Pulls hard then nothing?
 

So I bought my first Subaru Impreza WRX STI import v2 '95 last week, and I''m finding that the boost hits 0.9 bar fine and stays there but the car doesn't seem to accelerate that hard after about 5k rpm.

I would have thought it would pull harder seeing as though it is stock 280bhp and it has a boost controller on it along with a *Remapped Ecu* (i don't know how to check this?) and Full stainless steel decat Exhaust system with equal length manifold branch?

Also it doesn't sound as 'thumpy' as i'd like, its just loud, I guess its because of the silencers? it has a 4.5" backbox, how do you get the typical subaru sound?

My thoughts are spark plugs, fuel filter clogged? ( has been sitting a while) or boost leak?

The lack of subaru sound is due to the equal length manifold... unequal is what makes the sound.

Passenger footwell under the kickplate is where the ecu is located.
Early ecus can only be remapped via a daughterboard or a piggyback ecu so there will be physically evidence of it being fiddled with.
Have a look and post a photo of the inside of the ecu in this thread.

V2 isn't 280bhp as standard, as above, check the ecu, and report back.

This is true!!!

Mine is equal and only has a very slight burble

Thanks for all the response! great stuff! so, i've took the ECU apart and I can't tell whether its been modified, some bits look newer than others though so I'm not sure!, Also is there a power difference in putting an unequal manifold on?


Also, I've just had a google and found 275 PS is standard, so roughly 271bhp

here at the pics...
http://i1319.photobucket.com/albums/...ps103b8c66.jpg
http://i1319.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6a1f7929.jpg

http://i1319.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0a0474ad.jpg

That ECU hasn't been modified at all. You see the corner of the ECU that has unused solder pads parallel to eachother? That's where a socket is normally fitted and a chip installed.

I have to ask, what are those horrible scotch-locks doing? Remove them and solder the joints instead!

ahhh man :/ I've been done then! okay at least it hasn't been tampered with, so in theory is should be running at stock power.

Yeah I did notice them, shouldnt make a difference should it though? Thats what made me think it may have been modified

At least you know now :)

If your handy with a soldering iron it's a simple upgrade to install.

Do you know what the extra wires are for? Have you got any aftermarket parts fitted like a monitoring system?

Yeah its money at the moment though! and yeah its automatic locking doors, variable fan timer and a thing which means the engine keeps going when you take the key out for a certain period of time... (which unlocks the doors after the engine cuts meaning you have to wait by it to lock it, very annoying), cat 1 alarm as well, so I'm not sure which of those would be connected to the ECU, probably all?

Just the fan run on would be connected to the ECU I reckon. Do you see any benefit from using it?

The timer is simply a turbo timer, waste of time and money in my opinion. First thing to come out of mine was the turbo timer. They also invalidate your insurance.

To be honest, I've only had it a week but the benefit of knowing exactly what temperature the engine is at is quite handy, also I have noticed that when driving normally the engine only runs at around 63/ 64 celcius but when you give it some it fluctuates a lot between 70 and 80, highest I saw was 86, which seems low for *very* spirited driving.

I guess the car has beeen set up for track days - the give away is the roll cage...

Lol, might be a hint!! It may have a lower temperature stat, or no stat at all or even a nice uprated radiator!

I've only had mine a short while too but I've spent most of the time repairing dodgy wiring and so on. I'm fairly confident everything with be reliable and won't go on fire lol.