First hesitation, now backfire/ping! HELP!

IowaRS · 04-18-2001, 07:37 AM

Ok, ever since I've owned my MY00 RS it has had the "hesitation" between 4k and 4.5k rpm.
Usually after shifting to 2nd gear and about 1/3 throttle the power drops off then comes back. Drove another 2000 RS, same thing.
Now I have 20,000 miles on the car, still hesitates.

About a week ago I started getting what must be either backfires or pings anywhere above 4k rpm. Mostly near full throttle, occurs in any gear.
On the interstate yesterday it was really bad, the car stuttered and was pinging and banging like crazy until I let off the throttle.

The car is totally stock intake to exhaust, amsoil air filter.

I can't decide if it is pinging or backfire though?? Seems too quiet to be a backfire, and it occurs multiple times within seconds.
It acts like preignition.
I've run high octane(91-92) from day 1.

Has anyone else experienced this??
I took it into the dealer and they basically said if I can't repeat it they can't do anything.

My biggest worry is that this will happen on the track or autocross course at a bad time and cause me to wreck!!!

HELP!!!

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ColinL · 04-18-2001, 07:50 AM

Check your plugs and consider replacing them if they are stock.

Consider replacing the fuel filter-- it's inexpensive and due for a change at 30k miles, but if you have "dirty" gas it could be time now.

Search this board for the infamous MY00 2.5RS hesistation. I don't have a MY00 so I haven't followed closely enough to see if there was a decisive cause and remedy, but I know that many have had it.

IowaRS · 04-18-2001, 09:06 AM

Oh yeah, forgot to mention as soon as it started happening I replaced the plugs with NGK's. It seemed to help at first, but the problem resurfaced shortly after that.

The fuel filter did cross my mind, can't hurt to do that too.

Trust me I've searched on hesitation. Lots of good stories to back up the fact that I am not alone with the hesitation.
The ping/backfire/???? was my biggest concern

Thanks Colin

Aspen_2.5RS · 04-18-2001, 10:13 AM

There is a recall on MY 00' 02 sensors. Go to your dealer and have it replaced.

Mine does the same thing, but I have a 01. And I haven't heard about any recall for the 01........I might try a new 02 as well.

ColinL · 04-18-2001, 10:23 AM

In that case, check that you have the correct heat range plugs and they are gapped according to the specs in your owner's manual.

Michael · 04-18-2001, 10:35 AM

sounds like a case of misfire in the cylinders, do whats was suggested by everyone else...check your plugs and the gap
michael

IowaRS · 04-18-2001, 11:25 AM

NEWS FLASH!!!
I figured out what was causing my missing/pinging/backfire.
At noon today I bought a new fuel filter I pop the hood to go to replace it, but left the engine running to see if I could hear any funny noises.
I revved the engine up a couple times be hand and decided to take the intake tubing off the air filter assembly so I could hear intake noise a little better.
Much to my surprise I got a nice 3 or 4 shocks from the spark plug coil, yikes!!!! zap, zap, zap,zap,.......

So, like the glutton for punishement I am, I touch the wires again. ZAP, OUCH. Happens to be that I was touching the #3 cylinder wire.
I touched the #1, 2, and 4. NOTHING. hmmmmmm, so I turn the car off, pull the spark plug wires off at the distributor only to discover that the #3 wire connections are totally black and corroded!! The rest of them are nice and gold.
I look into the wire and the connector end is totally bent, hardly able to make contact.

So, I have been running on 3.5 - 3 cylinders this whole time, who knows for how long.

Went to the dealer and they ordered a new wire for me, covered under warranty.

Thanks to everyone for the help, turns out that it was definitely a missing cylinder.

I hope....

P.S.
The new plugs are definitely properly gapped, being a Mechanical Engineer I try not to miss any details like that.

Michael · 04-18-2001, 11:32 AM

good to hear that your problem was solved...
your car should be running fine in now time...have some fun...try to make up for the fun that you missed...

michael

gavin · 04-18-2001, 11:41 AM

This isn't exactly on-topic, but why are you running 91-92 octane? You should use the 87 that the mfg dictates. You'll actually get worse performance from a higher octane, on these engines.

IowaRS · 04-18-2001, 06:55 PM

I don't think we have a dictatorship here.
The owner's manual states 87 octane MINIMUM.

Here in Iowa the three available levels of gas are 87, 89 (with ethanol), and 91 or 92 at some stations.

I refuse to run ethanol, and really don't want to be at the minimum requirement, so I'm pretty much left with the 91 or 92 octane.

I probably should give the 87 a try and see if I get any pinging.

However, I consider the 10:1 compression ratio fairly high as engines go.
The higher octane has less propensity to preignite.

gavin · 04-18-2001, 07:25 PM

We're running around the same elevation. I've never had a single instance of ping running 87, even under load. The mfg's recommendation is going to be well above the true minimum octane rating, or they would be replacing a lot of engines

.

Liquid Calm · 04-19-2001, 01:54 PM

I had the same problem on a 99 RS and odly enugh I founf out the same way you did....thoughs shocks hurt! Well I just bought some Magnacore wires and replaced the stockers and had no other problems after that.
Sorry for the bad spelling.

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04-18-2001, 07:37 AM	#1
IowaRS Scooby Newbie Member#: 5385 Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Rapid City, SD Vehicle: 2012 WRX Base Ice Silver	First hesitation, now backfire/ping! HELP! Ok, ever since I've owned my MY00 RS it has had the "hesitation" between 4k and 4.5k rpm. Usually after shifting to 2nd gear and about 1/3 throttle the power drops off then comes back. Drove another 2000 RS, same thing. Now I have 20,000 miles on the car, still hesitates. About a week ago I started getting what must be either backfires or pings anywhere above 4k rpm. Mostly near full throttle, occurs in any gear. On the interstate yesterday it was really bad, the car stuttered and was pinging and banging like crazy until I let off the throttle. The car is totally stock intake to exhaust, amsoil air filter. I can't decide if it is pinging or backfire though?? Seems too quiet to be a backfire, and it occurs multiple times within seconds. It acts like preignition. I've run high octane(91-92) from day 1. Has anyone else experienced this?? I took it into the dealer and they basically said if I can't repeat it they can't do anything. My biggest worry is that this will happen on the track or autocross course at a bad time and cause me to wreck!!! HELP!!! * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

04-18-2001, 07:50 AM	#2
ColinL Scooby Guru Member#: 114 Join Date: Jul 1999 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Wichita, KS and Whoring, OT Vehicle: '03 Evo, Rice White '01 Erion CBR 929	Check your plugs and consider replacing them if they are stock. Consider replacing the fuel filter-- it's inexpensive and due for a change at 30k miles, but if you have "dirty" gas it could be time now. Search this board for the infamous MY00 2.5RS hesistation. I don't have a MY00 so I haven't followed closely enough to see if there was a decisive cause and remedy, but I know that many have had it.

04-18-2001, 09:06 AM	#3
IowaRS Scooby Newbie Member#: 5385 Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Rapid City, SD Vehicle: 2012 WRX Base Ice Silver	Oh yeah, forgot to mention as soon as it started happening I replaced the plugs with NGK's. It seemed to help at first, but the problem resurfaced shortly after that. The fuel filter did cross my mind, can't hurt to do that too. Trust me I've searched on hesitation. Lots of good stories to back up the fact that I am not alone with the hesitation. The ping/backfire/???? was my biggest concern Thanks Colin

04-18-2001, 10:13 AM	#4
Aspen_2.5RS Scooby Guru Member#: 3310 Join Date: Dec 2000 Chapter/Region: South East Location: SC	There is a recall on MY 00' 02 sensors. Go to your dealer and have it replaced. Mine does the same thing, but I have a 01. And I haven't heard about any recall for the 01........I might try a new 02 as well.

04-18-2001, 10:23 AM	#5
ColinL Scooby Guru Member#: 114 Join Date: Jul 1999 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Wichita, KS and Whoring, OT Vehicle: '03 Evo, Rice White '01 Erion CBR 929	In that case, check that you have the correct heat range plugs and they are gapped according to the specs in your owner's manual.

04-18-2001, 10:35 AM	#6
Michael Scooby Specialist Member#: 989 Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: New York Vehicle: 99 RS Graphite Gray Pearl	sounds like a case of misfire in the cylinders, do whats was suggested by everyone else...check your plugs and the gap michael

04-18-2001, 11:25 AM	#7
IowaRS Scooby Newbie Member#: 5385 Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Rapid City, SD Vehicle: 2012 WRX Base Ice Silver	NEWS FLASH!!! I figured out what was causing my missing/pinging/backfire. At noon today I bought a new fuel filter I pop the hood to go to replace it, but left the engine running to see if I could hear any funny noises. I revved the engine up a couple times be hand and decided to take the intake tubing off the air filter assembly so I could hear intake noise a little better. Much to my surprise I got a nice 3 or 4 shocks from the spark plug coil, yikes!!!! zap, zap, zap,zap,....... So, like the glutton for punishement I am, I touch the wires again. ZAP, OUCH. Happens to be that I was touching the #3 cylinder wire. I touched the #1, 2, and 4. NOTHING. hmmmmmm, so I turn the car off, pull the spark plug wires off at the distributor only to discover that the #3 wire connections are totally black and corroded!! The rest of them are nice and gold. I look into the wire and the connector end is totally bent, hardly able to make contact. So, I have been running on 3.5 - 3 cylinders this whole time, who knows for how long. Went to the dealer and they ordered a new wire for me, covered under warranty. Thanks to everyone for the help, turns out that it was definitely a missing cylinder. I hope.... P.S. The new plugs are definitely properly gapped, being a Mechanical Engineer I try not to miss any details like that.

04-18-2001, 11:32 AM	#8
Michael Scooby Specialist Member#: 989 Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: New York Vehicle: 99 RS Graphite Gray Pearl	good to hear that your problem was solved... your car should be running fine in now time...have some fun...try to make up for the fun that you missed... michael

04-18-2001, 11:41 AM	#9
gavin Scooby Specialist Member#: 3198 Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Portland, OR USA Vehicle: 2005 GT LTD Wagon Garnet Red	This isn't exactly on-topic, but why are you running 91-92 octane? You should use the 87 that the mfg dictates. You'll actually get worse performance from a higher octane, on these engines.

04-18-2001, 06:55 PM	#10
IowaRS Scooby Newbie Member#: 5385 Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Rapid City, SD Vehicle: 2012 WRX Base Ice Silver	I don't think we have a dictatorship here. The owner's manual states 87 octane MINIMUM. Here in Iowa the three available levels of gas are 87, 89 (with ethanol), and 91 or 92 at some stations. I refuse to run ethanol, and really don't want to be at the minimum requirement, so I'm pretty much left with the 91 or 92 octane. I probably should give the 87 a try and see if I get any pinging. However, I consider the 10:1 compression ratio fairly high as engines go. The higher octane has less propensity to preignite.

04-18-2001, 07:25 PM	#11
gavin Scooby Specialist Member#: 3198 Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Portland, OR USA Vehicle: 2005 GT LTD Wagon Garnet Red	We're running around the same elevation. I've never had a single instance of ping running 87, even under load. The mfg's recommendation is going to be well above the true minimum octane rating, or they would be replacing a lot of engines .

04-19-2001, 01:54 PM	#12
Liquid Calm Scooby Newbie Member#: 2744 Join Date: Oct 2000 Chapter/Region: South East Location: Orlando, Fl Vehicle: 2005 STi WRB/Gold	I had the same problem on a 99 RS and odly enugh I founf out the same way you did....thoughs shocks hurt! Well I just bought some Magnacore wires and replaced the stockers and had no other problems after that. Sorry for the bad spelling.