Engine stutters and shudders around turbo RPM

[matt1710]

Hi

I'd like someone to recommend a turbo expert, hopefully close to me - I live in Sandringham. Well - I'm fairly sure that the shuddering and stuttering is related to the turbo!?

I've searched the forum for similar problems to mine but haven't turned anything up, hence this post. I have a late 2000 GTB-E Tune Legacy with twin turbos - I run it on BP 98. Recently, and it's especially noticeable when cold, the engine stutters very badly between about 2000 - 3000rpm - seems to be worst at about 3500. It always seems to do it within a couple of minutes of driving. It stutters so badly it feels as if I'm prodding the accelerator very rapidly - it causes very detectable shudders to go through the entire car. The car also feels very flat, and then suddenly the power comes on and it accelerates quite strongly. Generally, once it has warmed up the problem disappears however sometimes reappears even when warm - although not as badly as when cold.

I've always had the feeling that the turbos weren't running 100% - maybe it's time to take it to a dedicated turbo expert?

Matt

[Drunkenmonkey]

mine does the same thing but mine is a 89 gt, ive always thought its miss firing, do you know when your plugs were last done?

[Guest]

does sound like it could be the spark plugs

-smurff

[matt1710]

Hi Smurff

You helped me out with the CD stacker cable a while back - still going fine! Hope your car is coming along well. Thanks for your input here too - hopefully it is as simple as the plugs. Am fearful that it's something expensive and complicated in the engine. I haven't looked at the location of the plugs - are they easy to get at? I have a spark plug wrench (that I've used on the lawnmower!) - is it a simple job of removing them, and replacing them? Or are there other issues to pay attention to before/after the replacement?

Matt

[Guest]

ahhh good to know the cd stackers still doin its thing

spark plugs are easy to do, just have to remove some of the bits around them to make it easyier, the filter box, the airflow meter pipe, on teh other side, the water bottle for the window washers.

if you want i can show you what you need to know or even give you a hand.

do you know when the plugs were last done?

-smurff

[Guest]

From what I can tell, they all tend to be a little unsettled when cold, and you don't want to be boosting then anyway.

I'd suggest changing the plugs (as already mentioned) if they're close to or over 50,000km old. If that doesn't work, I'd be looking at the AFM as when they start to go all sorts of strange things happen.

[matt1710]

Cheers Smurff - might have to take you up on that one! Will have a look at it tomorrow to see how hard it looks - I'm not experienced with cars, but am pretty handy. Not sure when the plugs were last done - will look it up.

AFM - is that an air flow meter?

[Guest]

 matt1710 said:

Cheers Smurff - might have to take you up on that one! Will have a look at it tomorrow to see how hard it looks - I'm not experienced with cars, but am pretty handy. Not sure when the plugs were last done - will look it up.

AFM - is that an air flow meter?

that sure is. you know more than some people

-smurff

[matariki_gt]

my 90 gt does the same, i changed the plugs and it still done it :-\, i dont have a spare afm to test if its that, but my piston oil rings went and i thought it was the oil getting into the IACV

[matt1710]

Have been through all my garage invoices for the Subaru and can't find any reference to having the plugs changed! I've had it since late 2005 - so would assume that they've been done, and either I've lost that invoice - or it wasn't noted. Then again, maybe they've never been done...

[Guest]

Ok, time to change them then.

I've only done them once. It cost $100 for the four platinum plugs from Repco Greenlane and it took me an hour and a half.

Tools required, a 1/2" drive socket set with a universal joint and some extensions.

You'll probably need to pull the washer water bottle and the air box out to get at them. I'm told you can do it from underneath the car too which might be easier.

I'm sure there are plenty of members who would happily supervise with beer

[Drunkenmonkey]

 SpotMe said:

Ok, time to change them then.

I've only done them once. It cost $100 for the four platinum plugs from Repco Greenlane and it took me an hour and a half.

Tools required, a 1/2" drive socket set with a universal joint and some extensions.

You'll probably need to pull the washer water bottle and the air box out to get at them. I'm told you can do it from underneath the car too which might be easier.

I'm sure there are plenty of members who would happily supervise with beer

smaller socket sets make it even easier but yes yes plenty of auckland member that are keen to help

[Guest]

 Drunkenmonkey']

[quote name='SpotMe said:

Ok, time to change them then.

I've only done them once. It cost $100 for the four platinum plugs from Repco Greenlane and it took me an hour and a half.

Tools required, a 1/2" drive socket set with a universal joint and some extensions.

You'll probably need to pull the washer water bottle and the air box out to get at them. I'm told you can do it from underneath the car too which might be easier.

I'm sure there are plenty of members who would happily supervise with beer

/quote]

smaller socket sets make it even easier but yes yes plenty of auckland member that are keen to help

Sorry, you're right, I meant a 3/8" socket set. I did it with a 1/2" socket set and it was a little tricky!

[Guest]

i use the 1/2" its easy, you guys mustn't know what hard work is

-smurff

[Guest]

I never said it was hard work, I said it was tricky

[Guest]

hahaha, tricky, ok, so you did but you can still do it with your eyes closed

just more feeling around

-smurff

[tssupremacy]

Hi guys

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but my Suby does the same. Did anyone find a fix? So far I have replaced the AFM...