Used a Cobb AccessPort to:
Check for any CEL codes, pulled a P0457 CEL code, without the CEL light coming on.
Reset the ECU.

Drove it, and it drove perfect.

Called the Subaru tech and they just told me to tighten my gas cap, which was already tight.

Hope all it takes is a ECU reset, alot cheaper than the $450 for a new sending unit.

Joeman,
Did you do anything to your car between when it was acting strange and when it worked?
I never got the problem when I let the car set for a few minutes between deliverys.

 

On the outside, it sounds like something went very wrong and the car went into limp mode.

The easy guess is you were knocking, or somesuch. But I don't know if this actually puts you into limp mode. It will put you in a high-det map and make you very rich with low timing. From my experience its not enough to behave like limp mode.

If you were in limp mode, however, the techs should have been able to spot this right away with their ECU tools ... so this is weird that they have no "smoking gun".

All I can think of is that you have a faulty sensor somewhere. Maybe wacked out MAF, TPS, MAP, speed sensor. Faulty fuel delivery, failing pump or stuck injector, will do wacky stuff too. The SubaruSelect tool, I would imagine, should be able to pick up on stuff like this though... Could be a case that Subaru doesn't want to admit the details of.

Does NYS or NYC have a Lemon Law like California? (3 occurances of the same problem within a limited time and you get a new car?)

 

just drove around for awhile, drove great for about 15min.

then just after an accelerating right turn it felt like someone pressed on the brakes just
enough to not let the car accelerate for 2 secs, throttle input never changed

after unloading the engine, stepping on the clutch, car drove perfect until the next
accelerating right turn

i would agree that this may be either limp mode or faulty sensors or bad gas ... but it hardly ever happens in straight line driving, even at WOT. It only usually happens when accelerating out of a right hand turn

any other ideas?? or reasons why a sensor or bad gas or anything else would act like this

thanks all


Does anyone know where the step by step on changing an '02 WRX fuel pump is?
How can you determine if a pump is failing once it's out of the car?

 

The CEL code came up as Evaprative System problem (loose gas cap)

Joeman, it sounds like you're getting the beginnings of the problems I'm getting.
How long do you generally drive your car without stopping for 20-30min?

My problems generally take about an hour or a little more of driving before they begin to get to where I think it's in limp mode. The first signs, hesitating on accelerating 3/4 throttle out of a right turn and 3/4 throttle straight acceleration, usually start between 20-45min. Although the straight acceleration usually only produces a slight barely noticable hesitation until the problem gets bad.

I'm pulling my fuelpump assembly tomorrow morning, if I notice anything it'll get posted

 

I changed my fuel pump to the Walbro pump, problem solved.
Had a lot of little shiny black flecks in the tank, the filter sock thing, and the plug.