Refurb solenoid box

[Guest]

Am wanting to refurb my solenoid box. Car\'s not running how it should (lacking boost) and think that this will be a good place to start. But have a few questions before I go about it.

Should I replace the lines inside the box with new ones? I have read that this can lead to oscillation and that Subaru have purposely used more durable & harder lines to prevent this.

I\'ve also read that simply pulling them off one-by-one, spraying the lines with some carb cleaner, allowing to dry and putting back on can have positive effects. Seems all too easy?

Anybody done it with successful results? I did have a couple more questions, but have slipped my mind at the moment - Will post when they come back to me!

[Rosssub]

This is a good write up on cleaning out the BBOD with Carb Cleaner. Spraying through Solenoids while in D-Mode/Cycling. Doing the same to your Primary Boost Solenoid wouldn\'t hurt either.

http://www.uklegacy.com/forums/index.php/topic/11043-code-66-and-boost-issueshow-to-clean-them-out/

[Rosssub]

Is it low on Primary Boost? Secondary Boost? Idling smooth?

Replacing the BBOD Vac hoses probably wont help, unless you\'ve found a split/leaking one.

Your low boost is more likely a split Intake (leak), Boost Leak, Turbo Fault etc. What\'s it doing?

[Guest]

 Rosssub said:

Is it low on Primary Boost? Secondary Boost? Idling smooth?

Replacing the BBOD Vac hoses probably wont help, unless you\'ve found a split/leaking one.

Your low boost is more likely a split Intake (leak), Boost Leak, Turbo Fault etc. What\'s it doing?

It\'s spiking to 10/11psi in primary initially then going down and staying constant around 8.

On twins it feels reluctant and is maxing out around 12.

Idling is fine, ~1200rpm whilst cold, ~600 (+/-50 rpm) whilst warm.

Just doesn\'t feel like she\'s pulling like she should, thinking that as she approaches the 200km mark those stock lines could do with a good clean. Have read of some people replacing their lines and finding them absolutely full of gunk.

[Rosssub]

Start with cleaning out your Primary Boost Solenoid inside the passenger guard. Might be gunked up (semi blocked) causing your Primary Boost troubles.

Could also be a leaking intake (from AFM-Turbo\'s), any splits or holes in the OEM black plastic intake?

Don\'t replace the BBOD hoses, just give it a good clean out. Especially the ECV Duty Solenoid hoses as this helps control the Primary Boost/Waste Gate.

[Guest]

 Rosssub said:

Start with cleaning out your Primary Boost Solenoid inside the passenger guard. Might be gunked up (semi blocked) causing your Primary Boost spike.

Could also be a leaking intake (from AFM-Turbo\'s), any splits or holes in the OEM black plastic intake?

Don\'t replace the BBOD hoses, just give it a good clean out. Especially the ECV Duty Solenoid hoses as this helps control the Primary Boost/Waste Gate.

Alright good stuff. Any info on how to go about it? Don\'t they have little caps on them? Just remove and clean, with carb cleaner? Or....?

Yeah when removing air box last night I did notice a small crack on the black plastic intake pipe near the end. Would you recommend replacing with a silicone equivilant?

Sweet - Will remove the BBOD and give them all a clean with some carb cleaner & put back on and see what that does. Should I check/clean the solenoids in there also while I\'m at it?

Excuse the amateur questions. New to all this stuff and learning as I go. Cheers

[Rosssub]

I put my car into D-mode (Diagnostic Mode), by connecting the black & green plugs under the dash (tucked up behind fuse box). Turn ignition on and this makes all Solenoids Cycle (open and close/D-mode).

Now you can Spray Carb Cleaner into the Solenoids Vac hose, then blow it through as the Solenoid opens and closes. All the gunk will come out the other hose.

Clean the Solenoids one at a time to avoid hose mix ups.

As you blow onto the vac hose you will feel it free up as the gunk washes out.

Edit: The small black air filters on top of all the solenoids pull off and can be cleaned too.

[Guest]

 Rosssub said:

I put my car into D-mode (Diagnostic Mode), by connecting the black & green plugs under the dash (tucked up behind fuse box). Turn ignition on and this makes all Solenoids Cycle (open and close/D-mode).

Now you can Spray Carb Cleaner into the Solenoids Vac hose, then blow it through as the Solenoid opens and closes. All the gunk will come out the other hose.

Clean the Solenoids one at a time to avoid hose mix ups.

As you blow onto the vac hose you will feel it free up as the gunk washes out.

Edit: The small black air filters on top of all the solenoids pull off and can be cleaned too.

Good stuff.

Only thing at this point that I\'m confused on is where I spray it & where it comes out. Do you mean take off the hose at the wall of the BBOD (non-solenoid end), spray & blow at that end and the gunk will come out via the solenoid as it opens/closes?

I\'m pretty sure if I was infront of my car I wouldn\'t be asking, but I\'m not so I am

[Rosssub]

Your Primary Boost Solenoid is inside your passenger guard. Remove the F/L Wheel then remove the Splash Guard/Under Guard (black plastic) to get to it. Hose 10 and 23 go to it, tucked up near the Battery.

Clean out your Primary Boost Solenoid then do a road test. Might be ok, if not Unbolt your BBOD but leave it plugged in. Then in D-mode you can clean all these Solenoids one by one the same way.

http://www.uklegacy.com/forums/index.php/topic/11043-code-66-and-boost-issueshow-to-clean-them-out/

[Rosssub]

 bnneie said:

Yeah when removing air box last night I did notice a small crack on the black plastic intake pipe near the end. Would you recommend replacing with a silicone equivilant?

Excuse the amateur questions. New to all this stuff and learning as I go. Cheers

No worries, we\'ve all been there. ;D

How bad is the split? If it\'s leaking it could be causing you trouble. Can you take a pic of the the split?

How is the pipe in front of the Turbo\'s?

Replacing it with Silicone is a mission, Manifold/Turbo off etc, can it be taped or silicone? Maybe sleeved and clamped with a bigger hose?

http://www.clubsub.org.nz/forum/index.php/topic,40134.0.html

[Guest]

 Rosssub']

Your Primary Boost Solenoid is inside your passenger guard. Remove the F/L Wheel then remove the Splash Guard/Under Guard (black plastic) to get to it. Hose 10 and 23 go to it, tucked up near the Battery.

Clean out your Primary Boost Solenoid then do a road test. Might be ok, if not Unbolt your BBOD but leave it plugged in. Then in D-mode you can clean all these Solenoids one by one the same way.

http://www.uklegacy.com/forums/index.php/topic/11043-code-66-and-boost-issueshow-to-clean-them-out/

Mate - You\'re a legend. This info is great.

I\'ll be sure to do that. I\'ve also read that replacing line 10 & 23 with 4mm hose can improve responsiveness? But at the same time, maybe just a good clean will get the job done. Is the solenoid in the first picture that is seperate from the box the boost solenoid we are speaking of?

[quote name='bnneie said:

Yeah when removing air box last night I did notice a small crack on the black plastic intake pipe near the end. Would you recommend replacing with a silicone equivilant?

Excuse the amateur questions. New to all this stuff and learning as I go. Cheers

/quote]

No worries, we\'ve all been there. ;D

How bad is the split? If it\'s leaking it could be causing you trouble. Can you take a pic of the AFM end?

How is the pipe in front of the Turbo\'s?

Replacing it with Silicone is a mission, Manifold/Turbo off etc, can it be taped or silicone? Maybe sleeved and clamped with a bigger hose?

The split is minimal. It\'s on the other side of the clamp (if you get me), so I doubt it\'s causing too much trouble.

I\'m currently sitting at my desk at work so unable to take a picture right now haha, but I\'ll be sure to as soon as I can.

Thinking I\'ll stop by somewhere & pick up some carb cleaner after work, jack it up, get that wheel & guard off and give it a good clean & see how that goes for me.

[Rosssub]

The Solenoid pictured is the Exhaust Valve Control Solenoid from inside the BBOD (see other BBOD pic/ECV Duty Solenoid).

You will get that one, if you have to clean out the BBOD.

The first one to try (clean) is the Primary Boost Solenoid, inside your front Guard.

Edit: That split wont be a problem. Could smear some silicone goo on it next time it\'s off just to be sure.

[Guest]

 Rosssub said:

The Solenoid pictured is the Exhaust Valve Control Solenoid from inside the BBOD (see other BBOD pic/ECV Duty Solenoid).

You will get that one, if you have to clean out the BBOD.

The first one to try (clean) is the Primary Boost Solenoid, inside your front Guard.

Edit: That split wont be a problem. Could smear some silicone goo on it next time it\'s off just to be sure.

Okay good stuff.

Are they all the same? In the sense that they have a hose going in one side of the solenoid and out the other? If so, they\'ll be fairly easy to clean

[Rosssub]

Yip pretty much all the same, most have 2 hoses and a filter on top. Some have no filter, one Solenoid has 3 hoses but they all work/clean the same way.

This is my Primary Boost Solenoid/Primary Duty Solenoid:

[Guest]

 Rosssub said:

Yip pretty much all the same, most have 2 hoses and a filter on top. Some have no filter, one Solenoid has 3 hoses but they all work/clean the same way.

This is my Primary Boost Solenoid/Primary Duty Solenoid:

Dude you\'re awesome.

So should I take off hose 10 & 23 at the opposite end to the solenoid & spray from there and let it cycle down the lines, through the solenoid and out wherever they\'re going to exit?

[Rosssub]

;D

I pull both hoses off the Solenoid and fit another short length of hose for spraying/cleaning. Then collect the Gunk in a jar through another hose for curiosity sake.

You don\'t want the Carb Cleaner/Gunk going back into the Engine.

[Guest]

 Rosssub said:

;D

I pull both hoses off the Solenoid and fit another short length of hose for spraying/cleaning. Then collect the Gunk in a jar through another hose for curiosity sake.

You don\'t want the Carb Cleaner/Gunk going back into the Engine.

Sweeeet. I might just take off the hoses at both ends (solenoid & wherever they head off to), clean, re-attach, turn solenoids onto cycle mode, test drive. Maybe an ECU reset after that also?

[Rosssub]

1 - Connect cleaning hoses/set up drain hoses

2 - Car into D-mode (Solenoids Cycling)

3 - Spray/Blow/Clean

4 - Reconnect Vac Hoses

5 - Car out of D-mode

6 - Road Test

Yeah may as well reset the ECU while your there, can\'t hurt.

[Guest]

 Rosssub said:

1 - Connect cleaning hoses/set up drain hoses

2 - Car into D-mode (Solenoids Cycling)

3 - Spray/Blow/Clean

4 - Reconnect Vac Hoses

5 - Car out of D-mode

6 - Road Test

Yeah may as well reset the ECU while your there, can\'t hurt.

Beautiful.

I\'m hoping to get it done tonight. If not, definitely tomorrow.

Will report back with results

Thanks again for all your help mate, it\'s hugely appreciated. Don\'t think this is the end of my questions though, I don\'t doubt I\'ll have more for yah

[Rosssub]

Sweet ;D Good luck.

[Guest]

Not sure if yourve fixed this yet, buut we had a car with same issue come into work and all it was was the coil packs we replaced them all and the car runs like a dreaaam

we tried everything on that car too

[Guest]

Hmm.. So I just removed every line in the solenoid box, sprayed with carb cleaner, blew out excess, put back in place - They all seemed rather fine. Clean, no splits/cracks, no gunk. Took for a drive, feels pretty much the same. Maybe slightly more responsive, but not too much.

Still yet to do the primary boost solenoid, but that isn\'t going to change the fact that I\'m still not boosting over 10psi on twins?

I did replace my boost gauge line with some silicone 4mm hosing to replace the clear pathetic hose that came with it - Now reads a lot more responsively which is nice. Been meaning to do this for a while now.

Further ideas? Really want this baby pulling like a train in twins but not sure what to do next to get there.

Also, easiest/fastest way to reset ECU? Remove battery for ~30 mins?

[Rosssub]

The Primary Duty Solenoid (Primary Boost Solenoid) controls Engine Boost Levels in both Single and TT mode. Inside the front guard...

Removing the Battery will reset the ECU, but this is the proper way:

http://www.clubsub.org.nz/forum/index.php/topic,67.0.html

[Guest]

 Rosssub said:

The Primary Duty Solenoid (Primary Boost Solenoid) controls Engine Boost Levels in both Single and TT mode. Inside the front guard...

Removing the Battery will reset the ECU, but this is the proper way:

http://www.clubsub.org.nz/forum/index.php/topic,67.0.html

Okay, my bad. Took the name of it literally and thought it controlled primary boost only

Gonna\' do that now. Want to reset it and let the ECU re-learn, wondering if this could have anything to do with the boost limitations.

[Rosssub]

AFAIK the ECU will only alter/lower boost levels when it goes into \'Limp Mode". Normally only happens with massive (20psi+) boost spikes or code 65/66 CEL boost issues. I think Limp mode drops the boost to Waste Gate Spring Pressure (about 7psi), but don\'t quote me on that ;D