GC8

John; obviously oil temperature isnt an issue with your failure; I was referring to big-end failures. off the top of my head Id consider: ignition advance; do you know what advance is being run? Not just the setting that should be running... Air leaks will cause catastrophic pre-ignition. Finally Id look at the cylinder heads and see if there was a high point that might be retaining heat and igniting the mixture on contact.

Its a mindf*ck but it has to be either fuel quality; fuel mixture ; charge temperature; ignition advance; air leak or a hot spot.

Edited to add: Ive just re-read your post; did your engine run a bearing or burn a piston? If the pre-ignition was extremely bad it will destroy the bearings; just consider; the crank is forcing the piston and rod up and long before TDC, pre-ignition is forcing it down. In most cases Im convinced that pre-ignition isnt causing the failure; its usually number 4 piston; which implies a common mechanical problem.

Simon

[Edited by GC8 - 9/3/2003 5:27:59 PM]

Chicken Man

My STi 5 type R has blown its big end.

37000 miles and this! I'm not a happy bunny :-(

Dave R

Sorry to hear that man. I run the same motor with a Link setup on SUL/Optimax etc...

What spec are/were you running? Mods?
What fuel/booster were you using?
What were the conditions when it popped? Flat out/overrun etc..?

Once again, big sorry. Just trying to get a better pic of how/when it happened...



Cheers
DR

ARRON BIRD

New fuel pump would probably have saved it???

stiscooby

I have a STI V5 Type R and also run a LINK ECU with knocklink etc from Bob Rawle.

Know this don't help you now. As mentioned above, what were the conditions when it let go?

Sorry to hear that. Hope you get it sorted soon.

Chicken Man

Totally standard apart from magnex + downpipe.

Running optimax always

raced an escort cossie up the A12 and passed it doing 155mph.
It started making knocking noises straight after, but still got me all the way home and back to scooby sports (approx 60-65 miles) taking it easy!

May consider ECUTEK or whatever its called and knocklink.
What else would anyone recommend?
I don't want more power and I don't want loads of electronic gizmos really. The more standard the better for me.

ARRON BIRD

Chicken man can you read??????
Your car will have a standard fuel pump fitted which are ****e.
I would have said for £150 ish you have a bargain!!!!!!!!!!!

chiark

Another failure after a high speed run - this seems to be the most common type of failure. Can't remember whether any significant conclusion was drawn from this...

In all seriousness, if you want reliability then I'd look at a UK spec and have it fettled by someone who knows their onions. Not having had this done personally, I can't comment but I know Steven (P20SPD) has had fantastic results with a link/new turbo/etc mapped by Bob Rawle.

Sorry to hear of the impending expense. Hope you get it sorted.

ARRON BIRD

Iam trying to help you.
Most Subarus fuel pumps are ****e.
Ay high RPM they make the engine run lean + BANG


[Edited by ARRON BIRD - 3/13/2003 2:50:31 PM]

Charlie H

Guess I'll be leaving my 112 mph limiter on then

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

Arron Bird, it may not necessarily be just the fuel pump, yes they will help, but there are other issues too. Most Type R's or imports are recommended to run on Super/optimax + booster, to achieve 100 RON, which is what they run on in Japan.

A lot happen at high speeds/revs then lift off, mine did on my 1st UK99, which still had a jap ecu in for some reason

If i had a type r or a JDM sti, i would have it remapped or a different ecu put in, if i was considering any mods.

John Felstead has an STi5 Type RA Ltd, no mods other than back box and brakes, runs on optimax and booster, and has no problems. That includes Legendary laps round the Nurburgring.

Many factors could have caused the problem, not just the fuel pump.

Steven

chrisp

Same applies to an import except you dont have to do so much to it and you are attempting to increase reliability not power. Dont forget a UK spec starts 60bhp down on an import and my import is road legal ie still has its cat.

chiark

Very true Chris, very true. If you're replacing the ECU, then you're right: the import is probably a better starting point (except insurance )

CraigH

A Type R @ 155 would be around 8k revs?

Decat and exhaust may have made it run lean. High egts.......basically exactly what happened to mine.

ARRON BIRD

I`m not saying that this is the main cause but I reckon that its a cheap place to start.
I have seen some hoffific figures on standard fuel pumps.
Mainly on STI`s and the like.
Craig it was probably your chin that caused all your problems

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Must hint that John does actually have an uprated STi fuel pump on his STi 5 type RA V-Ltd too

Tony

ragnarock2

How much would it cost for an uprated fuel pump, and where could get one fitted (as I am picking up my STi5 Type R V-ltd next Friday, and don't want the engine to die)!! Looks like I will be getting mods and ECU installed on same day (to reduce risk of enging damage!!!)

krazy

Shouldn't you see more melted/nackered pistons like on the sti 7 if its the fuel pump at fault thou, not 'just' big end failure like on many 'classic' sti's?

also is there anywhere in the uk that supplies the uprated sti fuel pump or sti anti surge fuel pump assembly for an sti 5? also something that has I have never found answered here is will a remap be necessary after fitting? Ta.

Also what oil were you using?

Wasn't it in australia at least they were getting big end failures even with the limiter still fitted, so still may be not a good idea to actually hit it if you do leave it?


[Edited by krazy - 3/13/2003 4:59:57 PM]

Turbo_Steve

would imagine the bottom end going is more likely to be a lube problem. The Jap boys all fit oil coolers.....could there be a reason for this?

Gussie Cup

Ragnarock - I think Powerstation (www.powerstation.org.uk) supply them. Cant remember the cost offhand.

Have a look at the site or give them a call.

When I had a big end failure it was on the way back from a rolling road session so I was having a bit of a play with the power following a new ECU.

Ben

Fat Boy

doesn't need to be the STI pump, get a walbro pump from Mark at lateral performance, Scoobysport also supply (£125 & vat I think) and fit them.

Fitting is not difficult, fiddly but not difficult..

Sti anti fuel surge gubbins is a different kettle of fish,still easy to fit, but difficult to get hold of and costs loads ( circa £300).

IMHO any decatted STI, but particularly STiV/ P1 etc needs uprated fuel pump,optimax plus octane booster, knock link and no induction kit as an absolute minimum. Ideally all that plus re map (Tek 3, Link etc), lambdalink/AFR, plus probably uprated fuel regulator.
Expensive but safe and more power/smoother, and way cheaper than a blown engine...

Japan regularly hits 40C in summertime..

[Edited by Fat Boy - 3/13/2003 5:20:55 PM]

johnfelstead

I think it's pretty safe to say my STi5 TypeRA gets a greater test of durability than any other in the UK at present. I put engine safety high on my list, ultimate power isnt that important to me.

What do i do to keep the engine in one piece? (all these things help)

1) Run a standard spec STi air filter
2) Run with a quality oil, Castrol RS 10/60
3) Run with an STi uprated anti-surge fuel pump assembly
4) Run with the standard Cat in the downpipe
5) Change the oil/filter after every track day/trip to the nurburgring
6) Check all fluids weekly
7) Use SUL or Optimax with 75ml of NF race formula per 50 Litres
8) Change the spark plugs every 10K miles
9) Use NGK 7 grade plugs, although 6 is fine for road only use
10) Service the car on time, irespective of track use.

This is my daily driver, i tootle to work and back in normal trafic. Most weekends i will be out somewhere in the country, quite often on track. I tend to go to the Nurburgring every 6 weeks (excluding winter), driving there and back and averaging 20 laps (13 miles each) per visit.

I never do long sessions on track, i tend to run the car until the IC spray bottle empties then come in and cool it down. Heat soak kills these engines. I vary the runs depending on weather, very hot days get short runs, wet cold days get much longer.

I dont run the fuel tank lower than 1/4 on track, even with the antisurge fuel pump assembly.

Top speed at the nurburgring is 155MPH, which i hit twice per lap, full throttle for 30 seconds or so building up to that speed.

What i dont do is hold the car at high speed, full throttle for any period of time, the car is always accelerating or braking. I dont drive like a **** on the road either and get into "races" with Escort Cosworths, where the temptation to keep it nailed for a long period of time is overwhelming. I value my driving licence and engine too much for that.

I disagree 100% with chiark about buying a UK car, that will blow up just as easily if you stick a decat on there without a remap then go "racing". STi spec engines are stronger, they rev higher in safety and they are a better bet out of the box, you just have to look after them properly.

I believe all STi's including 7's and 8's, (and all UK spec cars that are tuned) if you intend to go over the Japanese speed limiter speed, should have the fuel pump replaced, they are not up to the job and are not designed to be either. I also feel you should never run them lower than 1/4 tank full and go for a sustained blast.

If you want to decat them and then run high speed, you should have a remap also.

scooby_si

Group buy on walbro fuel pump things in offing as per GROUP BUY
Si

Floyd

iTrader: (9)

John F, after your rebuild is there anything you can add to your list that we can do now?

F

Andy555

I was told that the standard oil pumps on the classics was a bit suspect, problems with them sticking???

Hanslow

Wasn't there an issue (not sure how proven it was) with the air at high speed actually going over the scoop on the bonnet due to the bonnet shape, resulting in minimal air flow into the intercooler and as a result increasing temps? I thought as a result they recommended that you don't run for prolonged high speed without something measuring the intake temps (or something).

Can't remember where I read it, but I thought that was one of the reasons the bug-eyes had the flattened bonnet, for the aerodynamic pull across the bonnet surface.

Think this was mentioned somewhere on here in the past but I can't remember when.....

Jza

Had to smile at JohnF's detailed comments..

He did everything bar not use it at all and it still blew up.. sorry john!!

John wasnt running at high speed for any distance when his went pop - i understand.

I think there are so many issues on this one - and no one can prove a common problem....

Jza

GC8

Id like to add; though I suspect that it will fall on deaf ears; that an oil temperature gauge is MUCH more important than a boost gauge. After fitting one you will realise that the water temperature 'gauge' in the car gives no real indication as to how hot the engine is running. Budget for a decent oil cooler and thermostat with aeroquip oil lines too, because you WILL be fitting one. It amazes me that people are missing the most fundamental problem. Pre-ignition is not easy on the big-end bearings, but a failure like this is almost certainly caused by a lubrication issue; was it number 4? It ususally is; what on earth has that got to do with octane ratings?

StickyMicky

im intrested in sum advice
i have a my97 wrx which is the 276bhp model, it is not a sti, should i be taking the same sort of advice as the sti owners?

im told the map is similer to the sti version, although i cant prove that

i use optimax and nf, i normaly fill the tank up when im down to the last 1/4 and i stick 50ml of nf in, this should make the petrol over 100 easy

would my car be at risk if i took the front cat out?
i do not likes sitting at high revs in high gears for a long time, so that shouldnt be an issue?

GC8

High load; ie; prolonged high revs or high speed WILL heat up your oil; probably beyond the temperature at which it will still lubricate. Your binnacle 'temperature gauge' may well not move from its normal position. As its temperature rises it also becomes thinner; the nett result is oil that wont work barely getting there. Why does everyone assume that every engine problem is related in some way to the octane rating of the petrol used? Its an old wives tail.