Saabaru916

iTrader: (2)

Hi everyone!

I just installed a catless downpipe & flashed to stage 2 w/ my AP and a weird noise surfaced. Here's what I posted on Saab92x.com to get some help for diagnosing. Let me know if you have any other insights!! - Thanks

Sounds like an angry animal squeeling at me from like right in front of me when accelerating - even under normal acceleration. The sound seems to come in around 2k or so and doesn't seem to let up through the rev range.

Here's a low-down on what I did today:

Installed catless downpipe (used OEM gasket for the downpipe to turbo - didn't have a gasket for the downpipe to catback - I will be taking it to an exhaust shop on Monday for them to make the catback 3" since currently it tapers to 2.5" and the downpipe is full 3")
Removed & put back intercooler to gain access to downpipe/heat shield bolts (from what I could tell while re-installing, all my hoses seem snug)
Installed a new panel air filter cuz mine was getting old (pretty standard...)
flashed to stage 2 using my V1 AP
Went for a drive
Was horrified from noise ...

Here's a video of the noise in which I accelerate through 3rd & 4th - then bring it back to 3rd for a quick acceleration again to show that the sound seems to be dependent on how much throttle I'm giving it. When we got back from test driving - I revved in neutral and the sound did not occur - so it's only happening under load.

EDIT: Posted the video to youtube since it wasn't working previously.
Here's a pic of the stock downpipe/midpipe and the Maddad V1 catless downpipe I just installed. The thing that looks like a heatshield on my new downpipe is actually nothing - the pipe stays the same size there. Maybe to fool someone doing a half-assed visual inspection?

Thoughts I have for the noise:
- We weren't able to remove the turbo->intercooler hose from the turbo cuz it was on their pretty damn tight - so we opted to get underneath the car & remove the 4 bolts that hold the 2 hose inlets to the intercooler - so that hose stayed on the turbo. ... maybe we bent that hose and broke it somewhere that I didn't see? - dont think this would happen since the stock hose is a hard plastic vs. a more flexible hose which would be prone to that
- Maybe a lose hose connection to the intercooler/turbo/throttle body?
- Just a sound from the exhaust leak from not installing a gasket yet between the catback and downpipe? Sounds a bit too agressive to be this...
- I messed a hose up in the intake installing the new panel filter? How do you mess up something so easy? ha.

Please and thank you! -Ian

ddavis

iTrader: (4)

I've never heard an exhaust leak sound that way. They usually make a rapid tapping noise. I would check your intercooler hoses. Also the downpipe can come off without ever removing the intercooler.

Heedz

iTrader: (51)

Sounds like a boost leak check all the couplers and maybe your inlet too. Might have broken it during the install.

Saabaru916

iTrader: (2)

Ya, I was following an install on ScoobyMods that removed it - and I thought that made sense to gain easier access to the downpipe bolts that are closer in that neck of the woods. Maybe that was a mistake for me to do though

Thanks for the responses. I'll check the fitment of the intercooler hoses first to see if there's anything obvious - and if not will resort to removing & reinstalling.

norcalbro

iTrader: (11)

Yup. Sounds like boost leak. Remove and reinstall your tmic. See if that helps

stupidchicken03

iTrader: (38)

Mine sounded just like that a couple months ago after the dealer did the "cold weather recall" on the fuel lines under the intake manifold.

They ripped the turbo inlet. I bet you have a rip/tear in the inlet.

Saabaru916

iTrader: (2)

Successfully diagnosed! So I think at least.

There was a boost leak from the driver side y-pipe connection to the intercooler. When I removed the intercooler, the y-pipe was putting up a serious fight coming off of the turbo outlet, so I opted to take the intercooler off & replace it by getting underneath the car and undoing the y-pipe from the intercooler w/ those 4 bolts. When I was re-installing, the bolt closest to the driver side (shown in the picture below w/ the gaping gap) must have been mis-threaded. It felt snug and I didn't give it a second look over once I had installed since the other 3 went on fine.

So ... removed the intercooler and was able to convinve the y-pipe to come loose as well. The leak blew out the y-pipe to intercooler gasket so I will buy that from Subaru tomorrow & install tomorrow night. Hopefully this next test drive after replacing that gasket will be successful.

Heedz

iTrader: (51)

Looks like that would leak quite a lot!!!