Outback XT died.. any suggestions?

I was headed back in town the other night and screwing around with the blow off valve and wastegate, floating back and forth. I was running around 4000rpm, about 40 miles an hour. I punched it and the car took off for a second and then died. I was low on gas, so i figured the inevitable "out of gas" situation happened, but that wasn't it. Didn't have a CEL on, but a code reader pulled P0030. I got a Subaru OEM O2 sensor and $160 later, that didn't do it. I put new Denso Iridium plugs in this afternoon gapped to .040, and still no dice. Anybody have any suggestions? I'm lost, and my boosted buddies are out of ideas. It's an 05 with just over 100,000 miles. Only mods are an SPT intake and an XO2 front mount. No tuner.

 

Right after car died, it would idle, but any throttle at all, it would bog down and eventually die. After the plugs were changed, it resulted in the same, but now it won't even start.

 

HELP. Thanks

I'm far from an expert, but have you ruled out any electrical issues. Almost sounds like something like issue I had on an old Chevy Blazer. It was a quick fix in the end.

I haven't ruled anything out (with the exception of the O2 sensor, no gas, and fouled plugs). Any thoughts on electrical?

is the fuel pump kicking on?

Im sorry but are you saying its got a front mount intercooler and intake with no pro tune?

And the BOV hasn't stuck in open?

Yes, the fuel pump kicks on, no it is not tuned, and about the BOV, I'm not sure. When it did idle, i couldnt hear any air leaks and i didn't feel any air coming out from around it, so i would say no. It's not the stock BOV, it's a Synapse.

 

It ran fine with the cold air and front mount for about 3 weeks until this happened.

It ran fine with the cold air and front mount for about 3 weeks until this happened.

 

that's how long it took for you to blow something cause it's not tuned.

Plugs should be more like .025. Stock is .030

 

take it to a shop that has the ability to tune it

What do you suppose happened? I'm trying to do everything I can myself before I send it off to a shop and spend $600 on a tune

Take your car back to stock and see if it runs. After that, save your cookies for a tune before you put the aftermarket goodies back on. Your car is sending you a message.

 

Eville Rich

So you don't think I'm totally screwed? There may be hope if I go back to stock?

sounds like a vacuum or timing issue.. You need three things. spark fuel and compression(air). If you have low fuel and too much air -no run or poor running. same with any other paired combo. You need all three to be correct, thus a tune.

I agree with trying to return to stock. BUT you might wanna look over everything, an over boost can blow a vacuum line quick

My one friend build race motors and he suggested maybe I jumped timing. Haven't checked it yet, don't have a timing light. I will re-check my vacuum lines and re-gap my plugs. Google was wrong on that one. Told me .040.

 

Thanks for the help guys.

 

More thoughts?

well if you have jumped time, your done..

Pull a plug wire and put a screwdriver in it to ground. See if you have an arc... if you go you have spark, not thattimes correct.

sounds like a vacuum or timing issue... you might wanna look over everything, an over boost can blow a vacuum line quick

 

+1: your setup, activity @ failure, and symptoms all suggest to me that you popped a tube/hose somewhere in the chain -- slamming the throttle plate shut (aka bov/wg opera) will find you that weakest link every time, especially with a fmic; with the leak, it will idle (like shit), but will bog & stall with throttle. the lack of code is the only part that makes me a bit iffy though...

 

i would check the throttle body, intake and all the silicone fmic joints first, and clamp 'em up tight, then i'd move on to the smaller/harder to reach hoses on/around the intake manifold and their respective terminals.

i imagine the plugs are probably to blame for the later starting issue.

good luck.

Will check that tomorrow after class and report my findings. Thanks again for the info guys.

make sure your worm screw clamps are well in place and tight

well if you have jumped time, your done..

Pull a plug wire and put a screwdriver in it to ground. See if you have an arc... if you go you have spark, not thattimes correct.

 

these cars don't have wires

+ 2 on the Vacuum seal loss after boost. I had a similar event (but with a tune) that blew off my IC to throttle body connection.

these cars don't have wires

coil on plugright?

Should net the same result

Sounds like the car can't account for the extra air from opening the throttle.

 

Is this a MAP or MAF system? If it's a MAP then check the vaccum lines (if the volume of air is determined by vacuum level then a vacuum problem may result in an incorrect A/F mix that causes the engine to lean out/stall when you hit the throttle.

 

Did you recheck the codes? I've heard that a bad MAF can cause a car to idle rough and not get over 2krpm - but not necessarily die.

 

Can your scan tool check live data values? Watch the TPS% to make sure the values are smooth and linear.

 

Check all electrical and vacuum connections.

 

Sounds like it's starved for air or fuel and the ratio is out of whack.

 

Are you still flowing air through that intercooler? Did you stuff a rag into some pipe to keep debris out, then leave the rag in there?

 

 

 

Back to basics. Fuel, air, spark.

 

Maybe disconnect the battery and let the computer reset?

do a compression test just in case...this will tell you the "health" of your internals, so to speak...and agreed, re gap your plugs, .04 is to much, and you could be plowing them out, or not even getting a spark due to, to much gap...

coil on plugright?

Should net the same result

 

 

It's extremely rare for these coilpacks to go bad

 

 

 

 

 

If the OP didn't know he needed a tune for the fairly extensive mods he made to his car.... he obviously did not do his homework and is in over his head. You can't troubleshoot very easily over the interwebs, especially when the OP can't even figure out where to start looking.

 

 

 

OP: Unplug the MAF. Start car. If it idles, you have a major boost/vacuum leak. If it doesn't idle, you most likely borked your motor.

borked?!?! that has got to be the most awesome wording ever...i'm saving that one for later...and yes this is the first time i've ever heard that word.

falls under things that I did to your _____ (fill in blank) last night