10 psi max boost

My boost wont surpass 10psi.

Resetting the ECU Makes the boost return to normal for that drive (or shorter). Short block has 1500km's. Its -5c but is getting to -20c

elevation @ 720ft or so.

 

Fully stock.

Probably a leak somewhere.

Stop resetting it. Something's wrong and you're just bypassing the safety mechanism. As rob said, first check for leaks. If you are throwing a CEL, it would be good to read that too. If you can manage to get your hands on a Tactrix cable, pull a LearningView. I suspect your IAM is getting reduced bigtime.

Anything that's rattling?

 

Lowered boost through the ECU is as stated a safety mechanism, and it's likely to be triggered by either leaks or rattles picked up by the knock sensor.

 

But without a log it's hard to tell. Pending CELs can also be informative, and if you keep resetting then the pending never becomes permanent.

I have a friend with an unmarried Subaru accessport which can do logging. But does the accessport have the stock map? All I have is an obd2 diagnostic reader. Everything shows as ready with no pending cel.

 

The car is relatively fresh and is still breaking in. Had a k&n from dealership (recommended by them)

 

Switched back to paper and found an improvement. The car would almost limit at 3500. I'm not doing any wot until it's a little more worn in. (2000kms.)

I have a friend with an unmarried Subaru accessport which can do logging. But does the accessport have the stock map? All I have is an obd2 diagnostic reader. Everything shows as ready with no pending cel.

 

The car is relatively fresh and is still breaking in. Had a k&n from dealership (recommended by them)

 

Switched back to paper and found an improvement. The car would almost limit at 3500. I'm not doing any wot until it's a little more worn in. (2000kms.)

 

Read up on how to break in a motor. Driving it lightly is considered a no-no.

Read up on how to break in a motor. Driving it lightly is considered a no-no.

 

Don't get me wrong. I'm doing pulls, I wouldn't be saying my boost is acting funny if I was grannying.

just take it step by step.

Feed back Knock sensor just read -11.8.. okay WOT seems explosive..

Loose heat shield? Running on kerosene??? Bad belt tensioner?

 

Do you have any audible knock?

Engine itself runs a bit loud when accelerating. Hard to describe. Previously it would just hum louder and you could hear the turbo. Now it's a lot more growl. Enough to drown the turbo sound.

 

Yes it had knocked.

Knocking that bad is a problem. Typically up to 2-4 degrees of adjustment (if memory is correct) is within normal operations according to cobb. I would be concerned about 11.

 

When I had this problem is was bad compression; however it can be a range of things - including nothing related to knocking just a fake knock the motor picks up.

I'm going to try a different gas brand. I've been using Husky(chevron I think)

 

I'm going to try shell. I've heard Canada has crap fuel because of stuff put in for winter emissions.

I'm going to try a different gas brand. I've been using Husky(chevron I think)

 

I'm going to try shell. I've heard Canada has crap fuel because of stuff put in for winter emissions.

 

The blend does change for winter to improve start ups and reduce the chances of fuel related problems in cold climates.

 

If you suspect fuel try adding an octane booster.

There is a winter blend in Canada. It contains more butane. Which evaporates quicker and is more volatile. I'm just not sure that itself would have a big effect.

 

That's why gas suddenly gets cheaper.

 

1.25/litre

To 1.059/litre. Matter of two weeks.

There is a winter blend in Canada. It contains more butane. Which evaporates quicker and is more volatile. I'm just not sure that itself would have a big effect.

 

That's why gas suddenly gets cheaper.

 

1.25/litre

To 1.059/litre. Matter of two weeks.

 

There is a winter blend in the US.

 

Gas has dropped about 10% state side as well. Price is not directly linked to blend but demand. We keep finding more oil stateside as well which is helping to drive down pump prices.

Price is down because of market in the winter. I don't understand it all but there is lower demand in winter. Some refineries can switch mode depending on season and market. The one I work at can changes modes and runs a huge variety of crudes to get different yields.

 

That all said, we have been on winter blend for several months. When the weather gets colder, we switch blending and some of that switch does include a lot of butane to aid in vaporization in cold temps. Your car would start hard or not at all if this change wasn't made. Many competitors use the same fuel in a geographic area. The only difference is the additives put in the fuel.

 

The octanes are the same year round and the blends take this into account. For instance, they degrade regular to 85 octane, mix in 10% ethanol (which is 110 octane)and that gives you 87 octane regular again.

 

All this leads me to think you need to do some diagnostic work. The great thing about my cobb tuner is the ability to check all the sensors. You need to do some data logging. I have forged pistons and the motor is still quiet so there is something not right with yours.

What do I need to log? Just after a reflash or wait a bit?

Also I haven't had my car since August. I got back with a quarter tank of summer fuel.

I wish I had a nearby tuner.

 

Is it normal for there to be smoke after you shut the car off?

 

And my headlights dim/flicker when ever the abs kicks in.

Considering the amount of strange effects on your car I would start with a compression test now and also inspect all spark plugs (important to remember which plug that goes for which cylinder) take several pics of each and post here as well as comparing them to chart.

 

Cold engine dry cylinder compression test, then some squirt of oil into cylinder and repeat. If all values dry are equal and all values wet (oiled) are equal then you don't have any immediate problems with pistons or valves. But it doesn't rule out any possibility of a spun bearing causing excessive noise.

 

Also check that the valve timing is correct or if the timing belt has skipped a tooth on any of the cams or the crank sprocket.

 

To me it seems like you need a thorough investigation of the engine to exclude the risk of any major mechanical issues before continuing to think that there's something else that's wrong.

 

Flickering headlights when the ABS kicks in may mean that you have a grounding problem, bad connection, bad alternator or bad battery. I wouldn't expect the headlights to change much just because the ABS kicks in, even though the ABS do require some power.

What is a normal stock boost amount anyway?

13.5 is stock.

interesting, I thought that I noticed my lights flickering the other day when my abs kicked in while driving in snowy conditions. couldn't tell if it was actually dimming or perhaps just an optical effect from the shuttering as the abs engaged and disengaged the brakes rapidly.

 

Guess I will have to go out in the snow tonight and do some more testing, yeah, thats what it is, testing.

Update: After 1,500 km, did an oil change to full synthetic and shes running fine.

Boosting normal and nice and quiet.

 

So, from that my best guess is that the Knock sensor was picking up valve train chatter and interpreting it as knock. Pulling the timing but not the fuel. creating excess fuel in the cylinders which eventually detonated on its own creating actual knock. Fixed for now, Been a week.

 

Also my headlights dim when ever ABS or VDC kick in. the flickering of the beams matches the pedal abs feedback.