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Old 04-12-2010, 12:36 AM   #1
subaru_steve
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Default Exhaust leak or something else

So a few weeks back a buddy of mine noticed a small exhaust leak in my car. At first we heard a distinct change in engine sound, and every now and then I smell raw un-cleaned exhaust. I don't see a point in worrying since I am doing a full exhaust/up pipe install in a month or so and will fix it then.

However today and once last week my car did this strange rev pattern. I was in 5th, dropped into 4th and stayed in that gear for a few seconds doin roughly 50mph, as I began to accelerate the tach went from 3500 to 4000 rather quick, then dropped back to 3500 (while still on the accelerator), then proceeded to accelerate at a normal rate (as the turbo began to spool). Hard to explain but perhaps you get the picture. Later on I was doing 30 going into an on ramp, decided to see if it would do it again and if I could spot the problem, ran a smooth acceleration from 30 to 75 without any problems (both speed and tach needles moved in sync so that should rule out clutch issues, I hope)

As for mods my car has a K&N ram air intake, and no tune (you can check, a tune is NOT required for the K&N intake).

Any idea's?
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Old 04-12-2010, 09:00 AM   #2
Goodfellow
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The sound, it comes from up front right? like where the motor is located correct? I have this exact same air leak and funny enough I have this exact same RPM problem. I assumed after some research that it is my clutch slipping, but now I'm thinking it could be due to the exhaust leak. Yes every once in a while ill get that exhaust smell in the cab as well.

It seems like it only does it in high gears and does it alot less in lower gears correct? and sometimes it just goes away completely? Or maybe we both just have the exact same problem. Our clutch and exhaust went bad I dont know.

P.S. I have a 02 WRX with 117k.
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Old 04-12-2010, 02:27 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Goodfellow View Post
The sound, it comes from up front right? like where the motor is located correct? I have this exact same air leak and funny enough I have this exact same RPM problem. I assumed after some research that it is my clutch slipping, but now I'm thinking it could be due to the exhaust leak. Yes every once in a while ill get that exhaust smell in the cab as well.

It seems like it only does it in high gears and does it alot less in lower gears correct? and sometimes it just goes away completely? Or maybe we both just have the exact same problem. Our clutch and exhaust went bad I dont know.

P.S. I have a 02 WRX with 117k.
Yes the sound comes from the front, its a very subtle but noticeable change in engine noise. It happens at higher rpm's in higher gears. Like I said I dropped into 4th gear and was in the gear for a few seconds, should rule out clutch slip as I was not engaging when this happened.

I have a 2004 WRX with 88,000 miles.
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Old 04-12-2010, 03:09 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by subaru_steve View Post
Yes the sound comes from the front, its a very subtle but noticeable change in engine noise. It happens at higher rpm's in higher gears. Like I said I dropped into 4th gear and was in the gear for a few seconds, should rule out clutch slip as I was not engaging when this happened.

I have a 2004 WRX with 88,000 miles.
Have you guys been under the car to check each connection point/gaskets. A very easy sign is to look all around each flange for black suit that made it onto the flange, that will be your leak, otherwise if you think the pipe is cracked that should be pretty obvious. Simply replacing gaskets may be needed especially at that many miles.

Will
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Old 04-12-2010, 03:32 PM   #5
Goodfellow
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hey thanks will!

Just another $0.02, I brought mine to a FORD dealer considering I work at one 5 days outta the week. They could not find anything at sight but it is a FORD dealer.. Any who, I'm wondering if it would actually effect my RPM level to make it seem like a clutch slip? I cant hear the motor usually when its running while driving but if you rev it up in neutral then its a significant difference in sound.
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Old 04-12-2010, 03:35 PM   #6
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sounds like clutch slip to me......you dont have to be engaging your clutch for it to slip
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Old 04-12-2010, 03:39 PM   #7
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I mean exhaust leak makes the difference in sound. Granted we both could have got a exhaust leak and clutch started slipping at the same time sad day.
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Old 04-12-2010, 04:34 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by speedymaker View Post
sounds like clutch slip to me......you dont have to be engaging your clutch for it to slip
I don't see how it could be a clutch slip since I never changed how much pressure I had on the accelerator and yet the rpm's jumped and then went back down to normal levels. I would assume a clutch slip would mean once it started to slip it would continue to slip.

I mean I guess that would make sense, now would that means its time to start thinkin about a new clutch? haha

Last edited by subaru_steve; 04-12-2010 at 04:45 PM.
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Old 04-16-2010, 10:23 AM   #9
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I don't see how it could be a clutch slip since I never changed how much pressure I had on the accelerator and yet the rpm's jumped and then went back down to normal levels. I would assume a clutch slip would mean once it started to slip it would continue to slip.

I mean I guess that would make sense, now would that means its time to start thinkin about a new clutch? haha
any updates?
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Old 04-16-2010, 02:13 PM   #10
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any updates?
Well I ended up running some test to see if my clutch is slipping, I did the bog test.... aka shift normal 1st to 2nd, then jump to 5th, the rpms should drop and the car bog down, went good. Then went to the nearest on ramp and pulled from 10-75mph near WOT, no slip, nothing. Honestly from what it seems is that the was a minor clutch slip for whatever reason, but in fact I am not slipping...yet. I am getting ready for it to start to go and will be ready to change it out. Seems the exhaust leak has no effect on this happening.

How is your situation going?
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Old 04-16-2010, 02:35 PM   #11
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Sounds like an exhaust leak, or perhaps sensor related. No codes thrown yet? Also, you may want to start rev matching...
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Old 04-16-2010, 04:37 PM   #12
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Sounds like an exhaust leak, or perhaps sensor related. No codes thrown yet? Also, you may want to start rev matching...
Buddy of mine suggesting cleaning the MAF sensor, so whenever I get the chance I will take care of that. Nope no codes. I have been tryin my best to rev match but between being left foot dominate (aka clutch control A+, gas control eh) and idiot drivers, I do what I can.
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Old 06-03-2010, 09:44 AM   #13
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Ahhhhh. I have the same problem. It seems like it could be a slipping clutch, but I was told yesterday that an exhaust leak close enough to the front could cause symptoms similar to a slipping clutch. Find the leak and see if it fixes the problem. For me this happened immediately after I installed my turbo-back exhaust (with tune, of course), so it seemed odd that the clutch would start slipping that same day. Either we all three have exhaust leaks and slipping clutches, or the exhaust leak is causing some kind of drop in pressure in the system which makes it feel like a slipping clutch. My car has that slight rev increase the most in fourth and fifth. Fix the leak then figure out if it's the clutch (because clutches just aren't cheap). That's my plan for the weekend.
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Old 06-03-2010, 05:37 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by IllustriousBrown View Post
Ahhhhh. I have the same problem. It seems like it could be a slipping clutch, but I was told yesterday that an exhaust leak close enough to the front could cause symptoms similar to a slipping clutch. Find the leak and see if it fixes the problem. For me this happened immediately after I installed my turbo-back exhaust (with tune, of course), so it seemed odd that the clutch would start slipping that same day. Either we all three have exhaust leaks and slipping clutches, or the exhaust leak is causing some kind of drop in pressure in the system which makes it feel like a slipping clutch. My car has that slight rev increase the most in fourth and fifth. Fix the leak then figure out if it's the clutch (because clutches just aren't cheap). That's my plan for the weekend.
Actually I've come to terms with it is definitely a slipping clutch. The symptoms are that of a slipping clutch. Plus since I just went Stage II, I might as well upgrade my clutch to ensure it doesn't slip anymore.
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Old 07-01-2010, 07:19 AM   #15
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**UPDATE**
Okay so, before I went on my 1000 mile round trip to Myrtle Beach this summer I switched out my K&N Typhoon intake for the stock air box. I figured since I am running the Cobb AccessPORT Stage II tune I should run it as close to the map as possible. Anywho....since the change I haven't felt one inch of slippage . Yes I have played with it, nothing!

Started with slowly pushing it more and more....then today I dropped into 4th gear, went WOT to about 80 mph and never saw my needle flinch. I know with the K&N my turbo-lag was much less and the spool was incredible, but to have such a dramatic change in power deliverance and clutch handling? Idk what to think.
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Old 07-02-2010, 05:28 PM   #16
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Anyone have an idea?
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Old 07-02-2010, 08:19 PM   #17
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Well tune may not be required, but usually its recommended. Either you burned the clutch and it slipped until it wore off the glaze, or it was something to do with not having a tune. thats my guess
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Old 07-02-2010, 08:25 PM   #18
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Well tune may not be required, but usually its recommended. Either you burned the clutch and it slipped until it wore off the glaze, or it was something to do with not having a tune. thats my guess
Well it was slipping when my car was stock beside my BOV and K&N Intake, it slipped a little when I went Stage II via Cobb AP. But now that the stock air box is back on it doesn't slip at all.
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