The past two days, I haven't been able to get above 8psi of boost. I've got a stock 2002 WRX that I've had since new. The only modifications are Wheels and tires, spings, and a guage pack that I've filled with autometer Boost, Oil Press and Oil temp guages. All guages are mechanical except the Oil temp guage. Typically I see 14.5-15 psi but, the past two days I am only seeing 7.5 to 8 on the guage. I rechecked all of the connections to the intercooler, and blowoff valve and everything seems fine. I don't hear any air leaks either. So, I am left with 2 possible situations, maybe. One, my guage is bad. Now, I've had great luck with Autometers before but, anything is possible. And two, the blowoff valve isn't working properly. Is there an easy way to test a blowoff valve? I was going to hook it up somehow to my compressor and set the pressure to 16 psi and see when it releases. I've got an old autometer boost gauge out of my old turbo diesel that I'm going to try as well to make sure that the gauge isn't a problem. Also, I am making 19-20 inches of mercury of vacuum.

The car drives ok and if, I didn't have the gauge, I would have probably thought that it was due to the 100 degree plus temps we've been haveing. But, i drove the car this morning and it was only 75 and it did the same thing.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Bill

 

Alright, tried resetting the ECU per the Sticky Thread and it seems to have fixed the problem.

So, when it gets really hot outside, the ECU pulls boost and Timing? I was under the impression that only the timing was retarded when knocking was sensed. Am I wrong?

 

I just drove the car again in 104 degree temps and the boost level dropped again. Everything seems to be connected correctly so I am assuming that it's detonating due to the heat and the ecu is pulling timing out. I'll wait and see what happens when the car cools off.

When I reset the ECU before, the boost shot right up to where it was before at 14.5. But, about an hour ago when I went to the gym, it only got up to 7-9 psi.

What's going on here? I didn't have any gauges last year or the year before so this may have happend before but, I wasn't aware of the issue. Maybe that is the fix. Just take the gauges out?

 

yeah, check your gauge hookup. it could just be a bad connection somewhere. the main cause of actual low boost issues is caused by the restrictor hose on the compressor going to the wastegate being put on improperly, but i take it that you didn't really mess with that given that you were only hooking up gauges. maybe check your boost gauge and vacuum hoses.

 

Didn't mess with the wastegate. I tee'd off the line to the BOV to get the boost signal. Guages have been in for a few months now and this if the first real heat wave we've had around here so that's why I'm thinking it's somewhat normal. Anyway, I'll check the restrictor hose next.

FYI, I have the boost gauge hocked up with a ¼ inch poly tubing and compression fittings with brass inserts. I changed both compression fittings and insterts this monring a with no effect.

Thanks.

 

Alright, this is starting to **** me off. I checked to make sure the wastegate hose and all the vacuum lines are good and they were. So, I tried resetting the ECU one more time and it worked. So, could it be bad gas? Does the electric solinoid open the wastegate sooner if there is detonation? I drove around quit a bit and pulled over. Turned it off and restarted and now it's driving normal again.

Since the gauge reads normal then I am ruling out that as the problem. Also, whenever I reset the ECU the wastegate and blowoff valve seem to be working. So, I am thinking that it might be bad gas along with the hotter than usual weather. I filled up at a Citgo station on Saturday when I usually buy my gas at Chevron or 76.

I'm usually a mild person but, I'm getting ready to beat the hell out of my car with a hammer. J/K.

 

okay, don't break the car just as of yet. yes, that CA gas is, as i've heard, very crappy. this could be a cause. do you know somebody that has the deltadash software? this could prove to be very useful in situations like this. do you feel a difference in when you're driving? you said that sometimes you get 14psi and sometimes you get 8psi. just going by the feel of the car, does it feel that much slower? about your blowoff valve, is this still the stock valve? it should be working hence if not, you're turbo wouldn't be surviving up to this point due to compressor surge.

 

I don't know anyone with a deltaflash in the area. I'll try and swing by LIC tomorrow since I work right around the corner from them.

The thing is, that my car will make full boost right after I reset the computer and then after it heats up drop the boost level to about 7-9 in all gears.

So, this leads me to believe that the guage is working. Also, that there is probably bad gas in the tank. Has anyone out there had a tank of bad gas? What are the effects in a stock car? In my mustang, it would loose power and detonate. But, I don't feel any detonation. The power is a bit sluggish but, not that far from normal.

I don't know. This has me stumped. All the temps are fine. Water, well, that doesn't move anyway and Oil Temp is right at 180-200 when fully warm. So, that's where I'm at. If I reset the ECU I get full boost until I drive it around a bit. Then it drops.

 

The reason it doesnt detonate is because its pulling boost and timing.

Thats the point of pulling boost and timing. Reset the ECU again then beat the **** out of it, I bet you hear it at least knock a couple times before it can pull the boost and timing again....

Dont actually do that of course

 

That's what I figured. I just didn't know if the boost controller was doing it though. It turns out that it was bad gas. I refilled the tank last night with some Chevron 91 and rest the ECU. Problem hasn't come back since.

I went and talked with Adam at LIC and he told me that what was going on was that bad gas along with really really hot weather caused the ECU to go into safe mode which deactivates the boost controller. Boost is then regulated only by the wastegate which opens at 7-8 psi. What I'm thinking happend was that the station I filled up at might have gotten some really bad gas.

Bill