Engine bogging down on one of my donors, need help advice

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Hi all,
My 07 NA 2.5L impreza donor developed a problem yesterday.
Driving along the engine started loosing power until it was not drivable.

Testing Today.
no engine codes
engine cold>> runs good up to 50% pedal, anything higher and the engine bogs.
engine warm>> runs good up to 25% pedal, anything higher and the engine bogs.
engine hot>> runs good up to 10% pedal, anything higher and the engine bogs.

I put a fuel pressure gauge on it and it stays steady at about 45 psi.

Have any of you subbie guys seen these symptoms?

Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Bob

[wallace18]

It sure sounds like it is starving for fuel. Make sure your fuel tank is vented properly. Did you have the gauge on while you had the problem?

[Slatt]

How was your battery during all this? Is it charging?

[Bob_n_Cincy]

It sure sounds like it is starving for fuel. Make sure your fuel tank is vented properly. Did you have the gauge on while you had the problem?

Thanks Tom
I had the gauge duct taped to my windshield while I was testing today. It held solid during the problem.

How was your battery during all this? Is it charging?

Thanks Slatt
I measures the battery while engine was off. 12.88 vdc. Lights and other electrical seem to be fine.

My definition of bog = all cylinders quite firing.

Looking on the internet I found a couple of similar symptoms that were caused by clogged catalytic converters.
What do you think?
Bob

[Ironhydroxide]

I'd check spark plugs, as well as wires (often the valve cover spark tube seals leak, and this could cause the wire ends to hate life). in worst case, i'd say a coil.

it sounds like you're having spark blowout at high RPM/High Cylinder Pressures.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

I'd check spark plugs, as well as wires (often the valve cover spark tube seals leak, and this could cause the wire ends to hate life). in worst case, i'd say a coil.

it sounds like you're having spark blowout at high RPM/High Cylinder Pressures.

Hi Ironhydroxide,
Thanks for the response. I have seen engines stumble a high load because of ignition (plugs, wires, coil)
My engine is cutting completely out. The spark plugs, wires, coil, are all individual per cylinder on this 07 engine. So I don't think that's it.
It could bee an ignition timing problem caused by a crank sensor or ECU.

I have been doing a lot of internet investigations.
My best theory right know is that I have a banana in my tail pipe. (clogged catalytic converter).
The burnt gases in the cylinder are not letting fresh oxygen into the cylinders.
Has anyone seen this?
Thanks Again
Bob

[wallace18]

Yes Bob a clogged converter will cause that for sure.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

The header cat was disintegrated (3/4 gone) the rest was laying in chunks blocking the second Cat. I will post pictures tonight.
Bob

[Slatt]

Header cat? Do you mean up-pipe cat? Egads! Inspect your turbo!

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Header cat? Do you mean up-pipe cat? Egads! Inspect your turbo!

hey slat,
fortunately this was my NA car.
Just got back from a drive, its running great.

[Ironhydroxide]

The spark plugs, wires, coil, are all individual per cylinder on this 07 engine. So I don't think that's it.
Bob

I was fairly certain the EJ253 engines were ALL wasted spark, one coil pack. with wires running from the coil pack to the plugs.

does this look like your engine bay?

Anyways, i'm glad you found the problem. sorry it's one of the more expensive ones though.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

My bog problem is solved.
This picture is of two exhaust manifolds off my donors.
The one on the bottom is off the car I was having problems with.
I circled the front cat converter.

exhaust manifold.jpg

I don't know why the front passenger side cylinder is running lean.

Looking down the exit tube of the bad exhaust manifold, you can see the cat is gone.


bad cat.jpgbad cat2.jpg

Here is one with a good cat

good cat.jpg

where did it go?
Chunks of it are in the center exhaust pipe.


chincks.jpgchunks in mid pipe.jpg

I then cut open the center cat
It was stuffed with debris form the front cat.

second cat.jpg

To explain this in medical terms.
My car had a pulmonary embolism.
blood clot in leg travels to lung and clogs it up so you can't breathe.

Lesson learned.
I will never put a catalytic converter in front of a turbo.
I was lucky this was a normally aspirated car.

Thank everyone for your input.
Bob

[Bob_n_Cincy]

I was fairly certain the EJ253 engines were ALL wasted spark, one coil pack. with wires running from the coil pack to the plugs.

does this look like your engine bay? Anyways, i'm glad you found the problem. sorry it's one of the more expensive ones though.

Iron ,
You were correct on the coil pack, I was wrong. I was confused, as I have been spending most my time working on the 04 forester XT motor with the individual coils.
P1040894s.jpg

It wasn't expensive. I gutted the cat out of the center pipe. Had a muffler shop weld the cat housing back together $30.
My son Michael and I put it back together. No Charge.

L.T.D
Bob

[Ironhydroxide]

It wasn't expensive. I gutted the cat out of the center pipe. Had a muffler shop weld the cat housing back together $30.
My son Michael and I put it back together. No Charge.

L.T.D
Bob

Awesome. I love cheap easy fixes.

you may want to look into getting an "O2 Cheater" adapter for your rear O2 sensor.... often running "catless" will cause a Cat inefficiency code.