Local Knowledge Required

[stevenhiggster]

Hi folks

I live in Darvel just outside Killie, anyone from round here and know of any garages who are well versed in repairing the scoob? Mine seems to have lost a lot of power just over night and I dont wanna take it to just any garage for them to tell me something major is wrong when really its just something needing cleaned out!

I got a new alarm fitted today thats the only thing thats changed since yesterday, could this be a problem?

[keap_scooby2]

hi,

greers in glengarnock are the best in your area, others will reccommend.

hope you find out whats up.

[thewelsho]

Hi folks

I live in Darvel just outside Killie, anyone from round here and know of any garages who are well versed in repairing the scoob? Mine seems to have lost a lot of power just over night and I dont wanna take it to just any garage for them to tell me something major is wrong when really its just something needing cleaned out!

I got a new alarm fitted today thats the only thing thats changed since yesterday, could this be a problem?

Hard to say for sure if the new alarm is the cause, I suppose it could be. Did the car start playing up immediatly after fitting? I would rcommend Hypertech but they are not local to you, they are located in Bonnybridge, on the way to Falkirk.

Keep us posted as to what the problem is.

[stevenhiggster]

Hard to say for sure if the new alarm is the cause, I suppose it could be. Did the car start playing up immediatly after fitting? I would rcommend Hypertech but they are not local to you, they are located in Bonnybridge, on the way to Falkirk.

Keep us posted as to what the problem is.

The car seems to start and tick over fine and everything, it just doesn't want to boost, it sounds a bit like the dump valve is dumping way too early. It sounds very like the problem scottb is having, the car doesn't have any problems running or with high speed, it just takes ages to get to any sort of speed. It has been playing up since the alarm was fitted.

[thewelsho]

The car seems to start and tick over fine and everything, it just doesn't want to boost, it sounds a bit like the dump valve is dumping way too early. It sounds very like the problem scottb is having, the car doesn't have any problems running or with high speed, it just takes ages to get to any sort of speed. It has been playing up since the alarm was fitted.

Checked all the hoses and everything? And CELs?

[stevenhiggster]

Checked all the hoses and everything? And CELs?

I wouldn't have the faintest idea where to start, and WTF are CELs

[thewelsho]

I wouldn't have the faintest idea where to start, and WTF are CELs

LOL! Check Engine Light - If your ECU detects a fault through one of the many sensors fitted in around the engine, the CEL light on the dashboard will light up. As for hoses; check the hoses in and around the intercooler and dump valve. Check for any split in the pipes or for any that have come loose. Most unlikely, but worth a look.

[stevenhiggster]

LOL! Check Engine Light - If your ECU detects a fault through one of the many sensors fitted in around the engine, the CEL light on the dashboard will light up. As for hoses; check the hoses in and around the intercooler and dump valve. Check for any split in the pipes or for any that have come loose. Most unlikely, but worth a look.

No CELs

I'll have to wait till tomorrow and have a good look at all the pipes and stuff, I really should know better, I used to be an airplane propulsion technician. You'd think if I can strip down a jet engine and rebuild it then I should at least have some idea what I'm doing with a car engine

[thewelsho]

No CELs

I'll have to wait till tomorrow and have a good look at all the pipes and stuff, I really should know better, I used to be an airplane propulsion technician. You'd think if I can strip down a jet engine and rebuild it then I should at least have some idea what I'm doing with a car engine

LOL! Well at least since you know so much about one type of engine the learning curve for another shouldn't be quite so steep. I noticed you have a JDM import as per your other thread... what fuel have you been running in it since you got it? Cause I think I'm right in thinking that the JDM cars run a higher octance fuel than ours. If you're booting your car with the wrong fuel, that might not be a good idea!

[stevenhiggster]

LOL! Well at least since you know so much about one type of engine the learning curve for another shouldn't be quite so steep. I noticed you have a JDM import as per your other thread... what fuel have you been running in it since you got it? Cause I think I'm right in thinking that the JDM cars run a higher octance fuel than ours. If you're booting your car with the wrong fuel, that might not be a good idea!

I have been using tesco 99 super ul, I'm gonna start using octane booster too though, I just hope I'm not too late

[thewelsho]

I have been using tesco 99 super ul, I'm gonna start using octane booster too though, I just hope I'm not too late

Well at least you have been using high-octane stuff, 95 RON is a no-no! Did you try resetting hte ECU. Detach the battery for 15 mins then try that.

Edited April 7, 2008 by TheWelsho

[stevenhiggster]

Well at least you have been using high-octane stuff, 95 RON is a no-no! Did you try resetting hte ECU. Detach the battery for 15 mins then try that.

I'll give it a try. The only other thing it could be related to is the beasting I gave the car on saturday night racing my mates Pulsar GTi-r, and winning of course, but I drove the car around after that and yesterday and it felt fine, just today it was a slug

Oh and I've posted some pics now in the other thread ^_^

Edited April 7, 2008 by stevenhiggster

[thewelsho]

I'll give it a try. The only other thing it could be related to is the beasting I gave the car on saturday night racing my mates Pulsar GTi-r, and winning of course, but I drove the car around after that and yesterday and it felt fine, just today it was a slug

Oh and I've posted some pics now in the other thread ^_^

Try the MAF too.

[thefastone]

I fear John may not have been entirely clear, the light on your dash will not nessicarily light up on your dash if something is amiss...

Are you driving a classic?

If so, you should check your fault codes (CEL codes) The following link, tells you how to go about checking the codes, print it off and take it to the car with you, and follow the instructions step by step...

How to Read Fault Codes on a Classic Impreza

Subaru Specific Fault codes, and their meanings...

How to reset your ECU

If your driving a new age then you need the bit of kit (Cable and software) to check it, then that's when you need a garage... (or someone who has the cable...)

Its been mentioned that sometimes some faults will reign in your engine, so it cant do too much damage, but I dont know if you will notice THAT much of a difference... It happened on my car not that long ago, and resetting the ECU seemed to do the trick...

[thewelsho]

I fear John may not have been entirely clear, the light on your dash will not nessicarily light up on your dash if something is amiss...

Are you driving a classic?

If so, you should check your fault codes (CEL codes) The following link, tells you how to go about checking the codes, print it off and take it to the car with you, and follow the instructions step by step...

How to Read Fault Codes on a Classic Impreza

Subaru Specific Fault codes, and their meanings...

How to reset your ECU

If your driving a new age then you need the bit of kit (Cable and software) to check it, then that's when you need a garage... (or someone who has the cable...)

Its been mentioned that sometimes some faults will reign in your engine, so it cant do too much damage, but I dont know if you will notice THAT much of a difference... It happened on my car not that long ago, and resetting the ECU seemed to do the trick...

Tis indeed a Classic and a Classic owner comes up with better suggestions - damn those guy with their older "oh I can read my fault code" cars!

[thefastone]

LOL! its just one of those things John, I just know to do that... its all experience at the end of the day, your experiance is mostly covered by what youve had to look for on your car... same with me...

its all good experience!!

[stevenhiggster]

I tried resetting the ECU, made no difference. It's going into the garage tomorrow, S&S in Ayr. I think the problems have worsened it sounds rough as f**! I do think it sounds exhaust related though which I'm hoping isn't too bad, but I've also noticed that the dump valve is just dumping as soon as the boost comes on, seriously how bad does this sound? I'm a bit worried this is gonna skin me

Edited April 8, 2008 by stevenhiggster

[nanaki]

hey mate, when you booked into S&S. im in killie and could try and help you have a look round the car before it goes in if you want. Let me know.

[stevenhiggster]

hey mate, when you booked into S&S. im in killie and could try and help you have a look round the car before it goes in if you want. Let me know.

Hi, it was in at S&S today, they changed the plugs and oil and had a quick check at the pipes and stuff. The car feels a lot smoother and pulls all the way up the revs, but it still doesn't feel right, they said they don't know enough about imports to be sure whats wrong. I really dont think it is boosting enough, I dont have a boost gauge so I dont know what kinda boost I'm getting. I can definately hear air leaking at low boost like the wastegate just cant hold anything. The guy did say it may have been overboosting before, so I'm thinking it might have been re-mapped and when the alarm was fitted the ECU has been re-set, is this possible?

[thewelsho]

Hi, it was in at S&S today, they changed the plugs and oil and had a quick check at the pipes and stuff. The car feels a lot smoother and pulls all the way up the revs, but it still doesn't feel right, they said they don't know enough about imports to be sure whats wrong. I really dont think it is boosting enough, I dont have a boost gauge so I dont know what kinda boost I'm getting. I can definately hear air leaking at low boost like the wastegate just cant hold anything. The guy did say it may have been overboosting before, so I'm thinking it might have been re-mapped and when the alarm was fitted the ECU has been re-set, is this possible?

Well given that changing the alarm was the last thing you did, just before the car played up, it can't be ignored as a factor. I wouldn't say installing the alarm could reset the ECU back to standard, all that would happen is that any variables stored in the ECU that are learnt by the ECU over time, would be lost. For example, I recently had a problem and the CEL came on. I checked around and found a broken hose. I replaced the broken solenoid, refitted the hose, but then cleared the ECU of the new fueling cycle that it had changed to becasue of the air leak (running too lean). So you see, the map stayed in placed, but the parameters learned and stored by the ECU where removed. I'm not explaining this all that well, but that is at least the gist of it. Perhaps something like this has happened to you.

Did S&S pull any data off of the ECU to say there was any sort of problem?

[stevenhiggster]

Well given that changing the alarm was the last thing you did, just before the car played up, it can't be ignored as a factor. I wouldn't say installing the alarm could reset the ECU back to standard, all that would happen is that any variables stored in the ECU that are learnt by the ECU over time, would be lost. For example, I recently had a problem and the CEL came on. I checked around and found a broken hose. I replaced the broken solenoid, refitted the hose, but then cleared the ECU of the new fueling cycle that it had changed to becasue of the air leak (running too lean). So you see, the map stayed in placed, but the parameters learned and stored by the ECU where removed. I'm not explaining this all that well, but that is at least the gist of it. Perhaps something like this has happened to you.

Did S&S pull any data off of the ECU to say there was any sort of problem?

Not as far as I'm aware, TBH they seemed to not really give to many hoots, the guy didn't seem to know what was wrong or even where to look, he just said it felt ok to him. I think they might be against the use of imports or sumthin

Anyone ever used them before, cause I don't imagine I'll be going back to them

[j10 dly]

I have a mate that stays in Darvel too, he doesnt have an impreza, but he got his VW Bora which he got chipped and he uses a garage in Prestwick.

Will find out the name, they mite be able to get you more info if any probs with ECU as they do alot of chipping of cars, and see if they can possible help you with the situation, as far as i know they deal with all types of cars not just V Dubs.

Cheers

James

Edited April 9, 2008 by J10 DLY

[stevenhiggster]

I have a mate that stays in Darvel too, he doesnt have an impreza, but he got his VW Bora which he got chipped and he uses a garage in Prestwick.

Will find out the name, they mite be able to get you more info if any probs with ECU as they do alot of chipping of cars, and see if they can possible help you with the situation, as far as i know they deal with all types of cars not just V Dubs.

Cheers

James

Cheers, who is yer mate? It's not Ian is it?

[j10 dly]

Cheers, who is yer mate? It's not Ian is it?

Nae mate his name is Stuart Welsh, will speak to him and get back to you mate with the name of the place

[stevenhiggster]

Nae mate his name is Stuart Welsh, will speak to him and get back to you mate with the name of the place

Cheers, I used to work with a guy called Ian who had a chipped Bora Don't think I know Stuart, I'd probably know his face, it is after all a pretty small town, you get to know everyones face

Edited April 9, 2008 by stevenhiggster