Fluidampr helping with false knock?

[Pleides]

On 1/28/2023 at 1:36 PM, m sprank said:

Most intercooler gaskets are single use. There was a silicone/steel version that may or may not still be available. 

 

Yes, knock sensor hears the valve train. If you hit the trans housing with a wrench the knock sensor picks it up. 

 

Honestly never played with cold start high idle in anything other than a track car that I recall.   Easy enough to test and revert if other issues arrise. 

So it appears my knock sensor is triggered by whatever noise I get from my transmission when disengaging the clutch with high idle from cold starts. The car sees knock if I accidentally drop the clutch kind of hard as well, like revving up to 2K before letting the clutch completely off the floor. Not really sure how to solve that... Possibly with a heavier flywheel? Using an OEM clutch and flywheel from an 07 LGT.

Edited February 20, 2023 by Pleides

[m sprank]

Hmmmmm... the clutch false knock problem.  Usually caused by a LWFW.  If your using OEM even a OEM single mass should not be an issue.  Give everything a good look and maybe use a small mallett to tap around for anything loose or that resonates. Maybe its age related?  My body cracks all the time now. 

[Pleides]

1 hour ago, m sprank said:

Hmmmmm... the clutch false knock problem.  Usually caused by a LWFW.  If your using OEM even a OEM single mass should not be an issue.  Give everything a good look and maybe use a small mallett to tap around for anything loose or that resonates. Maybe its age related?  My body cracks all the time now. 

Given that it's a Subaru flywheel, can't imagine that would be the issue, but it's hard to say. Everything looks quiet buttoned up there, but I'm not going to pretend that I know everything there is to know about how it's supposed to look. 

 

I'm having a Fluidampr pulley put on at my next oil change. We'll see if it makes a difference for this situation. 

[Febreze Mee]

Not sure what others are finding these for, or what a "deal" looks like, but here's one for $436 +taxes/shipping.

 

https://goturbo.net/fdr531101-fluidampr-subaru-ej-series-steel-internally-balanced-damper-531101

[m sprank]

$475 is about the going rate these days.  They used to be far less expensive. 

[BoozeRS05]

I found mine used for $325 shipped, don’t see it wearing out anytime soon.

I haven’t installed mine, but I do have an extra timing cover to trim, which I’m going to do soon. I’d love to get my hands on a Company23 crank pulley removal tool. Is there another tool I can rent at the auto parts store to just as easily remove it?

[Febreze Mee]

Booze, would you mind measuring the diameter of the final hole when you're finished trimming the timing cover. I also have a spare cover, and would like to trim ahead of time. 

[m sprank]

I am going to give you the quick instructions on how to do this with no special tools. 

For an MT.  Car on ground.  Place in 4th, 5th gear.  Block tires or hold brake.  Leave accssory belts on until crank bolt is loose.  While standing at the front looking to the engine it is counter-clockwise to loosen.  Use a long breaker bar.  At first the pulley will spin maybe 1/2 turn.  This is normal as the clutch springs are engaging.  You will feel the resistance and at that point you can break it free.  Car will move forward slightly if no brake is held.  But it wont go more than a few inches and it will not start.  If worried, remove the battery negative, coil pack wires, etc. 

How we did it before specialty tools.  Auto parts store will not have the Subie tool. 

I never pulled the radiator, if worried I pulled the fans and put a wood panel where the fans were.  Foresters are tighter, etc.

Edited February 21, 2023 by m sprank

[Infosecdad]

1 hour ago, Febreze Mee said:

Booze, would you mind measuring the diameter of the final hole when you're finished trimming the timing cover. I also have a spare cover, and would like to trim ahead of time. 

If I remember correctly, it's just trimming off the ridge that sticks out because there isn't a relief on the backside of the Fluidamper pulley like the stock pulley has.

It would be much easier to trim before installing on the car.

[KZJonny]

51 minutes ago, Infosecdad said:

If I remember correctly, it's just trimming off the ridge that sticks out because there isn't a relief on the backside of the Fluidamper pulley like the stock pulley has.

It would be much easier to trim before installing on the car.

Yes. This.

I remember the sound that the outer timing cover made when i tried to make it occupy the same space that the Fluidampr was.

Was too close to first start up at that point to take it back off and trim it… hah!

[BoozeRS05]

That pulley removal doesn’t seem too bad, might get on this install sooner than later actually. I saw another guy wedge the PS belt around and into the pulley, and it worked nicely to hold things together. I have an old belt laying around, so probably do both things.

And yep it’s just the outer ridge on the front of the cover that’s needs trimmed. I have my SB on a stand to use as a guide, but it should be pretty straight forward

[Pleides]

So I FINALLY got this on my car. Had Surgeline install it for me and they got it in and out quickly. Here are my thoughts.

Right when I started the car (warm) I noticed less vibration from the engine making its way into the car. I idled the car for a bit while I made a phone call and definitely noticed that the whole car was marginally quieter. I also noticed that, when I did eventually take off, I didn't need to give the car as much throttle to get it moving smoothly. It's way easier to creep with just the clutch pedal now. I drove the car largely with the A/C on yesterday - normally something that makes getting going from 0 MPH a bit of a chore - and the car was so easy to get going in. Loved that! Also the false knock triggered by the A/C compressor cycling no longer happens.

My car has always had something that falsely triggered the knock sensor at around 2K RPM. Lots and lots of people report this happening to them as well, finding that they need new O2 sensors, AVCS solenoids, fuel system mods, etc. None of these have ever worked for me or made a real difference. I've had my car tuned probably 10 times by now and different tuners have never been able to cure it. My false knock often made the car nearly undriveable in stop-and-go traffic around this RPM in second gear with it bucking like f***** crazy. I also would get something at 3500 RPM that seemed dependent on load. That 3500 RPM stutter is totally gone. The lower RPM stutter still exists, but it's way, way less noticeable. I almost exclusively noticed this stutter during cold starts and driving afterwards. If I warm started the car then it was a lot less bad. During warm starts now I don't think I really notice much of anything stuttery now, but the cold start stutter is still noticeable. 

Also, the car feels like it has quite a bit more torque from 2500 RPM and higher. I haven't hooked up the Accessport to log before and after, but I'm sure much more timing is being pushed. It literally feels like I have a different turbo, or the difference between the power delivery from my old 214K-mile block versus when the new engine went in. Very, very much enjoy driving the car hard with this thing! 

Overall, I wish I had done this mod sooner. Zero downsides, apart from being a nearly $500 crank pulley. 

Edited September 17, 2023 by Pleides

[BoozeRS05]

Will I be able to trim the timing cover lip without removing it? I was thinking I’d stuff some clean towels in the cover while I cut the lip off to keep shavings and bits from getting in there 

[KZJonny]

1 hour ago, BoozeRS05 said:

Will I be able to trim the timing cover lip without removing it? I was thinking I’d stuff some clean towels in the cover while I cut the lip off to keep shavings and bits from getting in there 

Yeah, you’ll be fine.

Worst case you drop a shaving in, you can alway remove the RHS half of the timing cover easily enough and use some compressed air to blow it out.

I was not aware of the interference before doing so, and it only took a minute of idling for the extra mm of plastic to go…. Somewhere? Not that I recommend that course of action. 

[seanyb505]

Self clearancing parts ftw

I usually recommend people let rod bearings clearance themselves. Better fit that way lol

[Febreze Mee]

39 minutes ago, seanyb505 said:

Self clearancing parts ftw

I usually recommend people let rod bearings clearance themselves. Better fit that way lol

I did that once! It allowed me to take a day off work, and spend 10hrs in the car driving to and from the builder. 
 

10/10 would recommended. 

[m sprank]

The pulleys are not cheap.  But they do work.  They dont split into two pieces like the OEM either. 

[NORULZleggy]

10 minutes ago, m sprank said:

The pulleys are not cheap.  But they do work.  They dont split into two pieces like the OEM either. 

LOVE mine. car is smooth, makes me have lazy clutch foot sometimes lol

[BoozeRS05]

Installed mine today, but haven’t started it up just yet.

I used Mike’s method to break the bolt free (5th gear and chocked the back tires), which worked great, but when torquing it down there’s a lot of movement. I’m a little concerned the spec isn’t accurate, but it’s on there nice and tight. 

[m sprank]

95 or 125ft lbs?  I cant recall.

[Febreze Mee]

I opted for in between 97-133ft-lbs. There's also some angular concerns when going through the tightening sequence.
 

I think I torqued it to 118ft-lbs since it was undecided across the FSM and worldwide web. 

[BoozeRS05]

I set mine at 130ft lbs, but then I upped it a bit and I don’t think the bolt moved any further to be honest. I think it’s on there plenty tight though 

[seanyb505]

One güdentite is better than any amount of ugga-uggas 

[BoozeRS05]

Well idk if it’s a super noticeable difference, but smoother idle and maybe a more consistent/healthier power band feel. I like it, but I’m glad I didn’t spend $500 or more.

Also my OEM pulley seemed to be in fine shape. No apparent separation or degrading with 200k miles on it.