Power Problem (acceleration)

[ScottB]

Hi guys just looking for a bit of advice here as im new to all this and dont know a lot about cars (although I want to learn). I run a 55 plate WRX with PPP and love it but the other day it started to run a little slower for some reason. I have no problem starting it and when it is just ticking over it is fine, the problem seems to be when i accelerate, it just doesnt have the same bite although it has no problem getting to the higher speeds it just seems to take a while to get there. It feels a little like there has been a restriction put on it ( i mean it seems to want to take off like a train but something seems to be holding it back). I think the best way to describe it is it kind of feels like a standard scooby feels before you get that little bit extra from the PPP and it certainly feels like the 0-60 takes an extra second or so to get there.

Someone told me that i should reset the ecu and explained briefly how to do it but I cant remember how and I would also like other opinions before I start mucking around with it. I suppose I could put it into the garage but I want to start learning about these things myself.

Any advice but be great..........

Many Thanks in advance.............. ScottB

[thewelsho]

Hi guys just looking for a bit of advice here as im new to all this and dont know a lot about cars (although I want to learn). I run a 55 plate WRX with PPP and love it but the other day it started to run a little slower for some reason. I have no problem starting it and when it is just ticking over it is fine, the problem seems to be when i accelerate, it just doesnt have the same bite although it has no problem getting to the higher speeds it just seems to take a while to get there. It feels a little like there has been a restriction put on it ( i mean it seems to want to take off like a train but something seems to be holding it back). I think the best way to describe it is it kind of feels like a standard scooby feels before you get that little bit extra from the PPP and it certainly feels like the 0-60 takes an extra second or so to get there.

Someone told me that i should reset the ecu and explained briefly how to do it but I cant remember how and I would also like other opinions before I start mucking around with it. I suppose I could put it into the garage but I want to start learning about these things myself.

Any advice but be great..........

Many Thanks in advance.............. ScottB

Welcome Scott. Sounds like your turbo doesn't want to play, although, like you, I don't know much. Can you feel/hear the turbo kick in when its meant to? If you are booting it, you should feel it come online with a kick at around 3.2K in the revs.

Also, are there any CELs? Have you done anything to the car that might have causes this, like using different fuel etc, etc?

To reset the ECU, just disconnet the battery for 15 minutes, then reconnect.

[thefastone]

hi, Like I just said in another thread, I don't know specifically about new ages, but What I do know is that your car can thin that somethings wrong and then try to save its self from breaking down by reigning back, you'll just notice that it feels flat, it will go, but there wont feel like you have the torque...

Like John says, if you can see what your codes are, you'd need a garage or someone with a cable to be able to check your ECU, then reset it...

I had similar, car was sluggish, checked my codes, and it turned out the Knock sensor had showed a fault code, the engine saw this and reigned back the engine, safety mode like...may only be that simple...

[ScottB]

Thanks for the replies guys.......... Hi Welsho.... it seems as if the turbo is trying to kick in but either doesnt or is very slow to respond, that seems to be the problem because as you say at round about 3200 revs the car would take off but now it just seems to have a slight kick then gradualy speeds up, but having said that it is far from being slow but just doesn't have that "throw your head back in the seat" bite anymore.

As for the different fuel i normaly switch between vpower and tesco and had filled it up with tesco for the past 3 or 4 times and it was fine then filled it with vpower and drove the 20 or so miles home with no problem but as soon as I took it out the next day it seemed to be missing something. I can hear the turbo but it just seems not to be in a hurry.

Hi fastone......... Yeh it does feel as if i dont have the torque, i mean it does get there but just not nearly as quick and as for the codes im afraid i dont know where to start with those..... If thats something to do with the engine light thingy that lights up before you start the car then this light goes off when i start her up. If someone could explain how I could get or read the codes then I will try to provide more info........ Just read up on this and as far as I can tell a newage needs to be connected to machine to read the codes, is this correct?

Is reseting the ecu as easy as disconecting the battery and if so do people recomend this or should this strictly be a job for a garage? Do you think this may solve anything or should I try other suggestions..

Many Thanks in advance.............. ScottB

Edited April 8, 2008 by ScottB

[thewelsho]

Thanks for the replies guys.......... Hi Welsho.... it seems as if the turbo is trying to kick in but either doesnt or is very slow to respond, that seems to be the problem because as you say at round about 3200 revs the car would take off but now it just seems to have a slight kick then gradualy speeds up, but having said that it is far from being slow but just doesn't have that "throw your head back in the seat" bite anymore.

As for the different fuel i normaly switch between vpower and tesco and had filled it up with tesco for the past 3 or 4 times and it was fine then filled it with vpower and drove the 20 or so miles home with no problem but as soon as I took it out the next day it seemed to be missing something. I can hear the turbo but it just seems not to be in a hurry.

Hi fastone......... Yeh it does feel as if i dont have the torque, i mean it does get there but just not nearly as quick and as for the codes im afraid i dont know where to start with those..... If thats something to do with the engine light thingy that lights up before you start the car then this light goes off when i start her up. If someone could explain how I could get or read the codes then I will try to provide more info........ Just read up on this and as far as I can tell a newage needs to be connected to machine to read the codes, is this correct?

Is reseting the ecu as easy as disconecting the battery and if so do people recomend this or should this strictly be a job for a garage? Do you think this may solve anything or should I try other suggestions..

Many Thanks in advance.............. ScottB

Scott

Anytime I have reset the ECU I have done so by dsiconnecting the battery for 15 minutes. This was on the advice of Andy.F who has been racing and tuning cars for years, so if anyone should know, he'll know. And yes, you do need to plug in a device to read off error codes, however, your CEL should come on and stay on if there is a problem. Have you tired all the usual steps, like checking all the hoses etc? Not long a go I had one tiny little hose come off and it threw up a CEL as it affected the fuel mixture. Your ECU can, to some extent change things when it thinks there is a problem, so clearing it will mean that its running under the normal parameters as the new stored ones will be lost. I had a cracked piston and the ECU retarded the ignition as the broken piston was detected as knockining. The retardation level was stored then when it happened again, the ignition was pulled back from the value stored by the ECU, so when I cleared it, I had a clean page so to speak. This of course never fixed the piston, but it just made the car more usable until I got it fixed. So that is what I mean by the ECU changing parameters. Give it a try.

Edited April 8, 2008 by TheWelsho

[ScottB]

Thanks for your reply Welsho................. I checked all the hoses and stuff and as far as I can see they are all ok, the strange thing about this is that everything seems ok but I just dont seem to have a turbo anymore. I took it a good run to work last night and had a good listen for the turbo kicking in but could hear nothing and when i gave it a blast there was no difference when it hit 3200 revs it just seemed to progress at the same rate, accelerating from 2000 revs to 6000 revs was the same steady flow instead off getting the extra boost when you hit 3200. Honestly it feels as if someone has taken my turbo out of my car but I always thought if the turbo didnt work then neither would the car but then again I know nothing about cars.

Can anyone tell me if the car would still run ok even if the turbo wasn't working or would i know about it. Its just like I am left with a standard car again

Thanks in Advance for your replies guys...........

Take Care...................... ScottB

[emoe]

Sounds to me like the ECU is reading a minor fault in one of the sensors. Maybe the knock sensor is faulty which will cause the control mapping to reduce the turbo spool up to save the engine. You SHOULD have a CEL light on but sometimes it can get fooled.

What it soulds like is happening is the turbo is coming on boost at the normal time, but as the MAP reads the boost pressure, it registers and the solenoid is stopping the bleed off making the wastegate open prematurely.

This will give you a little boost but most probably only about 5psi max.

Try disconnecting the battery, holding down the brake pedal with the ignition on for about 5 mins. then replace the battery and try it again.

IF the problem still exists then youll either have to read the codes yourself with an OBDII reader or go to a dealer to get them read.

hope that helps

Emoe

[thewelsho]

Yeah, I think your car would still work if the turbo was goosed, though, since that hasn't happened to me (yet!) I can't say for sure. One of my friend's had a turbo-charged SAAB and when the turbo went on that, the car still ran fine, but with no oomph, just as you describe.

If a sensor was picking something up, it should throw up a CEL. Looks like you need to get it to the garage to have them stick their diagnostic equipment onto it. Maybe your turbo is goosed. I have a spare one if you need to borrow it to rule that out.

Keep us posted.

Edited April 9, 2008 by TheWelsho

[ScottB]

Thanks guys....... I think I will book it into a Subaru dealer and get them to have a look at it as its due its 30000 mile service which I am lead to believe is a main one (and a very expensive one) its just all came at the wrong time as my girlfriends 406 is going to cost me £900 to get fixed and on the road again but I knew when I got the Subaru that it was going to cost a lot of money (fuel, service, mods etc) so I cant complain. I tried to re set the ecu but nothing happened so I guess its the dealer for me.

I will keep you posted on what was wrong and hopefully this will help someone someday who gets the same problem.

Take Care........... ScottB

[freddi]

Thanks guys....... I think I will book it into a Subaru dealer and get them to have a look at it as its due its 30000 mile service which I am lead to believe is a main one (and a very expensive one) its just all came at the wrong time as my girlfriends 406 is going to cost me £900 to get fixed and on the road again but I knew when I got the Subaru that it was going to cost a lot of money (fuel, service, mods etc) so I cant complain. I tried to re set the ecu but nothing happened so I guess its the dealer for me.

I will keep you posted on what was wrong and hopefully this will help someone someday who gets the same problem.

Take Care........... ScottB

Scott been reading with intertest. I have exactly the same problem on MY05 WRX PPP. Its been like this for a while and been in for service 30k even though it's not near there is mileage. Dealer was told symptoms and asked to reset ecu but car is not any better. Getting pretty depressed so was good to here I am not alone on this. I have persuaded dealer problem is there and going back in soon to demonstrate to them. Hopefully will have some feedback for you. Also should have obd2 key on way soon so can check for myself. Good luck in getting this fixed as its no fun anymore.

Cheers Freddi

[ScottB]

Booked in for service on monday Freddi at Noble of Penicuik so I hope these guys are good because I haven't had any dealings with them but my brother has used them and has had no probs. Phoned today to book and explain the problem and they told me that they will look at the problem so I should be able to give you some info on monday night.

Take care........... ScottB

Edited April 10, 2008 by ScottB

[scoobysailor]

Scott

They are good down there I used them since I bought the car car new and they fitted the PPP to it. I haven't had a snags with them at all.

Give me a bell when you get it back and let me know how you got on and I will drop in when I get back up the road.

[ScottB]

Will do bro.......... booked in for monday because I have sunday and monday off then im in for 7 so I didn't want to wait that long because its getting me down enough at the mo so I just want it sorted. I'll give you a buzz and tell you how it went.

See you soon........ Scott

[freddi]

Scott managed to get into see my dealer on friday. Took their Tech out for a drive on some good B road and was left being told nothing was wrong and that I was just used to the car now. I'm not too sure if I agree so will be interested to see what success you have today. Going back to your original post I would say that overall I have no problem with power as long as you rip it but the big kick in of torque is missing. Will see what you post later.

Cheers Freddi

[scoobysailor]

Scott

Any news yet???

[dipsy]

What about sending a email to Andy F and for booking your car in for pluging in his computer with ecutek software and seeing if there is any problems with the ppp ecu .

[freddi]

Had this on my list of need to do's but hoping to get fixed closer to home if anyone recommends anywhere. Andy F sounds like the man to see from all listngs. Will see how Scott gets on today.

Cheers

Freddi

[ScottB]

Just back from Noble of Penicuik who informed me that my boost valve was not working so they fitted a new one and the car runs like new, valve cost £155.36 + vat.

Only problem was that they told me that my Warranty was not valid as the car was sourced from motorpoint and no one had registered it.

Hope this helps anyone else who has this problem.

freddi........... I sometimes thought that I had just got used to the speed as well but the telling factor was when the revs hit 3200 I didn't get the boost that I was used to and the car just climbed steadily from 2000 revs up to 6000 with no great increase in pull. After I got the Boost Valve renewed as soon as the revs hit 3200 the car took off and I got the old "throw my head back" feeling and I knew instantly what I was missing.

Regards..................... Scott

Edited April 14, 2008 by ScottB

[freddi]

Sounds like that i need that fix too. Glad to here you are sorted. I'm off to see if thats whats up with my PPP. Will let you know.

Cheers

Freddi

[thewelsho]

boost valve was not working

What does this do? Where does it go? And I take it Nobles did a better job than the other dealer you visited?

Glad you're sorted

[freddi]

An update on where I'e got to. Over the last week have been putting in BP Ultimate and now seem to get far better response than on V Power, still not 100% but alot better. Went to see Duncan @ Hypertech for a chat and a drive and he was convinced that there was not too much wrong but possibly that the ECU is relearning its settings and this might take a while. If its not improved in few weeks its back to Duncan for an AndyF remap as he says the std PPP ecu is just an off the shelf map and is not mapped to the car. Need to get out this weekend to see if I can help the map find the right settings.

Cheers