5EAT dies in parking lots after stage 1 upgrade

Not sure if this is the correct place for this, if not let me know and I will move it to the correct location.

 

I have a 2005 LGT, 5EAT and after doing the upgrade to a Cobb stage 1 I have random idle problems in parking lots and in traffic jams. When I am moving slowly, traffic has just started to move in a traffic jam or I am backing out of a parking spot, and I release the brake and the car starts to move it will stutter like it is running out of gas. If I put it in neutral or press the accelerator it will smooth out. If I do nothing the car will die. This is completely random, I have not been able to successfully duplicate the issue.

 

Never had this problem before using the AccessPort. I unmarried the car from the AccessPort and drove for a few weeks and didn't experience this. I reloaded the stage 1 map and for 2 or 3 weeks no problems and now it has randomly started again.

 

Not sure if this is a fuel filter issue, or what, logging is difficult because it is so random. I would like to figure this out, nothing is more embarrassing than killing an automatic in a parking lot.

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

Sounds like a vacuum leak, but I couldn't explain why it ran fine with the OEM tune.

 

I thought by your title that your tranny blew up after you installed stage 1.

LOL... no, the tranny is just fine. Maybe I need to think of a little bit better wording for the title.

All cars have more-or-less a tendency to stall once flashed as the ECU has no reference data logged. But that should go away after 2-3 start/stop cycles.

 

Grab your Cobb Accessport Cable, grab a laptop, install ECU explorer, and bump up the idle speed to about 1000 (as well as the RPM increase for when using the AC). Your problem will be solved. It is a band-aid solution but you were not the only one to have these issues and vacuum leak was not everyone's problems.

Thanks, I will give that a try and see how it goes.

So, it doesn't matter if you have a automatic transmission or a manual. The COBB ap will work on both transmissions? I am a new guy with a 2008 legacy gt limited. Please let me know where i can go for newbies. thanks.

the AP is made to work for any tranny, as long as the car model and year coincides.

I have the same "problem" with my '05 LGt Wagon. Recently loaded a Stage 1 tune from a AP-V2 into my car and it intermittently has a idle issue and feels like it is going to stall. I thought that maybe the ECU just needed to relearn some of the adaptations that probably got reset when the ECU was flashed, but it's been about a week now and the idle issue just came back for a short period of time today. Most of the time it's fine, but every once in a while i'll get a rough idle and it'll feel like it's gonna stall. Haven't checked for vac leaks yet (haven't had the time), but just thought i'd post in this thread as i'm curious what the cause for the OP's problem is...

You don't need ECU Explorer to adjust the idle RPM's either, the AP can do it.

 

Just make sure you use the appropriate transmission specific map.

I ended up doing like Goneskiian said, I used my Access Port to adjust the idle RPM. I increased both values by 200 RPMs. Now the car idles around 900 RPMs while in gear. I have had it this way for about 3 weeks without any issues. I didn't give ECU Explorer a try once I realized that the Access Port could do the same thing, so I don't know if that would have worked too.

 

Atchipmunk, I didn't check for vac leaks because when I put the stock map back on the car I didn't have any issues. I figured that if I had a vac leak I would have the same issue while using the stock map.

Mine is kind of doing the same thing (I did raise the idle about 200 RPM). Just flashed to stg1 OTS and it feels like its going to die everyone once in a while going from a stop or while reversing. I'm guessing I have a vac leak because the most boost I've logged since I flashed it (Only 3 days) is 13.6 PSI.

probably blew a vac line off, check under the ic at the blue t fitting

Mine is kind of doing the same thing (I did raise the idle about 200 RPM). Just flashed to stg1 OTS and it feels like its going to die everyone once in a while going from a stop or while reversing. I'm guessing I have a vac leak because the most boost I've logged since I flashed it (Only 3 days) is 13.6 PSI.

 

If you are using an aftermarket air filter it may be preventing you from hitting target boost.

If you are using an aftermarket air filter it may be preventing you from hitting target boost.

 

Stock intake. I'll check that vac line though. Thx!

FWIW, you may want to replace the orange o-rings between the intake and TGV's. They are known to cause idle problems when cold.

 

When you see the new o-rings next to the old ones you'll understand why.

 

Also clean your MAF and IAT sensor.

I hate to bump an old thread, but I'll throw some more information for any other folks in the future who have this issue.

 

I had the same problem with the stalling and stuttering in my '05 5EAT after going Stage 1. I used a Cobb OTS map and even switched between 91 and 93 octane maps, as advised by some members on here. I went to the OEM map and just like everyone else the problem was mysteriously gone. Well today I decided to check for any minor vac leaks "just in case" and sure enough there was nothing. I'm going to reinstall my AP tomorrow and increase the idle I suppose.

 

I should also add that I cleaned the MAF and IAT sensors already.

 

 

 

Did any other changes happen to help btw? (Other than the o-rings and RPM increase)

Honestly the RPM increase didn't 100% fix the problem. After the increase that I mentioned earlier the car ran great for a few months. Then the problem came back, so I turned it down from the 200 rpm increase to 100. I had tried the 300 rpm increase but didn't like the how the car lurched going from park to reverse or drive. I also checked the vacuum lines and didn't see anything and cleaned the MAF.

 

Is this something with the Cobb stage 1 OTS map?

If I move to stage 2 (which I am planning on doing soon) are people still having this issue using the Cobb maps?

Would a custom tune fix this issue?

I'm still having the issue too... Have you checked the o-rings Max Cap mentioned? What about your injectors and spark plugs? I'm worried it's something mechanically wrong. I mean, other people don't seem to have this problem very often.

 

Where in KY are you btw?

I didn't check the o-rings because that really seemed like more work than what I was willing to do. If the problem becomes worse I might take a look at that option. I don't know how often you are having issues, but mine usually happens a few times and then it might be a few months before the car has this problem again.

 

I have changed my spark plugs but that was because I had a CEL that I was troubleshooting and that was the first thing that was recommend to change out. I ended up having a bad injector that had to be replaced, but those were issues that I had before I bought the AccessPort.

 

I am located around the Louisville area.

I've had the issue a bit more consistently. I might just get my plugs changed out since I don't know when the last owner had them looked at. May check the o-rings though considering I just got the banjo bolt filter changed out and I'm full of confidence!

When vacuum leaks have been eliminated as a factor, it has been my experience that idle/low load issues are the result of dirty injectors. Because of their design our injectors have many very small orifices which are more susceptible to dirt and deposits. This ruins the spray pattern and is particularly noticeable at idle and low loads.

 

It is also my personal experience that only one injector cleaner can be relied on 100% of the time to cure dirty injectors; Techron. There are a bunch of so-called injector cleaners, and auto parts stores often "recommend" one or another, but Techron is the one to use if you actually have an issue.

 

Since a bad injector can cost a turbocharged car a motor, I do not play around with this critical aspect of owner maintenance. I have an old Dry Gas bottle (actually, two... for when I travel) I put 5 oz of Techron and 5 oz Marvel Mystery Oil in. When I gas up I put the contents into my gas tank... each and every time. (I used to also put Methanol in as well, to emulsify water, but the Ethanol has eliminated that need) Idle issues are one thing. A cracked piston is another.

 

When I got my 05 LGT in 04 it drove like poo off the lot. I went up the block and bought a 16 oz container of Techron, put it all in, and filled the tank up. The car ran perfectly within twenty miles. And, because I began my Techron/MMO regimen that day, it nor the two turbocharged, modified and tuned, Subarus since have ever had an issue with injectors.

 

FWIW, it was incredibly bad gasoline, out of dirty, leaking storage tanks, that regularly crippled the first fuel injected cars I owned in the 70s that taught me the value of Techron and MMO. Gasolines and storage tanks have improved immensely. But multi-orifice injectors still need regular cleaning to work at peak efficiency.

You should also check AF Learning #1 A in the monitor to view for vacuum leak. If it is pegged at 15, you definitely have a leak.

AF Learning #1 A is at about 5 or so. I can still see the RPMs dip when idling though. It happens most often if I'm at a stop light idling > my foot off the brake to inch forward > put foot back on brake. It's as if the car isn't adjusting fast enough or something.

 

Side note though: Used Techron and it's smoothed out my idle a bit.

AF Learning is good news. No vacuum leak there.

 

Have you tried MAF cleaner as well?

Yep. That was the first thing I tried. Leonardo posted something on the Cobb forums it seems. He's got the same issue, as does another individual on there. Weird stuff.. May try another stage 1 map to see if the issue persists. I'm more worried about the knocking I'm getting with a conservative tune though... Do the problems ever end?!