Hi,

This is not another thread claiming for urgent help when it isnīt needed, I swear, I need help DESPERATELY.

Hereīs the story of what has happened to my completely stock evo IX:

So, lets start: Two months ago I had my "check engine" light on. I knew it was due to the idle control valve cause it wasnīt the first time that happened. I took the car to the dealer (i must state that at this moment the car was runing perfectly). As it wasnīt the first time that happened, the dealer, instead of just deleting the cell like he did before he took off the complete butterfly assembly to clean it.

Next morning I go to get my car back. When driving back, after the engine has reached its working temp, I decide its a good time to have some fun as there was barely any traffic. So I floor it and SH***!!! what the F*** is going on? the turbo starts boosting at 4000rpm and no more than 0.4 bar when it should boost at 3000rpm and reach 1.2 bar.

After driving like 50 miles as slow as I could I look at the fuel indicator and itīs already done half of the tank in only 50 miles!!!!!

Next day I take it back to the dealer And I explain what the hell is going on with the car. I explain everything to the dealer and the only answer i get is: "what?" Ok, at this point I knew I was F***** up. They changed the precat and the main cat due to all the gas that went unburnt to the cats forming a sludge obstructing them. the car remained the same. They changed the complete butterfly assembly including the idle control valve and sensors that are in there just in case they damaged the old assembly when cleaning it. The car remained the same.

They have no f****** clue of whats wrong with the car. Up to date this is a list of all the parts that they have changed for new ones:

-Precat and main cat
-Turbo
-MAF sensor
-spark plugs
-ECU
-butterfly assembly
-knock sensor*
- And I think some more thing that I just dont remember now.

They already checked (and everything is fine):
-wastegate
-recirculating valve
-leaks
-timing

Now they are going to check the mivec (donīt know what the hell has that tod do with the boost but...)

They took out the knock sensor and the boost reached more pressure, they thought It all may be caused by it so they put in a new one and... nothing the car boosted 0.4 bar at the most which means that its knocking

Any ideas?

 

Tuned?

-E

 

Is the car making any weird noises? Sounds like the turbo went bad.

 

No, no weird noises. The car is completely stock. It only has 15.000 miles by the way.

The turbo is completely new

 

Sounds like either the injector to intake manifold seals are leaking (pouring fuel in), a boost leak (unattached vacuum lines) when they did the throttle body or they jacked something up royally.

Check to make sure that all vacuum lines are hooked up to your wastegate. .4 bar is roughly 7psi. This isn't even wastegate pressure I don't think?

-E

 

Rod Knock. Sounds like the damage has already been done. If the Knock Sensor detecting that much knock, sounds like the ECU is pulling quite a bit of timing. Did they do a Oil Analysis?

 

yep thatīs the funny think it doesnt even reach wastegate pressure. Its like if something isnīt leting the turbo spool, but theyīve checked already for leaks anthe inspected the compelete exhaust line just in case thereīs somtehing obstructing it.

 

Also make sure that the factory pills are in the lines. Otherwise, it'll run wastegate pressure which is 11psi I believe. But you're not even reaching that? How are you monitoring boost?

 

No, no oil analysis done yet. I hope its not a rod problem. I donīt race with this car, Iīve never reved it up past 7000rpm. Changed oil and fliter every 4000 miles. Never drove it hard until everything reached its working temp....

And how can you break a rod by just cleaning the intake butterfly?

this is a new case for the x-files

 

The dealer installed a mechanical boost gauge to monitor the boost

 

Are the plugs in the Intake snorkle. Sounds like you situation. That thing lifts on throttle and chokes all airflow coming in

 

It's not that uncommon. I have a IX and at 18K completely bone stock, down to the paper filter. Changed my oil with Mobilone and a Mitsubishi filter, every 3K as instructed, never raced it and like you, kept it under 7K. I had the beginning stages of Rod Knock and was covered under warrenty. New Bearings (Rod and Crank) new rod bolts, polished the crank.
All it takes is a bad tank of gas and inferior Oil (Mobilone) on a stock map. The reason I ask about checking the oil, is the Knock Sensor. You state the ECU changed when removing the Knock Sensor and went back when it was replaced. Sounds like there is Knock present.

 

Could you post a pic of what you are describing or explain it a bit more simple. Not that you are not clear enough, the problem is Iīm not from the US Im spaniard and I donīt comprehend some things. Thanks

 

yep. when they took out the knock sensor the boost went up, not until 1.2 bar but it went up a little bit more than 0.4. when they put in a new knck sensor, the car again didnīt pass .4 bar.
i use castrol 10W-30 oil.

What do you mean with bad tank of gas? do you mean bad quality gas???

 

There is 2 pushpin clips that go on the front of the scoop (snorkle) if they are broke or missing it snorkle will suck up and get no air at all causing it not to boost and sputter around. A friend and I had this exact some issue a couple of years ago, took forever to figure it out.