lots of problems with 03 wrx

[Gnarzo]

to start of this is my first thread on this site

i read a lot of posts and it seems like this is the place to be to get answers and i would like to thank you in advance for helping me

first off the only mods i have to my 03 wrx is a cold air intake, headers, uppipe, 3" catback exhaust, light weight flywheel and spec stage 2.5 clutch

now for the symtoms: rought idle not as smooth as when i first bought it and when it is cold out the idle goes high then low then high then low and eventualy coming back to normal idle speed. when i deaccellerate there is a raping noise (like when you put a baseball card on your bike and runs on the spokes) coming from the differentals. also had cel codes are po480 malfuction exists in the control circuit for cooling fan, po301, po302, po303 misfire in cyclinders 1,2, and 3. cel came on a week after i when into the ditch because of black ice and bald tires. when i got pulled out i let the rpms get to high and the rev limiter stoped it from going any further for about 2 sec. also my radiator/grill was packed with snow stoping any air flow through it. it never overheated though

any info on precaustions/reamidies i should do to improve the health of my wrx would be greatly apreaciated.

[Knome]

This may be a stupid question but do you have EM? If you don't have EM that would cause all your problems and they may not be temporary, depending on how long you have driven. The first problem with the rough idle could be because of the CIA. Take that damn thing off immediately, subies don't like them, unless you got pro tuned.

Go to a tuner or a subie dealer immediately. I vote tuner.

[Gnarzo]

what is a EM and a CIA


i have a turboxs piggy back ECU but haven't installed it yet

[RayfieldsWRX]

EM= Engine Management. The proper tuning in your car's ECU to handle your mods.

CAI=Cold Air Intake. He got his letters mixed up.

[Knome]

Engine management. You can put all that stuff on your car but if you engine computer doesn't know how to deal with the new equipment it WILL permanently destroy the engine.

[Jje121]

what is a EM and a CIA


i have a turboxs piggy back ECU but haven't installed it yet

CAI - Cold Air Intake

[Gnarzo]

thanks for the info

but i don't know any trusted tuners in my area

and would like to learn how to do every thing myself so i don't have to spend all my money on labor instead of more parts


i live in richie, il ( half way between kkk and joliet on 102 )

[Knome]

Tuning is very very hard to do yourself, I would suggest finding a place as soon as you can or install you turbo xs tuner and go download a map that fits your modifications ASAP.

[mycologist]

Engine management. You can put all that stuff on your car but if you engine computer doesn't know how to deal with the new equipment it WILL permanently destroy the engine.

Ok, so agreeing that the CAI needs to come off, after that what else on that list requires protuning to the extent that it will permanently damage the motor? I'm not sure that this is the best advise to cure his immediate problems.

Your misfires and idle could be caused directly by the flywheel. This is not tunable-
One example:
Flywheel/ Pulley Misfire CEL's...

How heavy is the flywheel?

The differential noise you should probably have looked at. Is it from the rear of the car? Hopefully it might be an axle issue instead. Something sounds off about the way you got out of that ditch, and probably resulted in this issue.

[Gnarzo]

i when to turbo xs to down load maps

but i don't know what TXS, TBE and TMI are


also does any one know size of the stand offs are for a turbo xs utec

[mycologist]

i when to turbo xs to down load maps

but i don't know what TXS, TBE and TMI are


also does any one know size of the stand offs are for a turbo xs utec

TXS = a brand; TBE = turbo back exhaust (you are missing the downpipe, the most important part); TMI = Top mount intercooler (not sure if they are referring to an upgraded one, but this is the stock type as well).

Here is the sticky that explains the acronyms:

What does it mean?? Terminology and Acronyms for the newcomer!

As I explained above, I doubt tuning is going to solve any of your actual problems. It is still a good idea, but probably not a solution at this time. You need to research your mods on the stickies and search. Get rid of the CAI to start with you don't need it for anything you are doing currently and it is hurting your performance.

[Gnarzo]

How heavy is the flywheel?

The differential noise you should probably have looked at. Is it from the rear of the car? Hopefully it might be an axle issue instead. Something sounds off about the way you got out of that ditch, and probably resulted in this issue.

the fly wheel weighs 9.5 lb


i had the diff looked at by the dealership, they wanted to change out the whole rear diff and thoght that the noise in the front was from the clutch but it can't be because i only makes the noise when slowing down, coincideing with the speed of the car not the rpms, and i looked at the rear by removing the cover and it looked fine no metal bits or shavings, no broken teeth, no missing peaces or any thing

the diff noise started after i put on the flywheel/clutch about 2 years ago

i searched online and found a site that sells stronger gears for my trans. and the site had a list of common problems that that gear set would fix and one of them was diff chatter the problem i have. and that the only thing a dealership would do is put on a heavyer flywheel to quiet it so i though since i put on a lighter flywheel the noise would get louder. i didn't hear the noise before so i though i didn't hear it untill i had the lighter flywheel on.

i hear the noise from the rear diff and the front of the trans (front diff possibly)

[mycologist]

the fly wheel weighs 9.5 lb


i had the diff looked at by the dealership, they wanted to change out the whole rear diff and thoght that the noise in the front was from the clutch but it can't be because i only makes the noise when slowing down, coincideing with the speed of the car not the rpms, and i looked at the rear by removing the cover and it looked fine no metal bits or shavings, no broken teeth, no missing peaces or any thing

the diff noise started after i put on the flywheel/clutch about 2 years ago

i searched online and found a site that sells stronger gears for my trans. and the site had a list of common problems that that gear set would fix and one of them was diff chatter the problem i have. and that the only thing a dealership would do is put on a heavyer flywheel to quiet it so i though since i put on a lighter flywheel the noise would get louder. i didn't hear the noise before so i though i didn't hear it untill i had the lighter flywheel on.

i hear the noise from the rear diff and the front of the trans (front diff possibly)

Your flywheel is a bit light, minimum recommended seems to be 13.8lbs. Gears sound like an unlikely candidate at this time as far as solving this issue. A heavier flywheel is probably the way to go.

You need to let go of some of you poorly researched mods including the CAI and now probably the flywheel as well. Take a step backwards now and you will be way ahead in the long run. This is the recommended mod path:

Good first mods

[Knome]

I'm just saying that he's been having all those cel's and problem for atleast 6 months and is still driving the car there is a good chance that some of them may not be temporary.

[Gnarzo]

i just got those cels a week a go


i just tryed to reflash mu turbo xs utek and keeps on failing the transfer

ie no response from unit

is it junk