AF_3C2

Year: 2005

Make/Model: Legacy 2.5 GT Sedan, non-Limited

VIN: 4S3BL686956211701

Reason to Avoid: See below

 

I purchased this car from the local dealer after the original owner blew the clutch up. Original owner bought new, babied and kept really good maintenance. Brief history:

- OEM turbo replaced by dealer at 60k- was making abnormal noise, but no kaboom (still boosted, no CEL or oil usage)

- Original owner drove until 87k, when TOB exploded on commute home- traded it in instead of fixing

- Dealer pulls tranny apart, finds no damage from exploded TB, puts back together with new clutch, flywheel, PP and TOB.

- I buy it, notice a miss on idle, run with it til I go Stage 1 at 90k

- Valve cover leak at 95k, go Stg 2 along with timing kit, valve clearance adjust, plugs, OEM intercooler, misc broken hoses, DW rebuilt injectors, and catless UP. Begin having phantom knock events (none audible) at low rpm under load (typically 2500-3000 rpm)

- Custom dyno tune fails to fix issue, so returned to stock and traded in.

 

Issues:

- Knocks under low rpm load at stage 2- more than likely stock as well

- Front end knocks while going over bumps- especially when turning

- Struts more than likely shot

- Second gear synchros a bit crunchy

Glad you found it- my injectors fixed most of my idle roughness, but not a darn thing for my low rpm under load knock events...

97k....

 

- Turbo replaced at 60k (original owner heard a slight noise from it, replaced before kaboom)

- Throw out died at 87k- original owner killed it by driving 20 miles- traded it in

- PS valve cover sprung a leak at 96k, had the cover, valve lash, timing kit, water pump, UP, DP and Stg 2 at this point. Still messing with a jacked injector. Thinking about a pump.

did you go to groove too? lol

 

Nah- Heuberger.

 

They also convinced me to buy the aftermarket drivetrain warranty that I later found out only covers engine failures from lack of oil- won't cover burnt valves.

Welcome to the club- I have an AP and was monitoring roughness for all my cylinders- my trouble cylinder was #2, but when I had my valve covers/timing kit/valve lash work done I had the intake manifold gaskets replaced and #2 and #4 injectors swapped. After 80 miles of smooth idle and driving, the roughness came back- and on #4.

 

I bought a used set of injectors from someone in the classifieds section and sent them off to DW for servicing. Will be getting them back in the mail today- hopefully this will be the end of my rough idle woes. Certainly sounds like injector to me- I have the same issues- and I only got a CEL during the summer. AP was the best way to help me troubleshoot the issue.

 

Dealer told me when I bought the car last year (had rough idle then) that it was just "normal" behavior for the LGT to have a rough idle.....

/drool....

 

Unfortunately all my Christmas money last year went to my GS downpipe, and this year I already spent it on chasing down some knock gremlins- I so want this though!

Ya- but once more, the LGT crowd will get the shaft because they don't want to provide a splitter for our car- and it looks like it will really matter for this one.....

Hope you're really skilled at putting stuff together or you're getting a good deal at a local shop....

 

You make no mention of turbo- I would suggest dropping the stock VF-40 and going with either a BNR or VF-52, which would then require some engine management (open source or AP) plus a tune. Depending on your power target, beefing up the top end might not be worth the cost.

 

Also be looking at your transmission and brakes. The 5EAT doesn't like increased power levels so much and I believe it requires a mod to make it safer to do so. Be sure to check out the transmission section in the forums.

 

Good luck!

Have: SWP with OEM Wing

Want: SWP wingless

 

Location: DFW, TX

 

Gonna try this one more time

 

Feel like coming up to Colorado?

 

lol....

Sorry Famaya26- I be stuck here in CO....

Colorado

 

Have: 05 SWP wingless

 

Want: Winged