AH-HA...I think (boost controller issues): RESOLVED

[georryan]

Ok, so this evening I connected the compressor to the wastegate actuator on the turbo.

No difference. I tried to move the arm that opens the wastegate and I could do it without much problem at all. I could feel were it stopped and felt no resistence as far as something hindering it. How far back does that arm go?

I'm really starting to think that it is probably a leak within my actuator piece. (is that the right term?)

I can hear my turbo very well even in vacuum to the manifold. I hear the turbo start spooling up when it is cold and the boost gauge will read -5 inHg or so. It seems to make sense. I just need to find some compressor that will allow me to test this and see if I can figure out were the leak is.

[vrg3]

I don't remember exactly how far back the arm should go... maybe 45 degrees?

Is your intake tract (resonator and turbo-to-throttle pipe) stock? If so, you shouldn't hear the turbo very much. But I guess an overspeeding turbo is pretty loud...

It sounds like you might be right that the actuator housing has a leak or is otherwise bad.

Any shop ought to be able to help you test it. You just need to apply low pressure compressir air to the wastegate actuator nipple. Start at about 4 psi and it should start to move, and at maybe 8 psi it should be open fully (those are just ballpark numbers). During the test you can also spray soapy water on the actuator; it'll bubble if there's a leak.

[georryan]

Thanks Vikash, I'll try and get this looked at soon. I'll keep you guys updated.

[georryan]

WHAHOOO!!!

My car has never run better! To finally put an end to this thread, it WAS my wastegate actuator.

For as long as I can remember, my car has hesitated while accelerating at times and since putting in my boost gauge and CES exhaust, I've noticed some overboosting. Well, I've noticed a lot of overboosting. As I mentioned before, when connecting the wategate directly to the compressor, I saw no change in boost at all. It still would ramp up to 10 psi. My boost control duty cycle remained constant at 1.56%.

I bought Kelley's old stock turbo from him and over the course of the yesterday and today, I successfully swapped turbos, broke my coolant bottle thingy, replaced it with one of Hardy's spares, snapped my knock sensor wire, sodered it back together, and replaced some misc. hoses. Oh and I finally changed that @$#@%@$ purge solenoid.

I took it for a test run (after waiting 20 minutes for the reflashed computer to relearn stuff) and lo and behold: no check engine light, boost came on strong and fast, boost never went over 8.5 psi, the boost control duty cycle was all over the place, and I redlined 3rd without overboosting. Not only that, my idle now for some reason is SOLID. I could stick a glass of water on my hood and it wouldn't spill. I seriously don't think my car has ever run better in all my time of owning it. We'll see if it lasts, but for now, things are good.

I just have to change out some annoying bushings that need replacement, and potentially a headgasket, unless I can figure out if the little bit of oil that leaks out when driving hard is coming from somewhere else, but for now, I'm very happy.

-Ryan

PS don't worry Hardy, we'll get your baby running perfectly soon as well. At that point, you'll smoke me like nicotine rolled up in paper.

[THAWA]

haha, grats.

[Bane]

Ryan, wow quite the story there!

Glad to see everything has worked out. I just picked up a '93 SS myself and am still trying learn all the in's and out's of it before i start modifying it.

The car was throwing a CEL when i got it though... purge canister solenoid... I haven't had a chance to get it replaced yet... should i be concerned? Apparently the previous owner wasn't too concerned (or cheap) as he's apparently been running with the CEL for about 3.5- 4 years now!

[georryan]

No need to be concerned. The Purge solenoid was dead on my car for over a year before I changed it. It was a pain to get to so I kept giving up. I pulled it out after I pulled the turbo and it was EASY to pull. If you plan on changing it, I would at least remove the elbow from the intake side of the turbo. That should make it easy enough to pull very easily without having to do much. Thawa did that.

It doesn't do much anyway. You just won't pass smog with a CEL if that is a concern. My idle became pretty stable after I replaced it, but I can't attribute it to that since I replaced a bunch of other stuff as well.

Welcome to the club and happy modding. These are GREAT cars. I love my legacy. I don't think I'd ever trade it for a WRX. No one at my work really understands why I drive it since I have the income to buy a newer car, but I do.

-Ryan

[Bane]

well previous owner passed 2 e-tests with it like this.
Mind you i suspect we just have much easier emmisions up here.

Is it one of the two cylinders by the elbow of the intake between the filter and the airbox (no idea what it is...resevoir? built in catchcan? lol)

or is it somewhere below the elbow between the airbox thingy and the turbo?

The only reason i ask about the first elbow, is because there are 2 cylinders that have hoses running to the turbo and the intake system. I cleaned out the K&N panel filter yesterday and found that when the guy installed it, he may have broken a nipple off the airbox thingy. This nipple had a hose connected to it that ran to the smaller horizontal sensor or valve. this hose was probably sucking in engine air and dirt. The CEL came-on within 6000kms of the filter being installed.

I got as far as taking the first 2/3s of the intake system leading up to the turbo (someone help me here, i feel so stupid calling it the airbox thingy) out of the car before i noticed it, and decided to stop.

I was also contemplating the whole snorkelectomy, but after reading the mixed reviews of people here i thought i might just leave it in until i get a CAI and the exhaust done.

As for your remark on loving your car, i can totally appreciate it. My wagon 2.5L NA was a hoot when i got the car breathing easier, and blast on the track and rallyx, but this one just feels so much smoother and more powerful. Thank goodness a lot of people up here like to take it fast on the highway otherwise i'd stand out like a sore thumb.

[free5ty1e]

I'd highly recommend the snorkusectomotomotomy, it's simple (just removing parts) and at the same time while you're in there you can cut out the airbox's fender intake hole so it can pull in more air. If you don't have foglights you can also pull off the passenger side cover for more fresh air flow.

The airbox thingy (if it is not the actual airbox with the panel filter in it) is probably the intake resonator. That can be replaced with a $9 coffee mug, some barbed hose fittings, and some JB quick-weld.

Anyway, looks as though you could benefit from Vikash's handy vaccuum diagram - look at this and identify the parts as they're labeled here, and everyone will understand you:

http://www.graphics.cornell.edu/~v/vacu ... vacuum.png

Edit: I know this link was already given on page 1 - but it helps with the labeling of parts

[Bane]

fantastic diagram! Thanks for pointing it out to me Chris and thanks to Vikash for making it. Your right, now i know the proper names for things and won't sound like such a tool!

lol

it's the resonator.

Yep, it's the j hose off the resonator ...the nipple on the resonator is broken.

If the (lol, you should've heard my son and I try to pronounce what you called the procedure) ...removal of the snorkus, makes that much of a difference, I'll do it. I don't have fog lights, and there is no cover... after examining the hole where the fog light goes, i think someone had aftermarket in there and then removed them at some point. With all the wet weather we get up here, i was worried originally, but after a closer examination, i don't think there's a direct path for water to flow into it.

[free5ty1e]

Hose J's nipple on the resonator always breaks, it was the first thing I noticed when I bought my Legacy. It was actually already epoxied and re-broken by the time I got to it.

I originally re-epoxied it back on, then realized that Target carries the $9 "Spill-proof!" insulated steel coffee mug that can directly adapt those two hose sizes. With a hole saw and some JB cold weld, some fittings from Ace Hardware to match the hose sizes in the car, and about two hours, you can replace that restrictive resonator. Every little bit helps, and I think it's easiest to start at the termination of either air path (intake/exhaust) and work your way in anyway.

Yes, it's been rather wet here lately too, but that's to be expected when one lives in a state mostly covered by swampland. The snorkus piece in the fender is designed to really ensure that no water enters the airbox but it never does anyway.

That's Subaru for ya - overengineering the crap out of everything. Especially the EJ22T turbo Legacy block...

[Bane]

Wow, that was quick... took me about 20minutes.

So you don't have fog lights and how far up did you cut the pipe?

I left mine stock for now in case i wanted to go back.

Without the white plastic around it... you can see right into the intake pipe from the fog light hole. I'm thinking i pick up a set of after market fogs or make my own plugs that can be dropped in, for winter and severe rain.

Thanks Chris and Ryan and anyone else who helped with this post.

I'm going to be picking up a TurboXS Dual Stage Boost Controller today i think. I've been reading up on the FCD post. It's a start... hopefully intercooler and turboback in the next month.


ummm, and brakes... yeah new brakes ....lol

[georryan]

The purge solenoid is directly under the passenger side intake runner. Just under the manifold. If you look in between the two, you should see it.

[free5ty1e]

I'd heavily recommend not dropping the cash for a turboXS boost controller, a $25 Dawes Devices Basic MBC will do just as well, although not with the two preset levels of boost. For that, I'm working on an add-on for the stock boost control system...