FINALLY, after owning this car for the better part of a year, and bringing it to the local dealer multiple times to get it fixed, my boost pulsing problem is 100% gone.

As I had posted in here many times looking for help, I had an issue with an '02 WRX that was acting up under WOT. In 3rd-5th, as soon as boost began to build around 3000 rpm, it would immediately cut out, and back on, off, etc, in a rapid cycle. You can imagine what this did to power delivery...I had problems passing MINIVANS. Not good.

I took the car to my local garage twice, to no avail. The technician was wonderful, but the appointments always ended with "It could be this", and no actual repair. We first replaced a cracked coil. That did nothing. Then, it was suggested that somehow I might have a cat somewhere in the system (They didn't open it up to figure out which it could be) that was breaking down and causing backpressure, forcing open the wastegate. I got as far as replacing the up-pipe, and got fed up. THat shouldn't be the problem. I figured, along with half the message boards, that it was turbo-related somehow, and asked the local garage to check the whole turbo tract at the last appointment. Not sure if that ever happened, but I assume a turbo problem would warrant checking the turbo...

Anyway, I finally called Mike at Belknap Subaru/subaruxtras.com. We spoke on and off for a few weeks, and I finally dropped the car off for them to go nuts with. Mike knew exactly what I had already experienced before, and had his tech go completely through the turbo tract. They went all out here, even swapping parts from another WRX to find the problem. In the end, the boost solenoid was replaced, and I picked up the car yesterday. It runs PERFECTLY, with no surging in any gears at all anywhere in the rev range.

I'm stoked on this. If I was to follow the local garage advice, I would have already put over a grand into new exhaust parts. Mike had me out the door with the correct fix and over a week of labor for FAR less.

Hopefully, this might point some people in the right direction on similar boost issues. I get the feeling that that solenoid may be a bit of an Achilles' heel for modified cars. Side note: When Subaru of America found out the car was modified in the past (it was put to stock when I bought it, but there were signs of modification, none of which I did), their response was to "get it out the door." Thanks again to Mike and the guys for sticking by me past that and helping me actually fix the car.

 

Congratulations on your car being fixed!

 

yay no go have fun and dont get speeding tickets

 

And good luck with those minivans!!

 

well how much is it to replace this part with a new one? how much did this run u?

 

The new solenoid was in the neighborhood of $130. The install is pretty easy from what I understand.