The AUSubaru.com.au Forums

further to my previous posts in other threads (quoted below), i have some more information about my engine and issues. i had previously written

blows lots of oil in the intake track but havent checked the cylinder pressures yet nor the spark plugs (that's tomorrow's task). i'm assuming it's just dead rings or something like that. i'm not too concerned as i'm hoping to ej20turbo in the near future (within 6-9 months), just need to get some help to get me by until that time. i've installed an oil catch can which has help reduce the blow-by (at times), but still throws out a bit of smoke. i've put in some castrol GTX (aka thick oil) to try and help as well

so, are there any other easy ways to reduce the blow-by as a temporary measure? would putting in a PCV valve like more modern cars help?

next issue is the engine bogs down a real lot when flooring it off the line (so only happens in first). when the turbo first starts to get boost, it's like i hit a rev cut, you get almost thrown forward, then all of a sudden it takes off (blows lots of smoke on the gear change - more than normal anyway). i cant understand why this is happening as the car is pretty good to drive normally - is it a case of something as silly as the car seeing knock and cutting the spark? i assume the car was tuned for 91ron fuel - i'm using e10 at the moment which is apx 94ron, so i'm not thinking it's that, but it's the only reasoning i can think of.

the other small issue is part throttle in any gear around 2500-3000rpm just as the turbo gets a tiny bit of boost (happens in any gear). engine feels like it misses and then goes fine. any ideas for this one?

and

now the car is backfiring under load at around 2000rpm (when boost starts to come on). any thoughts?

so i took the spark plugs out and they all looked fine.
replaced the fuel filter.
coolant water looks fine.
did a compression test and these are the results:

passenger side front 135
passenger side rear 133
and the bad ones...
drivers side front 52
drivers side rear 84

ok so there's obviously an issue with the drivers side, but thought it my be a bit odd that both are low. could it be something as simple as a head gasket between the cylinders?

on a drive today, the car still stutters a bit with a few backfires under load and partial load. will be putting in fuel injector cleaner when i next fill up.

also, i noticed the wastegate doesnt appear to be working, and thus my boost gauge is reading above 12psi. i thought this could be a problem for the fuel cutting out under load, but partial load is strange. anyway, i looked for the fuel cut thingie that i see most of you disconnect/remove, and it appears the previous owner/owners completely removed it. there is nothing connected to the drivers side strut tower other than that white canaster thing and the boost light (checked that by disconnecting it and got on boost, no light).

so, any thoughts on things i can do so i can use the car without too many troubles until i go ej20turbo?

would shoving some rather open cell foam in the oil catch can help reduce blow-by? i have noticed there is less oil leaking from areas as before, so i assume the catch can is doing some good.

any othe ideas???? any would be greatly appreciated.

Sounds like something like rings or head gasket issues on the drivers side. If the compression is down that much then the head has to come off one way or another...

i could definately do the head gasket myself - that's pretty straight forward. rings are a bit more of a pita

are there any easy ways to be certain the wastegate actuator isnt working?