Missing power on the highway

renaud · Post by **renaud** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 9:45 pm

Hi, I bought a legacy turbo 1991 2.2l last week because I want to have fun in the snow.

When I want to make a big acceleration and keep reving the engine to 5500rpm I feel like the turbo going on and off and some time juste not working.

But when im in second and third gear in small drift rally road I really feel the power of the turbo starting at 3000rpm. But when approaching 4500 I got no more power, and I have to upshift and the power appears sudently.

Im not a sub professionnal. And i want to fix this shit right away.

Did anyone have suggestion?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 11:02 pm

When the problem appears, is it as if the engine's completely shut off momentarily? Or is it just not making as much power as you think it should?

This could be fuel cut, or maybe bad misfiring.

Do you have a laptop you could use to run my scantool?

renaud · Post by **renaud** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:33 am

Its only like I am loosing the turbo I think.

I dont think its misfirering its not like if y was going on 3 cyl or random spark.

Doest it could be my waste gate?
Is the huge hair cooling duck système for the turbo really important or should I remove it?

No I dont have a laptop but I can have one.
But I dont think I have a USB slut on my old legacy turbo

rallysam · Post by **rallysam** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 7:11 am

could the clutch be slipping or something? do you have a boost gauge?

Subtle · Post by **Subtle** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 8:45 am

The standard ej22t is all choked up.

Clean up the intake by removing the snorkus and put on a higher flow exhaust--more noise always makes them go faster

That's the start

Welcome to the board

subawhatsubawho · Post by **subawhatsubawho** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 9:49 am

renaud wrote:But I dont think I have a USB slut on my old legacy turbo

I wish my legacys had USB sluts. My new PC has 4 of them...The new brothel by Compaq.

renaud · Post by **renaud** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:56 pm

ok ... I think im gonna change the stock exaust for 2.5po straight but I will keep one cata and put it at the end of the line where the muffler actualy is. All rallyers are doing it.

Its not the clutch slipping because the motor dont revs up when I kick the gaz pedal.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 4:55 pm

Subtle - So you don't think there's a problem?

renaud - Are you joking? The scantool doesn't use USB.

The cooling duct you're talking about -- you mean the "chimney" that directs heat up out the hood scoop? Many of us are running without it, but it does have some benefits.

I don't think it's likely to be the wastegate, since you do seem to make boost. But you will need some instrumentation -- like my scantool, or a boost gauge, to figure this out.

free5ty1e · Post by **free5ty1e** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 5:16 pm

When I first got my Legacy and took it up to RPMs close to redline, I thought something was wrong for the longest time too. We just don't make much top-end power with the stock setup. We've got midrange & torque.

Unless you're running like 13+ PSI and the car's actually bucking when you notice the problem; then maybe its fuel cut. Got a boost gauge? Is your wastegate actuator line maybe not connected to anything? You'd feel some nice kick with that resulting ~25 PSI but in around 3 seconds or so the fuel will get cut.

Subtle · Post by **Subtle** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 6:20 pm

Vikash WTFDIK, all I got was that low rpm performance was satisfactory and higher wasn't.

Lets leave my adventure into advice as a generalist approach and I'll gladly defer to those who can handle the specific problems

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 6:24 pm

I was just asking... it's been some time since I've driven a stock manual Legacy Turbo, so I don't remember if it really felt like the turbo was shutting off. I'm sorry if I was rude.

rallysam · Post by **rallysam** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 8:08 pm

renaud wrote:But I dont think I have a USB slut on my old legacy turbo Laughing

vrg3 wrote: renaud - Are you joking? The scantool doesn't use USB.

But, VRG, did you ever think about the fact that maybe your software would be more fun with some USB sluts?

renaud · Post by **renaud** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 10:04 pm

I think I will buy a boost gauge to see the free game

I was also looking for the HAYNES legacy hand book but the only one that i found was for 1990 - 1998 legacy and I dont think its talking a lot about our turbo.

What are you suggesting me ?

free5ty1e · Post by **free5ty1e** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 10:44 pm

...Wow. I'm having trouble with this one. Nico, can you perhaps serve as a translator? Your posts aren't quite as hard to understand but perhaps you can provide some insight here.

renaud: Um.... well there's no need to waste money on a Haynes manual, there's all kinds of useful scans posted in the Stuff You Need To Know forum. I think there's an Autozone repair manual for our cars scanned there, and some stuff straight from Subaru.

Before, I was suggesting that your turbo is boosting out of control, with the wastegate shut tight. Have you checked to see if your wastegate actuator's hose has blown off either side?

Which boost gauge offers a free game with purchase? I'm so lost.

renaud · Post by **renaud** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 1:45 am

Sorry for my poor english. I speak french, and a (free game) is an expression for saying and incomprehensible comportement, like my car who seems to have 100hp and sudently 160hp on the highway.

My uncle think also that its all about the waste gate. I dont think its fuel pump or something whit the gaz.

The Scooby · Post by **The Scooby** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 4:13 am

replace your spark plug wires, i was having the same problem and that completly fixed my problem, completely worth the $30.

free5ty1e · Post by **free5ty1e** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 2:49 pm

No problem, renaud; I understand now.

It still sounds like your wastegate isn't opening for one reason or another, and (as a result of the 25 PSI of pressure generated) the computer is cutting your fuel every 3 seconds. When it re-engages, you've got another 3 seconds of boost >13PSI before fuel cut again.

Does this sound like what you are experiencing?

I can't see how spark plug wires could be the culprit, unless maybe they're old, cracked, and creating a light show when viewed in operation at night.

renaud · Post by **renaud** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 6:17 pm

yeah I think you are right with the fuel pump kut off because of the falty waste gate.

BUt im sure this is not my spk plug wire because its not like 3 cyl probleme and a big shaker in the car.

renaud · Post by **renaud** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:39 am

problem no 2.... with tank fully loaded im not able to do more than 300km

when i start the car and its cold like -10 deg C the car idling 2000rpm for about 5 minute at each stop that i have on my street

Also when im at 100kmh in 5 gear I can hear the turbo spool but i feel no acceleration at all when climbing a hill.

The Scooby · Post by **The Scooby** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 3:35 am

renaud wrote:yeah I think you are right with the fuel pump kut off because of the falty waste gate.

BUt im sure this is not my spk plug wire because its not like 3 cyl probleme and a big shaker in the car.

nor was mine, it seemed like it was pulling timing, then advancing it constantly. idle was fine couldn't tell it was a miss at all. if you dont want to check them out, thats your time, but its always a good idea to give a car a tune up when you buy it anyways.

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Missing power on the highway

Missing power on the highway