Just curious

[Torque797]

Hey everyone, I was reading about the WRX tranny problems and i got to wondering. I dont know about most of you out there but Ive notice that some people downshift when coming to a stop or whatever and some people just go from say 3rd put the clutch in and roll to a stop and put it into 1st. Now my question is by downshifting am i causing more wear and tear on my tranny? I figure most of you out there downshift right? Does this have any major effect on the life of my tranny? Just curious ..

[Mr Aryan]

Now my question is by downshifting am i causing more wear and tear on my tranny? I figure most of you out there downshift right? Does this have any major effect on the life of my tranny? Just curious ..
as long as the rpm doesn't go above the red line while downshifting, you're fine (on the engine side)... but you'll be eating the clutch. if the clutch goes, then it will effect your tranny.

[Torque797]

Here's the deal:

With the help of another WRX owner I installed a manual boost controller made of ice maker parts. A simple adjustable bleeder valve and some plastic hose and it manages to work.

However, the boost controller deosn't seem to be too reliable.

In first gear i get about 17 psi, 2nd about 24psi. On the highway cruising in 4th or 5th I sometimes get a nasty fuel cut.

Also the controller sometimes allows a spike of 27 -29 psi in 4th or 5th.

Can I prevent the fuel cut without expensive electronics? What is considered to be the safe psi for my stock wrx? Am i destroying my motor?

Thanks

[ADM]

I would suggest you get yourself a real boost controller, and not a home made one. Companies invest money, and they are tested extensively for reliability. You dont need a flashy electronic one. A simple manual one, with an extended bleed control inside the car.

[Mr Aryan]

Can I prevent the fuel cut without expensive electronics? What is considered to be the safe psi for my stock wrx? Am i destroying my motor?

Thanks
you better get an ECU (motec got plug and play i believe) to prevent the fuel cut, not sure about the fuel cut definder how it works as i never used them.
as for an STi, it cuts the fuel at 21psi...
i've heard that the pistons are weak, although you'll be having rich fuel, but in few high boost runs (21psi or so) you'll be melting down the pistons...

as for the manual boost controller, i used an XS one on my ex turbo Civic and worked well!
i'm using EZII HKS on the STi now, i've adjusted it for 20psi (sometimes spikes to 21psi) then at the last 1000rpm it drops down to 16psi...

[RH9]

First of all ... If you downshift without rev matching yes you're damaging the tranny and wearing the synchro's faster ...

2ndly...Fuel cut, I have faced lots of fuel cut incidents, On nissans its when the AFM"air flow meter" max's out at 5v, you solve that by changing the afm to something with a bigger diemeter and a higher voltage reading, ei: rb20 afm to z32's afm and changing the in's/out's for the new afm as the ecu doesn't recongize the new one... adjusting the fuel accordingly as the reading ranges change and all ... using a fuel controller or so like an apex'i afc or a greddy e-manage/ultimate ...

Hondas max out their map sensors ...mitsubishi use an afm too and max out a certain reading and fuel cuts ...

In Subbies case, I don't how they fuel cut and what max's out and causes fuel cut, you can check the wrx forums

3rd,

Manual boost controllers suck big time, never use em' !

The best electronic boost controller around is the Apex'i avc-r.. hands down

[ADM]

Hey RH9, ive seen evo's without AFM, do they convert them to oxygen sensors?

[Torque797]

Here's a stange occuring thing.

I drive my car hard, taking turns where I flick the back end out by turning inward quickly. Giving it lots of gas as I come out of the turns. The stock tires are screaming for me to stop; screaming at the same time; but I don't stop. I continue on my merry path, turning here and there at high speeds giving the tires and brakes a workout.

After doing so, my front tires are usually very low on air [under 20psi]. Usually one or the other is low, usually not both. Anyway, I pump them back up; every time thinking that I am going to have to get the tire[s] checked, but after I inflate said tire, the air stays in... no leaks.

Strange.

The tires are the stock Potenzas that come on the 06 WRX. The wheels are Prodrive P1's.

Normal? Abnormal?

[ADM]

If they are leaking air, check the valves for leaks. If they are messed up, get them changed :)

[Torque797]

they are brand new tyres, only 8K on them.

[ADM]

they are brand new tyres, only 8K on them.
It has nothing to do with the tyres. Maybe the squishing and sqeezing of the tyres during hard turns in causing air to leak from the filling valves. Maybe they arent very good, so u need to change them. There is no other way the air will leak out, unless the tyres are creeping about the internal lips of the wheels, which is highly unlikely to happen :)

Maybe you need better air valves on ur rims, try looking for higher standard valves.

[RH9]

Hey RH9, ive seen evo's without AFM, do they convert them to oxygen sensors?

Oxygen sensors on oem cars are narrow band and are used for idle and partial throttle ...

They convert them to map sensor ... I converted my twin AFM GT-R to twin apex'i map sensors now