Engine Ping

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Old Sep 21, 2006 | 03:19 PM
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Engine Ping

I've been noticing my engine has been pinging lately when I accellerate quickly on an onramp to the HWY....There are probably 4-5 audible,separate pings which are sounding like a can being crinkled. I'm fairly sure this is engine ping, and it happens regularly.

The car is an '05 WRX - no mods except a rear sway bar and bushings..I've got a boost gauge and its pushing aroudn 15psi. Gas is either shell 91 or chevron 91...

What would you guys do in my situation? its got 16k miles on it, so i can take it into the dealership (santa cruz of course), but I really view that as a last resort. I'm almost tempted to get an ECU to remove this...but wanted to know what my fellow BAIC people thought.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Old Sep 21, 2006 | 03:36 PM
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If you have no mods, I would get it checked out at the dealership. Or, try a tank of 76 91 octane, and be sure to reset your ECU by unplugging the positive terminal and stepping on the brakes a few times.

Then plug it back in and try it out. May have just been a bad batch of gas. If it persists, take it into the dealership.
Old Sep 21, 2006 | 03:42 PM
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you should be boosting around 13.5.. did you buy the car used? might have a boost controller? those are a nono on the 04-05s
Old Sep 21, 2006 | 03:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Onizuka
If you have no mods, I would get it checked out at the dealership. Or, try a tank of 76 91 octane, and be sure to reset your ECU by unplugging the positive terminal and stepping on the brakes a few times.

Then plug it back in and try it out. May have just been a bad batch of gas. If it persists, take it into the dealership.
+1 for 76. Andy at MPJ/Speedelement just did a good right up on gas quality. Basically the customer was running shell, having severe issues pushing even 260whp on a fully tuned IX (thats LOW). Drained the tank, filled it up with 76 gas, re-dynoed with the same exact fuel map and put down 289/289. The end result was 298/306

Also Steve, if you are in fact spiking to 15psi you may be having boost solenoid issues
Old Sep 21, 2006 | 04:00 PM
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I'm sorry, I meant 76 and not shell. I never use shell..only 76 or chevron, but its been consistently doing this since before the beginning of summer...So i drive fairly conservatively.

I've reset my ECU by removing the positive terminal and draining the residual charge by activating the brake lights. The car was bought new by me a year ago, and I'm 100% sure it has no boost controller (unless ninjas installed one in the middle of the night when i wasn't watching)

It is interesting tho, because the boost is very smooth but it does top out at 15 PSI....
Old Sep 21, 2006 | 04:01 PM
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04+ WRX's ping and hesitate extensively in completely stock form. When you go WOT, the stock ECU programming keeps the car in closed loop (lean) for several seconds. This means you're running full boost under a very lean condition. This may run alright on 93+ octane but on 91 (especially california 91) it causes some pretty severe knock every time you drive somewhat agressively. Taking it to the dealership will not fix the issue since the dellay is an EPA mandated thing that Subaru has no control over. The only real sollution is to get a good tune.

BTW, boost gauges are almost always atleast 1psi off and in general they choose to err on the side of safety and end up reading higher than your actual boost levels.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks
Old Sep 21, 2006 | 04:02 PM
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Originally Posted by EQ Tuning
04+ WRX's ping and hesitate extensively in completely stock form. When you go WOT, the stock ECU programming keeps the car in closed loop (lean) for several seconds. This means you're running full boost under a very lean condition. This may run alright on 93+ octane but on 91 (especially california 91) it causes some pretty severe knock every time you drive somewhat agressively. Taking it to the dealership will not fix the issue since the dellay is an EPA mandated thing that Subaru has no control over. The only real sollution is to get a good tune.

Thanks
This is kind of what I have been figuring (hoping? haha). I doubt the dealership will do much besides scratch their ***** and look at the car...

The car is an 05, however...not sure if that makes any difference
Old Sep 21, 2006 | 04:17 PM
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Originally Posted by musashi

r (unless ninjas installed one in the middle of the night when i wasn't watching)
.

Yeah that was me, I'm gonna need it back now, getting tuned soon =P

I think its time to install that UP, get a DP, AP and a tune, you know you want to steve!
Old Sep 21, 2006 | 04:27 PM
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Originally Posted by musashi
This is kind of what I have been figuring (hoping? haha). I doubt the dealership will do much besides scratch their ***** and look at the car...

The car is an 05, however...not sure if that makes any difference
This dellay has been in place in every turbo Subaru except the STI since 04. So this includes your 05. Get a tune asap... you won't be sorry .
Old Sep 21, 2006 | 04:29 PM
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Originally Posted by EQ Tuning
04+ WRX's ping and hesitate extensively in completely stock form. When you go WOT, the stock ECU programming keeps the car in closed loop (lean) for several seconds. This means you're running full boost under a very lean condition. This may run alright on 93+ octane but on 91 (especially california 91) it causes some pretty severe knock every time you drive somewhat agressively. Taking it to the dealership will not fix the issue since the dellay is an EPA mandated thing that Subaru has no control over. The only real sollution is to get a good tune.

BTW, boost gauges are almost always atleast 1psi off and in general they choose to err on the side of safety and end up reading higher than your actual boost levels.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks
dead on correct. It's the 04/05's only if I'm correct on this and it's stupid. The engines are basically tuned to blow up.

I'm very surprised my motor is in one piece at 82,000. I talked to the parts guy at the dealership and they stock blocks and basically complete engine rebuild kits because it's such a common problem.

if you've got the money get an accessport and run their base map for a stock car. You'll get a little power out of it but mostly you'll just have a safer fuel map.

No more open/closed crap.

I'd do it but I'm hoping mine goes before I hit 100,000.
Old Sep 21, 2006 | 04:45 PM
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Originally Posted by ucbsti
Yeah that was me, I'm gonna need it back now, getting tuned soon =P

I think its time to install that UP, get a DP, AP and a tune, you know you want to steve!
damnit kyle you are still a bad influence! I'm waiting for the warranty to expire!!

This really begs the question: what sort of permanant engine damage could be caused by this? Is it possible the pistons have been warped or something like that? Something that I can have the dealership check out before I start to mod the thing?

Thanks for the help all...
Old Sep 21, 2006 | 05:23 PM
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Could you please post a link to the write-up? I searched but could not find it. Thanks!

Originally Posted by ucbsti
+1 for 76. Andy at MPJ/Speedelement just did a good right up on gas quality. Basically the customer was running shell, having severe issues pushing even 260whp on a fully tuned IX (thats LOW). Drained the tank, filled it up with 76 gas, re-dynoed with the same exact fuel map and put down 289/289. The end result was 298/306

Also Steve, if you are in fact spiking to 15psi you may be having boost solenoid issues
Old Sep 21, 2006 | 05:27 PM
  #13  
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sorry, it was on norcal evo. And the gas was valaro (but shell is crap too)

http://www.norcalevo.net/index.php?o...&topic=12733.0
Old Sep 21, 2006 | 09:58 PM
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Thanks!
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