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Old 08-23-2021, 06:12 PM   #1
Uvscrumdd
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Member#: 526218
Join Date: Aug 2021
Have a Nice Day? DAM drop, I need help because im a noob

Driving a 2018 WRX LTD, this is my first encounter with DAM drop ever. (Also my first Subie ever). I've only had the car for about a year now and never had an issue with it until now. I bought it used from an old guy who babied it and then traded it into a Ford dealership @40k miles. It is now 48ish. Maybe it was the dealership trying to sell it but I believe them when they said he babied it. The outside and in was immaculate, more than I could've asked for. It ran smooth before and after my mods.

Some Troubleshooting details:

Other than a Cobb CAI and a 1+ Cobb OTS tune, this car is stock.
The CAI is installed correctly (with the filter 1in down the pipe). Never had an issue driving and WOTing for 4 months (when I installed it) until now.

The OTS tune is a 93 normal wastegate and I've only run 93 because my area doesn't sell 91.

When I'm out of boost sometimes FBK would occur at the strangest of times. Taking the same route to work, they occur scattered inconsistently across the route. Max FBK experienced was -2.8, most common is -1.4. If I ever need to go into boost, FKL occurs and reaches around -1.3/.30

So about 2 months back, I was going on an incline/ramp trying to accelerate, (with AC on) a perfect recipe for DAM drop. I didn't notice until later that FKL had numbers other than 0 (for the first time) and that my DAM was .875.
I immediately thought it was the gas I had just put in that very day, maybe bad 93 gas, even though its the station I always go to. Maybe it could be the winter-blend phasing in. So, for about a painful month (I usually only drive the car to work, but since lockdown its only 2-3 times per week) I stayed out of boost and slowly brought the gas down fully and replaced with Exxon 93.
After that full tank was emptied, (did some pulls to see if the ECU would notice) I filled it again with Exxon 93 and here we are still with a persistent .875 DAM.

After reading too many posts on NASIOC, Youtube, and Reddit searching for people with similar symptoms here is my (noob) troubleshooting journey:

I completely forgot that the K&N filter needed to be oiled. Maybe dust slowly built up on the MAF and subsequently parts like the throttle-body, intake manifold, and helped accelerate some gunk build-up in the valves. It is now oiled...oops. But not too much to where the MAF would get screwed up.

After some typical maintenance (oil change, wheel rotation), I checked these parts. MAF sensor was spotless as if I had just installed it into the CAI, cleaned it with CRC MAF cleaner anyway. The outside of the Throttle-body was near spotless, but of course the underside of the blade was dirty but not dirty enough where I would think it would have an issue operating. I didn't clean it because apparently the electronic blades can be screwed up pretty easily and I don't trust myself. As for the intake manifold, I put a little seafoam into each of the 4 tracts leading to their respective valves. I didn't put the whole can because to me Seafoam is really a stretch in effectiveness and outcome to my issue (maybe it is, who knows, certainly not me). The MAP sensor was kinda dirty so I cleaned it off with the MAF cleaner.

After the "cleaning" I did notice a change in the FKL numbers as they were now -.35/35 but I definitely could be mistaken as my datapool/datapoints are low.


What I haven't tried yet (according to the web):

I know changing the spark plugs could change the game, so I currently bought a set of the OEM NGK Laser Iridiums waiting to be used. Still have 10000 miles before the recommended change (assuming that the used dealership I bought the car from didn't install brand new ones)

Reflashing the tune. I feel like this isn't really gonna help and the DAM is just going to drop again.

Resetting the ECU. Waiting on the inevitable event that I will need to remove my battery/reset my ECU when changing the spark plugs.

Returning back to the stock Airbox. This would certainly eliminate some variables (and would allow space for me to install the Radium Dual CCs) but I feel like if the CAI was fine for so long maybe it's something else.


I've posted 2 logs (My very first logs. w0w im really a noob). As I work with computers and servers all day, logs are pretty much all I work with. After looking at these logs, I really need some extra eyes to help me understand what I'm looking at and what's happening.



Logs:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k5g...ew?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qAg...ew?usp=sharing


Sidenote: I apologize for any headaches I'll cause. I most definitely have holes in my troubleshooting process and may have neglected details that should otherwise be important. I very much appreciate your time for helping me out. Many thanks to the subie community. You guys are such an awesome crowd.
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Old 08-23-2021, 07:27 PM   #2
benflynn
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Member#: 515308
Join Date: Jun 2020
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Around here summer gas is not as nice as winter blend
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Old 08-23-2021, 08:12 PM   #3
D-Rodman
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Member#: 110078
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Long Island N.Y.
Vehicle:
02 Bugeye JDM STi
OBP BLACK

Default DAM drop, I need help because im a noob

You should move your thread to the FA20 section, you are on the EJ side here. You’ll probably have better results talking to guys that know the FA20 platform.

Last edited by D-Rodman; 08-24-2021 at 08:33 AM.
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Old 08-23-2021, 08:19 PM   #4
K3rm1tth3fr0g
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Member#: 508105
Join Date: Nov 2019
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Greater Seattle Area
Vehicle:
Link G4X flex tuned
02' EJ205 20G 6MT wagon

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Modssss move this
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Old 08-23-2021, 08:51 PM   #5
Uvscrumdd
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Member#: 526218
Join Date: Aug 2021
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ah Yeah I definitely misclicked. Thanks Ill post there
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