Tag Archives: turbo

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AWD: The Impreza WRX STI uses Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD), the most performance-directed type of Symmetrical AWD. A limited-slip, planetary gear-type center differential provides a performanceoriented 35:65 front/rear power split.

AWD: The Impreza WRX STI uses Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD), the most performance-directed type of Symmetrical AWD. A limited-slip, planetary gear-type center differential provides a performanceoriented 35:65 front/rear power split.
AWD: The Impreza WRX STI uses Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD), the most performance-directed type of Symmetrical AWD. A limited-slip, planetary gear-type center differential provides a performanceoriented 35:65 front/rear power split.

AWD: The Impreza WRX STI uses Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD), the most performance-directed type of Symmetrical AWD. A limited-slip, planetary gear-type center differential provides a performanceoriented 35:65 front/rear power split.

Turbocharger Terms and Definitions

Turbocharger Terms and Definitions:

The turbocharger terms and definitions used to describe turbocharger operation can be confusing.

Turbocharger Terms and Definitions:The turbocharger terms and definitions used to describe turbocharger operation can be confusing.
Turbocharger Terms and Definitions: The turbocharger terms and definitions used to describe turbocharger operation can be confusing.

Here are some definitions for common turbocharging terms:

■ Boost Threshold

Boost threshold is the optimum engine speed to produce exhaust gas flow to create positive manifold pressure (boost).

■ Turbo Lag

Turbo lag is the time delay between the point when the throttle is opened and the turbocharger boost reaches operational speed when the engine is running at boost threshold.

Many factors affect turbo lag:

Engine tuning status; the condition of the rotating components; operational condition of the control sensors and components; the presence of any air leaks in the turbocharger system; the control settings; and even the weather.

■ Boost Leak

When air (boost) is leaking within the turbo system or intake, it is referred to as “boost leak.” This may be caused by loose assembly of the components, a bad seal or a cracked component. Under such a condition, the turbocharger may not create enough boost pressure, or reach adequate levels.

■ Boost Spike

A boost spike is an erratic increase in boost pressure, mainly experienced when the vehicle is accelerating through the lower gears and the controller can’t adjust to the changes in engine speeds as quickly as would be ideal.

Boost Pressure Influences

Boost Pressure Influences:

Several factors can influence boost pressure and affect turbocharger efficiency.

Boost Pressure: Several factors can influence boost pressure and affect turbocharger efficiency.
Boost Pressure: Several factors can influence boost pressure and affect turbocharger efficiency.

The key factors are:

Ambient Air Temperature and Pressure

As the air temperature rises, the ability of the turbocharger to compress the warmer air decreases. This phenomenon is directly due to the decrease in air density and the physical limitation of the turbocharger.

Even when the air temperature is low, the air density (barometric pressure or boost pressure) may be low. Under these conditions, lower than expected boost pressure may be experienced. The diameter of the exhaust system will vary the pressure differential across the turbine. A larger exhaust allows the turbocharger to rotate faster, which results in higher boost pressure.

Any increase in boost pressure would require “re-mapping” of the ECM programs to accommodate different air flow rates and resultant ignition change requirements. Over-revving of the turbine – trying to supply enough boost – can lead to turbocharger failure, particularly in conjunction with the increase in the pressure differential across the turbine.

Subaru Turbocharger Explained Part 2

Subaru Turbocharger Explained Part 2:

Service Procedures

Here are some service procedures, including steps to properly remove turbocharger components, and tests and inspections you can perform to check component operation.

Subaru Turbocharger Explained: Here are some service procedures, including steps to properly remove turbocharger components, and tests and inspections you can perform to check component operation.
Subaru Turbocharger Explained: Here are some service procedures, including steps to properly remove turbocharger components, and tests and inspections you can perform to check component operation.

Intercooler Removal

You may need to remove the intercooler to work on other components beneath it. Removal of the intercooler must be performed carefully so that no damage occurs.

1.) Disconnect battery. Remove the two bolts that attach the bypass valve, then the valve.

2.) Remove the bolts from each end of the intercooler and disconnect the crankcase ventilation hoses from the intercooler.

3.) Loosen the clamps at the throttle body and outlet of the turbocharger.

4.) Gently move the intercooler side to side until the tension of the hoses at the turbocharger and throttle body loosen.

5.) Remove the intercooler from the engine compartment and cover the open areas with tape to prevent foreign material from entering, which could cause damage to the engine or turbocharger after re-installation.

Turbocharger Removal

1.) After removing the intercooler, remove the intercooler mounting bracket.

2.) Remove the eight bolts that secure the protective heat shield around the turbo.

3.) Raise the vehicle and disconnect the rear oxygen sensor harness, then remove the front exhaust pipe mounting bolt. Position the pipe so there is some movement.

4.) Lower the vehicle and disconnect the wastegate hose to the vacuum hose leading to the wastegate control solenoid.

5.) Remove the coolant hose from the reservoir that connects to the turbocharger.

Subaru Turbocharger Explained Part 1

Subaru Turbocharger Explained:

Turbochargers are fairly simple in concept, but adapting the system to modern vehicles can be quite complex. This primer for those new to servicing turbos and review for veterans lays out the function and operation of turbocharging in Subaru vehicles.

Subaru Turbocharger: Starting with 2004 models, the WRX STi incorporates a water spray system to help cool the intercooler, thereby further cooling the intake air.
Subaru Turbocharger: Starting with 2004 models, the WRX STi incorporates a
water spray system to help cool the intercooler, thereby
further cooling the intake air.

The return of turbocharging in the 2002 Impreza WRX marked an absence of nearly a decade for Subaru vehicles. While the new generation has been around for half a decade, not everyone understands the function and operation of Subaru turbocharging systems.

Naturally, everyone knows these blowers are designed to get the maximum power out of engines by packing more air and fuel into the cylinders to get the biggest bang possible. Just how that is accomplished, however, may be a bit of a mystery to you. Here’s a primer on turbocharging and how it applies to Subaru vehicles.

Subaru Turbocharger Explained:

A Brief History of Turbochargers

Turbochargers were originally invented to increase the volume of air pushed into the cylinders of internal combustion engines, and, along with increased fuel, raise the level of energy produced by the combustion process

Historical references indicate that Swiss engineer Alfred J. Buchi adapted the turbines from steam engines to diesel engines as a method to improve air induction, and, therefore, smoother operation in internal combustion engines. In 1905, Buchi’s idea of powering the forced air induction by exhaust flow was granted a patent. Good idea or not, the fairly crude engines of the day could not sustain even or adequate boost pressures. Buchi worked another ten years before he could produce a working model of a turbocharged diesel engine. By that time, other companies had also produced turbocharging systems

The massive building boom of internal combustion engines to supply ships, trucks and airplanes for World War I saw technologies take a giant leap forward. The first turbocharged diesel engines for ships and locomotives appeared around 1920. Shortly thereafter, European car manufacturers began incorporating them into factory race cars and a few sporty luxury models.

The next milestone for turbocharging came with the military build-up for World War II, when turbo systems were fitted to fighter planes and bombers to allow them to fly at higher altitudes where the thinner air could be compacted into the engines to provide sufficient combustion. However, direct-driven superchargers quickly proved more reliable, efficient and more easily controlled, leaving turbochargers by the wayside.

It wasn’t until the mid-1950s when turbochargers started appearing on diesel trucks that modern turbos began to make a dent in the automotive market. Today, the vast majority of truck engines are turbodiesels.

When turbocharged vehicles began to dominate the international racing scene in the 1960s, car manufacturers began to use them in sporty models to appeal to performance-oriented drivers. By the 1980s, turbochargers for cars were a bona fide success, particularly in Subaru vehicles, due to improved metallurgy, intercooling and efficient boost controls.

The main components of a Subaru turbocharger system are a water-cooled turbocharger, an air-cooled intercooler, a wastegate control solenoid valve, sensors and a controller. Let’s review the individual components and the role they play in the system.

Coolant is critical to your Subaru

Coolant is Critical to your Subaru:

The heart of any vehicle is the engine. It’s what makes it go. Anything that jeopardizes the operation of the engine can have disastrous effects and result in extensive repairs. If the engine is the heart of the vehicle, then surely the cooling system is the “circulatory system” that keeps the engine operating at optimum temperatures. If it doesn’t, bad things are going to happen.

Subaru engines are modern masterpieces of technology and precision. Manufactured of multi-alloy metals and exotic materials, these engines contain more components, weigh less, produce more power and torque and are more durable than the old iron engines of 40 years ago. However, even these high-tech engines can be damaged or destroyed by excessively high internal temperatures.

Though more energy efficient than ever before, the combustion of fuel and air in the cylinders that produces the power that propels the vehicle still creates an enormous amount of waste heat. This is carried away from the cylinders either by venting it out through the exhaust system or via the cooling system. If either of these systems fail to keep the engine at normal operating temperatures, an overheating condition occurs. Of the two, the cooling system is most vulnerable.

Coolant Engine: Always use Subaru oem coolant in your Subaru car.
Coolant is Critical to your Subaru: Always use Subaru oem coolant in your Subaru car.

The cooling system can easily be contaminated or compromised by anyone putting the wrong products into the radiator or reservoir. Often, Subaru owners or service facilities that are not aware of the specific needs of the vehicle will put incorrect chemicals into the system. In fact, according to figures published by the U. S. Department of Transportation, coolant-related problems are the primary cause of mechanical breakdowns on the highway. Many of these breakdowns could have been avoided by the use of proper coolant and the right additives.

Evaporative Emissions Testing Subaru

Evaporative Emissions Testing Subaru:

A major component of the Subaru OBD-II system is the system’s ability to monitor the evaporative emissions system. Today’s vehicles are producing very low emissions from the tailpipe, so it has become increasingly important to monitor and contain emissions from other vehicle sources.

Evaporative Emissions Testing Subaru: A major component of the Subaru OBD-II system is the system’s ability to monitor the evaporative emissions system.
Evaporative Emissions Testing Subaru: A major component of the Subaru OBD-II system is the system’s ability to monitor the evaporative emissions system.

A potentially large source of emissions is the vehicle’s fuel system. If not properly contained, vapors escaping from the fuel tank could produce a larger quantity of harmful emissions while the vehicle was standing still than what would be emitted via the tailpipe when the engine was running and the vehicle was driving down the road.

The Subaru OBD-II system monitors the evaporative emissions system by drawing the system to a negative pressure. If the system holds vacuum, it passes the test. If the system fails to hold vacuum for the prescribed period, it fails and a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P04440 is stored in the ECM memory. The malfunction indicator light (MIL) also comes on in the dash to alert the driver to the problem.

The charts that follow were collected through the data link connector using the New Select Monitor (NSM), during the diagnosis of a DTC P0440 on a 1997 Subaru Legacy 2.5 liter. We’ll begin with a description of system operation under normal operating conditions.

Legacy World Speed Records

Legacy World Speed Records:

Prior to launching the 1990 Legacy, Subaru drew attention to the car’s capabilities and durability by attempting to set world speed records with the Legacy. In an effort involving three Legacy RS Turbo Sedans, Subaru established a new 100,000 kilometer (62,137 miles) world speed record as well as 13 international records. Some of these records still stand today.

Legacy World Speed Records: For the 1990 model year, Subaru was launching the Legacy, a front-wheel drive model with optional 4-wheel drive. It was larger than previous Subaru models and had a 2.0-liter, 16-valve, turbocharged engine.
Legacy World Speed Records: For the 1990 model year, Subaru was launching the Legacy, a front-wheel drive model with optional 4-wheel drive. It was larger than previous Subaru models and had a 2.0-liter, 16-valve, turbocharged engine.

For the 1990 model year, Subaru was launching the Legacy, a front-wheel drive model with optional 4-wheel drive. It was larger than previous Subaru models and had a 2.0-liter, 16-valve, turbocharged engine. Since the car represented a new segment for Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), it wanted to demonstrate the vehicle’s performance, reliability, and durability. Thus began the quest for the 100,000 kilometer (62,137 miles) world record. That represents the distance typically covered during five years of hard driving.