did not drive well (no power) so I drove home slow.

Replaced the O2 sensor which made the Air/Fuel gauge flash very rapid from lean to rich (hard into the rich)

replaced the spark plugs which came out really black and sooty (to rich)

The car has become harder to start when hot so I guessed the temp sensor is faulty.

Replaced the temp sensor


Replaced the engine temp sensor and still no change in power / starting.

When under hard boost it runs rich all the time then it's like the igition is cut so I take foot off the power.

I'm really lost now to what could be the problem and to make things even worse I replaced the intercooler pipes today and now the speedo no longer works and engine lights stay on. When I start the car the POWER light flashes 20 times then goes off.

There is a red connector plug on the driver side wing connected to a red unit with 3 pipes coming off it which ticks like mad at idle which sound like a relay and i think one of the pipes is connected a map sensor. Should this unit be clicking at idle.

Any help would be great.

Cheers

Martin

sounds like the ticking/relay noise is coming from the boost solenoid.
Maybe it would be a good idea to take the cover off from underneath the steering column and see if the green and black jumper leads are connected (most possibly the green leads) as these leads are for checking system relays and resetting the ecu.
also what fuel are you putting into your scoob?

Just re-read your post, does your 'check engine' light flash on your intrument panel?

Hello,

Thanks for the quick reply. I think your right about the boost solenoid making the clicking sounds. I have just taken the solenoid off and cleaned it. I put back on the car and it's not clicking so much and the POWER light did not flash when I switched the car on.

I checked those wires and there not connected. The engine light is still on constant without any flashing. I have been using V-power (shell) so the ron should be correct. I spent most of 2006 in New Zealand owning a 91 Legacy GT which I also replaced the coils on which solved the power lose problem.

Cheers

Martin

Hello,

I cleaned the valve and the power is better :notworthy so i'm well pleased! 'cheers dude'

I'm still running really rich on the air/fuel but I should say I put a non-subaru sensor in (4 wire) so maybe that's giving the ecu the wrong readings?

Anyone able to advise?

Cheers and happy new year!

What valve did you clean?

The boost one which clicks!

Try running the diagnostic procedure as shown HERE you may find there has been ECU/Sensor faults logged.

Cheers

Do I really have to pay over 200 for the oxygen sensor?

I fitted a standard one and I think that's the problem. Something special about the Subaru WRX sensor ?

Narrow or wide band sensor??

Cheers

This is how the A/F meter is going while driving at 70mph.

www.8-easy-steps.co.uk/CIMG4865.AVI

im sure its narrowband.
Have a look in Ebay, their was a few on their for a minimal fee.
regards, coddy

changed the o2 sensor twice = no change
changed coils = no change
changed engine temp sensor = no change
changed air filter = no change

today i change

crank sensor and turbo valve soli

this may sound daft, but fix the speedo problem (assuming you still have that) If you have changed the intercooler pipes then you have probably caught the speedo cable from the gbox to the dash. Sort that out first. The next thing I would do is reset you ecu. If you had faults previously and recitifed the problem but didnt reset the ecu, the chances are because it is an earlier car the ecus dont tend to adapt very well (if at all).

The link that Delboy2 has posted will tell you how to reset the ecu

The oxygen sensor has no input once the car runs open loop i.e above 3,000rpm approx and with positive boost. The MAF will control the fuelling when on boost etc...

How do you know it's running really rich, I doubt the AFR gauge you have will be accurate enough to determine this unless you have a wideband and can tell us what AFR.

AFR gauge should rock at stoich at idle and when cruising below 3,000rpm. If you then go above 0psi of boost the AFR gauge should become a steady reading which should gradually creep up the gauge a revs/boost increases.

A standard WRX should be running about 10.9AFR at full chat. It is quite rich, but thats how their mapped.

Watching you video clip the AFR looks fine to me. If it was running really rich it would go off the gauge.

Do you know what boost its running ?
Is it holding the boost to redline. If it's a 1995 WRX then is should be hitting and holding 12.7psi which will probably show as 13psi (or slightly more) on a gauge.

Hello,

Awwww maybe your right it's not running very rich. I'm only saying rich because before the old sensor was replaced it never went into rich just stoich
but the power was still pants.

It all started when I drove home after buying it.

It felt like the car was having problems giving power when on full boost.

changed the coils and no change
decided to fit the a/f gauge and it was stoich but while in Wales the sensor readings went out so I changed the sensor which was reading lean/stoich/rich (2 lights of 4) up and down really fast like it should go.

replaced the engine temp sensor and no change
replaced the sparks which where really sooty and smell bad of petrol
undid the knock sensor which was soooooo damn tight it's tight but not hard core tight.
replaced intercooler pipe no change
replaced rad pipes because one leaked
replaced o2 sensor again
replaced the black sensor on passenger side of engine (what is it)
checked all the pipes are done up
now the maf is left
car idles fine hot or cold BUT has problems starting when hot so I changed the engine temp sensor which did nothing.

Boosts at 12psi then backed down to 10psi.

Cheers

Martin

well i got pissed off after spending over 600 to fix it. It's now full of dents as i smashed it up with a sledge hammer :-D

Happy days!

how much is it????

RIP :brickwall