turbo unit on WRX

[spirituk]

My turbo doesnt seem to work!... I go over 4500rpm and the revs burst up to
7000rpm and when I let go the dump valve kicks in... Thing is I don't have
the shove in the back like I used to.
Can anyone shed any light on the reason why this is?
Is my Turbo dead?

Anyone help me pleae
cheers
Spirit

 

[mulder]

My turbo doesnt seem to work!... I go over 4500rpm and the revs burst up to
7000rpm and when I let go the dump valve kicks in... Thing is I don't have
the shove in the back like I used to.
Can anyone shed any light on the reason why this is?
Is my Turbo dead?

Anyone help me pleae
cheers
Spirit

Actually it sounds like your clutch is dead, and is slipping under
load. The symptoms you describe are the signs of a worn and slipping
clutch.

 

[Mike]

Any mods on it ? Have a boost gauge ?

 

[spirituk]

No mods
I had my big end bearings changed, since they buggered up on me. The garage
had probs refitting the gearbox the first time, and leaked oil everywhere.
When I took it back, the garage swopped the pressure plate and thrust
bearing because they where fitting a performance clutch in another scooby,
and asked if they could use these in mine as they were better than what I
had in my car. They said though that the clutch was fine and plenty of meat
on it. Is there a way of checking this out in more detail without dropping
the gearbox?

 

[Michael Szoenyi]

on it. Is there a way of checking this out in more detail without dropping

the gearbox?

Checking whether the clutch is slipping or not is easy: High gear, low revs.
Put the car under full throttle and see what's happening. Indication of a
worn and slipping clutch is the following: Revs go up but car does not
accelerate, as the torque cannot be transmitted anymore.

The way you described (revs go right up all the way to 7000 rpm is looking
very much like a slipping clutch. No danger of damaging the gearbox when
trying the above, though.

Cheers, Mike

 

[Mike]

Does sound like the clutch, not sure if you can check it. The slipping will
progressivly get worse. How many miles on it ? Reading around on some other
WRX boards some are having to replace the clutch as early as 60,000 miles.

 

[spirituk]

Thanks very much for your comments. It'll be worth it when I take the car
back to complain
thank you.

 

[johninKY]

The clutch will slip if any of that gear oil got onto it.

 

[David Betts]

Does sound like the clutch, not sure if you can check it. The slipping will
progressivly get worse. How many miles on it ? Reading around on some other
WRX boards some are having to replace the clutch as early as 60,000 miles.

That is a good mileage for the clutch on a Rex. Ham-footed drivers get
through them in 25,000 miles or less.

As I have pointed out on this forum many times, powerful
all-wheel-drive cars are unable to spin their wheels on a brisk
take-off like a conventional two-wheel-drive car. As a result, the
clutch has to slip instead. The alternative would be to break
driveshafts or gear trains, which would be far more expensive.

Simply regard the clutch as a consumable, like tyres and brakes.

David Betts
(e-mail address removed)
British Racing Green
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=8hdb40f.p96dman&x=1&y=y0tki9

 

[mulder]

That is a good mileage for the clutch on a Rex. Ham-footed drivers get
through them in 25,000 miles or less.

Rapid clutch wear is not a given on the WRX. I've got 80K on my
original clutch and it's still fine, feels about the same as when it
was new. I know others with 100K+.
It's all about how the car is driven.

 

[spirituk]

hmmm
I tried out today with the high gear low revs and putting the foot
down....The car just starteded to creep up to normal revs as it would do.
(like massive turbo lag) then when it hits the hot spot, the engine roars
off, but with not much of a push. The turbo does kick in but nowhere near
the power it had. When I last spoke to the garage, they said that there was
a crack in the plasic pipe running to the dump valve, from the intercooler.
The dump valve pipe completley covers this crack, and seems a snug fit. This
is where he says I'm losing power.

Ps
The car is classic 1995 WRX import. with one cat on the downpipe and the
other removed. Thats all I know on the car. But before the bearings were
done, (I'm still really running the bearings in) the car was pushing near
300bhp. So you can see I had a big push in the back.

Does this sshhed any more light on it?

Thanks for all the responses... I really didn't think anyone would take the
time to write to me
Thanks gain
Chris

 

[mulder]

hmmm
I tried out today with the high gear low revs and putting the foot
down....The car just starteded to creep up to normal revs as it would do.
(like massive turbo lag) then when it hits the hot spot, the engine roars
off, but with not much of a push. The turbo does kick in but nowhere near
the power it had. When I last spoke to the garage, they said that there was
a crack in the plasic pipe running to the dump valve, from the intercooler.
The dump valve pipe completley covers this crack, and seems a snug fit. This
is where he says I'm losing power.

Ps
The car is classic 1995 WRX import. with one cat on the downpipe and the
other removed. Thats all I know on the car. But before the bearings were
done, (I'm still really running the bearings in) the car was pushing near
300bhp. So you can see I had a big push in the back.

Does this sshhed any more light on it?

Thanks for all the responses... I really didn't think anyone would take the
time to write to me
Thanks gain
Chris

If the engine were losing power due to a problem with the turbo or
whatever, it would have difficulty gaining RPMs. The only way that
RPMs can suddenly increase while in gear is if the clutch slips,
either because you stepped on it or because it's worn and it let go.
You need a new clutch!
You may also need a new shop if they really don't know this.
The car will have to come apart to inspect the clutch and make the
necessary repairs.

 

[David Betts]

Rapid clutch wear is not a given on the WRX. I've got 80K on my
original clutch and it's still fine, feels about the same as when it
was new. I know others with 100K+.
It's all about how the car is driven.

Obviously the clutch will last much longer on a car which spends most
of its time cruising at constant speed on freeways.

The feel of the clutch is no indication of wear. It is sefl-adjusting.
Won't start to feel different until the adjustment runs out.

David Betts
(e-mail address removed)
British Racing Green
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=8hdb40f.p96dman&x=1&y=y0tki9

 

[mulder]

Obviously the clutch will last much longer on a car which spends most
of its time cruising at constant speed on freeways.

The feel of the clutch is no indication of wear. It is sefl-adjusting.
Won't start to feel different until the adjustment runs out.

David Betts
(e-mail address removed)
British Racing Green
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=8hdb40f.p96dman&x=1&y=y0tki9

Typically the engagement point will get higher on the pedal as the
disc wears until it can no longer full engage, and it begins to slip.
Although I don't use the car for competion such as drag and auto-x, I
have spent many hours in slow traffic which requires a lot of clutch
use. I do plenty of up- and down-shifting.

 

[Michael Szoenyi]

Typically the engagement point will get higher on the pedal as the

disc wears until it can no longer full engage, and it begins to slip.

Depends on the clutch type. A hydraulic clutch doesn't change its engagement
point. This is the case in my car ('92 legacy turbo)

Cheers, Mike