Please help, I'm so freakin slow!
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Please help, I'm so freakin slow!
Hey everyone, I'm posting this for my dad who owns a 1996 Subaru Outback 2.2L
It is freakin butt slow and above 3500 rpms is appears to lose pull instead of gaining, and I'm looking for cheap mods to give a little performance. It is the 4cylinder model and the smaller displacement version at that.
I have removed the snorkus crapass thing and changed the air filter, oil, and spark plugs (Bosche). IT sucks. totally. thank god for the allwheel drive though, my Trans Am cant move at all in this weather.
thanks,
justin
It is freakin butt slow and above 3500 rpms is appears to lose pull instead of gaining, and I'm looking for cheap mods to give a little performance. It is the 4cylinder model and the smaller displacement version at that.
I have removed the snorkus crapass thing and changed the air filter, oil, and spark plugs (Bosche). IT sucks. totally. thank god for the allwheel drive though, my Trans Am cant move at all in this weather.
thanks,
justin
Last edited by 7Enigma; Feb 12, 2003 at 01:34 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 100
From: Roseville, CA
Car Info: 98 GT Wagon
7E,
Most Subie folks will swear by NGK plugs, with lukewarm to BAD ratings on the various Bosch products, Plat, +2, +4, etc. Not a whole lot available for the 2.2 on the aftermarket. Have you done an ECU re-set?? Basically disconnecting the Battery for 30 min, reconnecting and starting from cold, not touching the throttle, until warm and shutting off. From there the ECU should "learn" and adjust to your more agressive driving. Anyone else?
Glenn O
Most Subie folks will swear by NGK plugs, with lukewarm to BAD ratings on the various Bosch products, Plat, +2, +4, etc. Not a whole lot available for the 2.2 on the aftermarket. Have you done an ECU re-set?? Basically disconnecting the Battery for 30 min, reconnecting and starting from cold, not touching the throttle, until warm and shutting off. From there the ECU should "learn" and adjust to your more agressive driving. Anyone else?
Glenn O
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damn, i even asked the guy at autozone if they had NGK's and they didnt (on the Trans Am most swear by either NGK or Bosche's), so i went with the Bosche's. Fortunately it took about 25 mintues to change the plugs. On my T/A it took me 5 freakin hours because they were all but soldered in. So if need be in 10k miles or so I'll change to NGK's. I'll do the comp reset 2night. Thanks. I heard on most cars if you press and hold the brake pedal that will drain the system faster when the battery is unplugged? would this speed up the time to clear the computer?
thanks,
justin
thanks,
justin
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 81
From: Coloradoan banished to ND
Car Info: 05 2.5RS Wagon Royal Blue Pearl
Intake Snorkus
Here is a FREE mod. Remove the trim behind the front bumper and wheel on the passenger side. It'll be a bit of a fight. And then remove the huge airbaffle-thingy and put your trim back on. You have just turned your fender into a cold air intake, go get a K+N and you have a complete kit. Enjoy better throttle response and your Boxer engine note.
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It's possible you're getting misfire from a bad coil/plug wires. I've seen this on two of mine, one being a 2.2L SOHC the other a 2.5L DOHC. If you've got an ohm meter, check out end-to-end continuity on your individual wires and watch for major resistance changes between wires. Also check them for fouling and carbon buildup on both the coil connector side and on the spark plug side. If you've got any kind of carbon buildup, you're getting a misfire, or at best, a reduced strength spark at the plug end. This is sometimes an indication that the coil itself is going bad. I don't have any method to check the coil except via the OBDII system connection located on your left driver knee panel. That requires an OBDII reader to do that so unless you want to spend the $40-$80 the dealer charges or go to another place like Autozone or PepBoys who can pull the codes for you you're just left with a physical inspection.
Before it gets dark, lift and prop open your hood. Also, locate your throttle body actuator arm so that you know where it is on the engine. This will come in later on in the process. After it gets really dark (or do this in a darkened garage where there is no light intrusion), start your engine and let it idle until the engine reaches normal operating temperature. If you do this in the garage, make sure you vent the exhaust so you don't kill yourself with carbon monoxide buildup. That wouldn't do you any good and it'd deprive us of your experiences.
With the engine running, walk around the entire engine, looking at coil connections, plug wires and their loom connectors, and the plug connection end. If you see any sparking going on between or around the wires, you've got bad wires or there is a ton of crap on the outside that is enabling the wire to "ground". This will not only rob you of power but over the course of time will burn up the ballast in your coil and then you'll need to replace the coil.
The ECU/TCU reset is good for the engine and transmission (if you have an automatic tranny). Here's the process that I've used successfully on all five of mine:
1. Disconnect the negative terminal of your battery and keep it disconnected for at least 30 minutes (I like to do it overnight if possible). This is also a good opportunity to clean the terminals and the wire connectors.
2. Reattach the negative terminal, start you engine and let it reach normal operating temperature without driving it. Just let it idle until it warms up, then shut it off.
3. Restart your engine and drive it around the block, taking it easy and either gently shifting up/down the gears (manual) or letting the trans shift itself (auto). Treat it like you just got the car and nothing is broken in yet and you're trying to be gentle with it. The word here is take it easy on the car, don't rev it, don't shift fast, just nice and easy.
4. When you're done making your circuit around the block, park it and shut it off. You've now baselined your ECU and TCU (if auto) and it'll be a new kid again, ready to relearn all that you can teach it. From here on out, drive normally and it'll start to collect data on your driving style and keep that in the ECU registry.
Good luck and let us know what you find out.
Br, Dale
Before it gets dark, lift and prop open your hood. Also, locate your throttle body actuator arm so that you know where it is on the engine. This will come in later on in the process. After it gets really dark (or do this in a darkened garage where there is no light intrusion), start your engine and let it idle until the engine reaches normal operating temperature. If you do this in the garage, make sure you vent the exhaust so you don't kill yourself with carbon monoxide buildup. That wouldn't do you any good and it'd deprive us of your experiences.
With the engine running, walk around the entire engine, looking at coil connections, plug wires and their loom connectors, and the plug connection end. If you see any sparking going on between or around the wires, you've got bad wires or there is a ton of crap on the outside that is enabling the wire to "ground". This will not only rob you of power but over the course of time will burn up the ballast in your coil and then you'll need to replace the coil.
The ECU/TCU reset is good for the engine and transmission (if you have an automatic tranny). Here's the process that I've used successfully on all five of mine:
1. Disconnect the negative terminal of your battery and keep it disconnected for at least 30 minutes (I like to do it overnight if possible). This is also a good opportunity to clean the terminals and the wire connectors.
2. Reattach the negative terminal, start you engine and let it reach normal operating temperature without driving it. Just let it idle until it warms up, then shut it off.
3. Restart your engine and drive it around the block, taking it easy and either gently shifting up/down the gears (manual) or letting the trans shift itself (auto). Treat it like you just got the car and nothing is broken in yet and you're trying to be gentle with it. The word here is take it easy on the car, don't rev it, don't shift fast, just nice and easy.
4. When you're done making your circuit around the block, park it and shut it off. You've now baselined your ECU and TCU (if auto) and it'll be a new kid again, ready to relearn all that you can teach it. From here on out, drive normally and it'll start to collect data on your driving style and keep that in the ECU registry.
Good luck and let us know what you find out.
Br, Dale
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 85
From: SStarling Subaru/Orlando/UCF
Car Info: 91 Legacy, 88 XT, 79 GL
If your 2.2 is slow then it's not running perfect. I thought my car was slow for the past 2 1/2 years, but new motor mounts and an updated knock sensor have made all this extra power available.
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 85
From: SStarling Subaru/Orlando/UCF
Car Info: 91 Legacy, 88 XT, 79 GL
Now it depends on the conditions of your old mounts, but mine were pretty freakin' bad! Therefore, the engine was using a lot of its power to move itself around in the engine bay instead of sending it to the wheels.
Now you might have an updated knock sensor, look straight down on the block from where your throttle cables attach to your throttle body and you should see the sensor bolted to the engine. Follow the wire to the wiring harness and see if you have a grey or white connector. If it's white, yours is updated, leave it alone unless there's something wrong with it. If it's grey, get a new knock sensor from www.subaruparts.com part# 22060AA031.
The old knock sensor was oversensitive, and abnormal movements like those resulting from bad mounts upset it and it would pull timing to save the engine.
Oh and be sure you reset the ECU after changing the sensor or you won't notice any difference, go to http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/subaru.html, Notes and Tips, Engine Related for the ECU reset procedure.
Now you might have an updated knock sensor, look straight down on the block from where your throttle cables attach to your throttle body and you should see the sensor bolted to the engine. Follow the wire to the wiring harness and see if you have a grey or white connector. If it's white, yours is updated, leave it alone unless there's something wrong with it. If it's grey, get a new knock sensor from www.subaruparts.com part# 22060AA031.
The old knock sensor was oversensitive, and abnormal movements like those resulting from bad mounts upset it and it would pull timing to save the engine.
Oh and be sure you reset the ECU after changing the sensor or you won't notice any difference, go to http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/subaru.html, Notes and Tips, Engine Related for the ECU reset procedure.
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