Weird Boost Problems

[Skunky]

I just bought a 02 wrx with 40k on it. The only mods I have are an intake, turbo back exhaust, and apexi boost controller and turbo timer. When my apexi boost controller is set to off, my max stock boost only reaches about .05mpa. When i turn my boost controller on and set a boost level then my car reaches the boost amount I set it at. I thought stock a wrx would run about 13psi or just short of .10mpa. The car did this before and after my intake and exhaust mods. I have looked for leaks but because it reaches boost when the controller is on I dont think its a leak. Any ideas on what could be wrong or am I just misinformed about the stock boost of the wrx? The original owner installed the boost controller, and I dont know much about how it really works.

[wrxtreme06]

oh wow.

"intake, turbo back exhaust, and apexi boost controller and turbo timer"

thats the problem right there.

you have those combination of mods and you didnt mention having any sort of engine management at all!

and for the record, a boost controller and turbo timer are both unneeded

[Skunky]

When I bought the car it was all stock no intake or exhaust just a boost controller that I had set to off, and it stilll had the problem. The instructions for the boost controller say when the setting is set to off all boost is controlled by the wastegate. Do you think the boost controller was installed wrong or is it something with the wastegate?

[ajd111]

When I bought the car it was all stock no intake or exhaust just a boost controller that I had set to off, and it stilll had the problem. The instructions for the boost controller say when the setting is set to off all boost is controlled by the wastegate. Do you think the boost controller was installed wrong or is it something with the wastegate?

I vote for taking the boost controller out completely. Also, How long have you been driving your car with a TBE and no engine management? I hope it has not left your driveway, considering you may be doing very considerable damage to your engine/turbo.

[Skunky]

Been driving for about a week. drives great better than with the stock exhaust. My buddy owns a 2.5 turbo Legacy Gt with the same mods never had problems with no eng mang. Ca r runs the same but just more power.

[wrxtreme06]

ok i dont want to sound like a ***** but please listen to what we have to say.

running a TBE without engine management is a horrible decision and although everything may seem fine now, in the longrun you WILL have problems. it doesnt matter if it worked for your mothers friends cousins sisters babysitter. we can all assure you, its doing more harm then good.

[Skunky]

Ok so with my $600 gov. check next month I guess I'll buy a cobb v2

[jeffmm06]

You think you saw power gains with just exhaust? I didnt feel any, after flashing to stg 2 with the AP. "Damn" describes it.

[Skunky]

Im guessing what your telling me is that my car is running lean because of the mods I have put on. i dont understand really what the an exhaust could be doing that is so harmful for a car. please explain.

all guages read good and car runs fine. please let me know what could be happening

[jeffmm06]

The pressure your turbo is pushing out is expecting to hit 3 cats, now its running through alot more freely. Almost like blowing air into a vacuum. You run the chance of over boosting and your motor will fuel cut. This is a common problem in the 2.5, not as common as the 2.0. With the engine mgmt your ignition, timing, and fuel will all be adjusted to the mods you have, you will get a smoother running engine, and you will actually get the money out of your mods, honestly besides sound, you did not gain much of anything. The AP will yeild about 50whp more.

[Skunky]

Ok I got everything figured out no thanks to the people that just talked **** and didn't contribute anything to my post. Since I plan on running stock boost 99.9% of the time I have no need for a eng man. I made setting B my stock boost level on my boost controller and tuned it until I removed all overboosts which there was 1 around 4500 to 5000 rpms (there was no lag and I made full boost around 3k rpm. So there shouldn't be a problem.

I can see what you people are saying about higher boost needing a eng mang because higher boost = more air which means I would need more fuel and therefore with more air and fuel I would want to change the timing, but I plan running stock boost 99% of the time. The times I do run higher boost it won't be for long (maybee a 1/4 mile or so and never over 18 psi) and I'll let my car take the beating. I know what your saying about the engine cutting out also, I believe its around 20 psi or so then complete shut down to protect the internals. But yeah If I wanted to run higher than stock boost all the time I would definetly need a eng mang to help the engine from running lean all the time.

This car is just my everyday driver so I dont need a super boosted WRX. I live in WI so im gonna have fun in the winter.

[wrxtreme06]

ok so lets recap

you have "weird" boost problems


we tell you whats wrong


yet youre going to still be ignorant and disregard everything that we're saying because you dont need a super uber wrx. if youre not concerned about the performance and longevity of your car then why'd you even make this thread in the first place?



IBnextpostisheymycarjustblewupwhatdoido.

[Skunky]

Ok lets recap what you told me

my tbe is causing the problems, but I had the problems before it was put on so what you told me doesn't help anything.

So I called a tunning shop and explained the problem to a professional. he told me it was because of the placement of the restrictor pill, and explained how to fix the problem. The pro did confirm the overboost problem with having a tbe but also explained how th e apexi could fix this problem.

So what you told me had nothing to do with having a low boost pressure. the tbe would only create an overboost problem like that one guy explained. So you = not helpful and no idea what you were saying when it came to my problem maybee others but not mine. What the one guy said about over boosting was right but was easily fixed by fine tunning my boost controller

[Skunky]

Next time you see a post let the men talk things out and figure out the problems, just dont copy something some guy said in another post and copy it to my post. Especially when it has nothing to do with my problem.

The funny part is that of course you couldn't explain why the tbe was a problem a man had to take charge and say why. You just read in another post it was a problem and copied it to my post.

[wrxtreme06]

excuse me, do not talk down to me because i'm female. i didnt answer the question because i had to leave for work, but jeff did a nice job of covering it so i didnt need to repeat what he said.

go **** yourself buddy.