While seemingly very unlikely to be alarm/brant related if you have one installed, but i had flat spots big time in the early stages of my brants death i believe, which led up to hestitations, bad idle, stalling, random cutouts ..

The thing with that is it generates no CELs/ECU codes

It would seem unlikely that it would be causing w/g pressure consistently but something to think about if things start getting worse without any help from the ECU.

Had a closer look at things today and noticed the OEM air filter box was not sealed properly at the base (two plastic lips not seated correctly). Fixed that up and no difference to the boost (still ~6psi) which I expected. Did another ECU reset and boost is back up to ~15psi.

Would the filter box not being sealed properly be enough to put the ECU into 'safe mode'?

Battery showed some signs of leakage too so I topped up with distilled water (needed about 500mL). We've been discussing poor grounding issues above. Would a worn battery contribute to this? Mine is ~3 years old.


Daz

i wouldnt say that the filter box would make an impact, as it is pre-turbo.
check all vacuum lines for hairline cracks, ensure all hose clamps are done up tight...
also check all air pipes eg engine breather, intercooler piping and connections, and even check your intercooler; it could be damaged and leaking boost.
but yeh it sounds like the problem is intermittent, and is only happening when put under pressure etc

No, non sealing air box would just mean there was a chance of the engine eating dust.

Subarus do misbehave if the battery is doing the dodgy. see how it goes now after being driven for a while (battery will take some time to dharge now it's topped up).

Is it stuttering or stumbling on boost at all when it is reaching 15 psi?

What air filter are you running? Stock paper panel?

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There was an issue a few weeks after the 100,000km service / Verso where it stuttered real bad and there was a lot of engine shake, like I was driving an V8 with a hell lumpy cam. Idle was rough and the stutter would occur when putting my foot down at any speed and more obvious in the lower-mid rev range. Felt like it was starved for fuel or a cylinder was becoming retarded. Took in back to ASG and they reseated everything and it came good. Since then the only issue has been the ECU dropping boost.




Looks like stock paper. Didn't notice any obvious branding such as K&N. Is in new condition though. Need me to have a closer look? Would moving to a pod assist or just create more issues?


Daz

Just checking there's no maf killing K&N in there......

Check your battery voltage with the car off and post back, I sense a fugged battery/ earthing issue.

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This is sounding all too familiar

Doubt it's the AFM, the ones in the newer wrxies take some real abuse to kill - I have had a K/N Pod on the end of a cold air intake, lightly oiled on my 01 for years and it's still good.

Check your plugs, and gap of the plugs, doubt it would be the coilpacks as they are onplug unlike the GC's. If you're having no electrical issues in-cabin it won't be your alternator, and if it the motor cranks strongly with no issues ever it's unlikely to be the battery also.

I had a similar problem and i thought i was on the money with:

- Spark Plugs
- AFM
- Cam/Crank Sensor
- Battery
- Earthing Point(s)

Replaced all of those and issue remained.

As they can all cause exactly what you're having .. but, it appears at this stage it was a failed brant alarm module (burnt up relay) *crosses fingers*

Oh, and when the brant was ripped out, in addition to the burned out alarm module, it was a dodgy install and looked like shit. Not sure which system the brant alarm uses to 'cut' the motor, whether it's fuel or ignition, but if it's on the way out you will get stumbling/flatspots and other nasty shit like that.

^^ Whs ^^

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Thanks for all the detailed feedback guys.

Regarding the Brant module where do I locate it? My car didn't have the keypad when I bought it (not sure if prev. owner removed it or if it ever had one).

Also there's a little siren under the bonet which has never worked (irregardless of key (switch) position)


Daz

It's underneath the dash, you'd need to take it somewhere to have the complete system ripped out and replaced with something different.

I can recommend Nigel to do this for you, he did mine last week. We were unsure if it would resolve my problem, but it was quite literally the last thing we could do to fix "the snake".
It would be beneficial if you could find out whether or not it had brant and/or if it was completely ripped out or not, as it's completely possible that an alarm can cause the problems you've got.

Other than that, you're only way forward will be a somewhat painful and frustrating method of elimination if you're getting fuck all from the ECU to tell you what's going on.

I recommend that when the issue arises next time, take time to step back from the problem and think logically at what could be going on.