Steve Holmes

Just had the STi8 PPP fitted recently and had the first real run out today in it.

I did notice on 1 or 2 ocassions a slight hesitation/splutter under throtle at between 2.5 and 4 K revs.

Any similar experience or ideas?

I have used Texaco Super so not sure if it a petrol issue or not?

wrightylee

I had the PPP fitted to my STi8 last week and over the past couple of days I've noticed the same thing. On a dual carriageway accelerating in 5th or 6th gear between 2k and 3.5k revs the car sometimes seems to splutter and hesitate. Once it reaches 3.5k and the turbo spins up it disappears and the car pulls as normal. It doesn't happen all the time time though and it definately didn't do it before the PPP was fitted. Anyone else found this and has anyone got an idea to whats going on bearing im mind the car has only done 3500 miles?

jimmy wrx

there has been a few /like threads on this topics

some say ppp is good
some say ppp is a problem

BLIP help!!!!!

wrightylee

Don't get me wrong, when it doesn't do it the car is amazing - it pulls like a train all the way to the redline but when it does do it it's sooooo annoying!

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

I think that given a few more miles under your car's belt you wont suffer these problems
Subaru's in general suffer like anything when they are new and still tight, even i can remember my MY00 suffering slight hesitation when new, given a few k on the clock though (around 6-7k) and she loosened up nicely
Just give it some time and let your engine loosen up

Tony

wrightylee

Could be Tony, I'm just a bit worried as it didn't have any problems at all before the PPP was put on

wrightylee

Anyone got any suggestions?

mwp

before you had the PPP put on it was stationary between 2-3.5k

i don't think the PPP is supposed to fix pull at 2k ... it just makes it smoother from 3k.

i've done 8k miles. and i haven't noticed anything i wouldn't expect below 3k. i'll try and be more precise next time i go out. also mines going in for 10k service in a week ... i'm expecting it to be tip-top runin and fettered after that

my advice ... give it some time or take it back to dealer.

galv

mine has been doing a similar thing. i have a PPP'd MY99 it seems to do this around 2000-3500 rpm. the dealers says its ok, maybe the MAF sensor could be on its way out the said. the next week the Duty valve failed, 0.5 bar
so i got a new duty valve and a MAF sensor. seems better but i'm sure its still doing it abit!

blip

I had similar, if not worse problems on my 03WRX (now approaching 3500 miles) when I had the PPP fitted and started a thread on here about it.

In a nutshell:

I tried switching from Optimax to SUL and back again = no difference

Contacted ProDrive = 'Sounds like a characteristic of the car, maybe the inherent overfuelling they have, will get back to you sir'

I tried a grounding mod (read about on US impreza forum) = no difference

I had the dealer look at it = 'Feels fine to us sir'!

I tried ignoring it = just bugged me more

Finally back to the dealer again = 'Oh, we found fault codes in the ECU and cleared them out sir'!!!

Since then (approx. 10 days ago and 600 miles) it has been much better - much, much smoother Occasionally it has the odd cough or splutter (and I think 'oh b*gger, it's come back) but then it doesn't do it again, and so I just put that down to ambient temperature/impreza quirks/driving manner/still being a bit tight/etc.

I want to put some more miles on it before I'm convinced that it has cured the problem for good because some guys in the US with hesitation problems (and there seem to be a lot of them over there) found that when fitting the grounding mod they disconnected the battery, thereby resetting the ECU. Suddenly the hesitation had gone so they sang the praises of the grounding mod, only for the hesitation to come back after a couple of weeks, once the ECU had dialled itself back in again.

Anyway, get your dealer to check for fault codes, and the only other thing I was told was that the knock sensors are often over tightened at factory, and are therefore more sensitive and could give similar symptoms. Apparently the suggested torque settings for the mounting bolt are pretty low, but as the car comes they are done up very tight. By backing it off a bit you could make the knock sensor slightly less 'twitchy'.

** DISCLAIMER: I'm no expert on these things, and am just repeating what I was told by someone whose 'expert' opinion a lot of ScoobyNetters would trust - so please don't flame me on this BTW I haven't gone this route myself as clearing the fault codes has so far cured the hesitation.

Clearly IF you loosen the bolt off a bit you would be taking a risk and the dealer wouldn't like to hear that you had done it as it would void your warranty if things went pop - but if all else fails you could look into this.

Anyway, at least you now know you're not imagining things I thought I was being totally paranoid until I saw how many guys in the US with WRX's (modded and standard) reported hesitation under acceleration. Hope you get it sorted so you can enjoy the car the way it should be.

[Edited by blip - 5/23/2003 10:12:29 AM]

chiark

I'd personally be very unwilling to mess with that, but I'm a coward. If you're paying 1600 quid (or 2 grand for the STI) for PPP then it should be right - that's why we go to Subaru for our fix rather than any other cheaper supplier...

The knock sensor tells the ecu about knock, and the ecu compensates accordingly in ways that I do not understand because it ain't audio .

Reducing the knock sensors sensitivity by slackening it off is reducing the safety net that your ECU is giving the engine IMHO.

This is great if you're gung ho, but it's Subaru's problem and I'd be poking the dealer with sharp implements to sort it out.

Nick.

z80

To bring this up again.. I've noticed hesitation on my STi8 PPP with 3000 miles on the clock.

At about 3K - 4K RPM it slightly fluffs or hesitates & the wonderful torque I am used to is less than it was - or it seems that way. Only been this way for the last 200 or so miles.

Car only ever run on SUL or Optimax.

Anybody else noticed this?

Davestamf

Here we go again.

Cupraman

Yep Z80, I am sure I feel the same with my car. Although took another STI 8 out and it did seem to feel the same (Maybe a bit quicker)

The STi does not feel as quick as it should do. Would love to meet up with someone local to drive theirs and they drive mine.

Wils

My STI8 is doing exactly the same, it has 6500 miles on the clock (3000 PPP) waiting for the dealer to get a reply from Subaru;s Tech dept.

Big Goon

Not the aircon being switched off/on under load ?

My car has been smooth from day one, never had any sluggish behaviour, always run on Opti or SUL.

Steve Holmes

Just got back from France to see teh responses from my thread. Interesting...it does seem to me that there might be something going on here guys. Does anyone know Mike Wood from Prodrive, maybe he can shed some light on it.

PS> Just ordered my Trax 2003 tickets, anyone else going??

Steve

Chins

One thing we are having is some humid weather, never the best for Turbo charged cars.

Interestingly Ive now been out in two EVO8 FQ's this week, and if you think the ECU has hesitiation etc in the Subaru, just drive on of these puppies.
I am gobsmaked that anyone can release such a car today with such poor driveability. You will have more chance of finding a weapon of mass destruction in my garden than getting a smooth drive. Only one mag has even mentioned it. The STI I drove back to back felt like a silky smooth V12 in comparison

Jonathan

KnobbySP1

I had similar but not exactly the same with the PPP on the STi 7

Garage went through everything and then finally Prodrive said "hmm, best try another ECU".

New ECU in - all hesitation problems gone. It's now much sharper and crisper on the pick-up.....

mwp

just got mine back from 10k service and it's wonderful.

certainly lost something between 8.5-10k before service.

awesome now ... love it

Wils

I thought Prodrive might have shed some light on this!

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Prodrive use to recommend not fitting the PPP (on classic shape scoobs) until the car was run in properly (around 6k miles).
New scoobs as i have put in before, have very tight engines, you will get some form of hesitation whilst they are like this, but once they loosen up.......

Tony

Cupraman

I must admit. Mine does seem to be going better as it approaches 4K.

Although, I would still love to see what it does against another ppp STi 8. Ant offers in the Kent area?

blip

Same here. Although I had some fault codes cleared from my ECU which instantly cured the hesitation, I am finding the car generally is getting better, faster and smoother by the day as it loosens up Up to 4.5k now and just love it!!!

cheesy

My STi7 hesitates at low revs also. Can MIKE WOOD SHED SOMETHING on this??
CHEESY