Slight ticking when accelerating.

[Guest]

I have a 2001 Leagacy Gt, which I just got from a dealer so still under warrenty, but there is a slight ticking when accelerating.

Have read some of the other posts here and was wondering if it could possibly be detonation. Am currently running it on 95. Should I be running on 98 instead. The ticking seems to be coming from the right hand side. Have never had a turbo before never mind a twin!

Someone said it could be the wastegate but was hoping you guys would have some other suggestions!?

If you have any please let me know its starting to bug me..

[nt_a_foz]

injectors id say

[Guest]

how would I fix it?

[aim]

You don't. You can get injector cleaner - but there are arguments against their effectiveness.

Ticking injectors is just something they do with age. However, I doubt you'd come on here complaining if it was just injectors? wouldn't have thought it would've been loud enough for somewun to worry about.

[Guest]

Maybe I will just take it to a Mechanic that knows what they are talking about! Cause I sure don't.

Anyone have any good recommendations for mechanics in Christchurch?

[aim]

Matt will tell you what's wrong for some woodies I'm sure.

Flick him a PM, he's mattapo on the forums.

[WRXER]

 aarden said:

Maybe I will just take it to a Mechanic that knows what they are talking about! Cause I sure don't.

Anyone have any good recommendations for mechanics in Christchurch?

Tony at RDL performance is damn good too, he does all the work on my wrx and many others on these forums too.

Oh and don't worry about all the motorsport stuff, he is happy to work on anything.

http://www.rdlperformance.co.nz/

[Garryg]

Hi aarden,

I have the same issue and have had it in to 2 garages....if it's only ticking under acceleration I would say it's Pinking...same problem as mine!

Running 98 helps slightly, but does not get rid of the problem. I have been advised to retard the timing as this may solve the problem? I'm booking it in for a reflash and dyno at the end of Nov. so I'll let you know!

Other solutions that have been put to me are changing the plugs...

Unfortunate thing, is none of this is covered under my warranty!!! I have mechanical cover, but not electrical..

If you do get a fix, keep me updated!

Cheers

[Guest]

I have just put some 98 in and your right, it does make a slight difference but does not get rid of it all together.

Excuse my ignorance but what exactly is pinking?

[Garryg]

I'll leave the exact explanation to someone else...All I know is that it is something to do with the detonation of the fuel!!

Cheers

[aim]

Basically all fuels have an 'auto-ignition' point, the point in which it will detonate without an open flame or spark. You can change the point of auto-ignition with different mixtures, pressure and heat. But essentially, there's a point where if you apply enough pressure and heat the fuel will spontaneously explode. This is what's happening in your engine, the fuel is being compressed by the piston to such a point at a certain temperature that it's exploding before the piston is at the top (or past) of it's stroke, putting massive strain on your bearings when under load.

The cause of this, can be a number of things.

[Guest]

Will getting the car tuned possibly get rid of this?

[aim]

Yes, retard the timing and it would reduce detonation, potentially eradicate it.

EDIT: You should also always use 98 fuel in a turbo'd subaru, the higher the octane, the higher the auto-ignition temperature for a given pressure. 98 fuel is 98% iso-octane and 2% heptane (for arguments sake lets assume this to be true, it's not, but the results are the same), iso-octane is basically hard to detonate via auto-ignition where as heptane is easy. The higher the compression, and the more boost you run, the more likely you are to encounter detonation. In Australia, the number on the pump is actually in AKI, or Anti-Knock Index, go figure : Common misconception the higher the octane the higher the chemical energy... In fact, the opposite is true. Heptane (RON 0 by definition) is more volitile than iso-octane (RON 100 by definition), and as organic compound has more chemical potential energy. But diesel has even more, anyway...

[subieboy]

 aim said:

Yes, retard the timing and it would reduce detonation, potentially eradicate it.

EDIT: You should also always use 98 fuel in a turbo'd subaru, the higher the octane, the higher the auto-ignition temperature for a given pressure. 98 fuel is 98% iso-octane and 2% heptane (for arguments sake lets assume this to be true, it's not, but the results are the same), iso-octane is basically hard to detonate via auto-ignition where as heptane is easy. The higher the compression, and the more boost you run, the more likely you are to encounter detonation. In Australia, the number on the pump is actually in AKI, or Anti-Knock Index, go figure : Common misconception the higher the octane the higher the chemical energy... In fact, the opposite is true. Heptane (RON 0 by definition) is more volitile than iso-octane (RON 100 by definition), and as organic compound has more chemical potential energy. But diesel has even more, anyway...

Cool

So get sum 98 octane or motor goes boom!

[Guest]

And what does retard mean? :-p besides me for not knowing!!

[WRXER]

All good mate, my brain explodes here on occasion.

[aim]

 aarden said:

And what does retard mean? :-p besides me for not knowing!!

basically it changes the ignition so it happens later than the manufacturer has set it at. So if the manufacturer has set it at 12 degrees or so and you lower that value to say 8 or 7, that's retarding your timing. Retard is actually another word for 'slow' and is used quite extensively through chemistry for 'slowing' or retarding reactions, and that's essentially what you're doing here, you're delaying the reaction between oxygen and petrol.

[Guest]

So took the car to RDL performance after talking to matt, which by the way cheers for that!

Turns out its one of the pistons!! And this can be fixed by RDL for a modest 3.5k!!!!!

Have gone back to the dealer, who was very good about it, and they have given me two options.

1) They will give me my money back, no more questions, no hassles.

2) They will replace the engine with one that has been reconditioned.

My question to you guys is... How reliable are recon engines? Should I take my money and leg it?

Is there anything I need to look out for with recon engines bearing in mind that it will come with a warrenty etc

cheers for all your help guys, and matt I will get that part back to you asap

[pl0x]

Totally up to you, If you like the car get it replaced.

if you don't give it back and get something else.

No point in getting your money back then buying another one when you could have this one with a new engine

[mattapo]

Its a nice car and you got it at a good price, Its tidy enough and with a reconditioned engine it would be a bargin. Make shure it is a reconed engine, ask for receipts e.t.c

[pl0x]

yea true, make sure its a reconditioned engine (as in rebuilt) not just a replacement 2nd hand one.

[Guest]

Yea i think im going to keep her aye. Especially as I'm not paying for any of the work to be done. Will get reciepts/the dealer is also going to give me an extened warrenty on all the work!

[Guest]

not tryin to be annoying but what happend to ur piston that would cause a knock did it let go a ring or scratch a cylinder bore or loose gudgen? what happened to piston? what was the cause?

[Guest]

Im assuming its piston slap where the piston hits the top of the chamber. Its supposably pretty common with some Subarus. But I thought it only happened when the car was warming up.

[Guest]

umm ok still fail to see the relationship to ticking an for that much play I would have thawt a baring failiure or a gudgen failiure??

If the engine had cambelt done recently?? They may have screwed the timing up an piston vs. valve slap may occur theory would also point to variable valve timed engines sounding fine in certain rev ranges an as timing increases the timing gos out an piston slaps valve??

Would any one else share there thawts as to wether this is possible?