I have a boosted b16 started it up the other day and it sounds like an sti, lacks power, and stumbles under hard acceleration. Replaced cap, rotor, plugs, wires, and fuel filter. No codes being thrown. Just adjusted my valves. Did a compression test, 178 187 189 182. So compression is still. Good. What could it be?

 

WHat are your AFRs looking like? WHat EMS are you running?

 

I just got it tuned on crome. I have a narrowband afr gauge that says its always in the right area.

 

Narrowbands are useless. And it sounds like you're running on a basemap, not a tune. WHen was the last tuneup? What plugs are you running?

 

Its tuned. Just did the tune up yesterday. Checked cam timing, but im not just on a basemap its all tuned for my set up.

 

OOh and ngk bre7-11 gapped to .030

 

What do you consider a tuneup? Take it back to whomever did the tune. I would have said you're possibly misfiring but you're not even throwing CELs.

Last thing I got is to check the plug wires, cap & rotor.

 

Go to your local auto parts store and buy a bottle of HEET fuel antifreeze. My **** was doing the same exact thing with no CEL's either. After I poured it in the gas tank it made a 100% difference. I also did a fuel system flush at my shop and it cleaned out so much nasty gunk built up in the stock fuel system/lines. Let me know how that works.

-Will

 

I jjust got a brand new plugs, wires, cap and rotor.

 

I consider a tuneup plugs, wires, cap, rotor. I also replaced my fuel filter and had an injector service done. Checked my cam timing. Adjusted valves. Etc.

 

sorry for the late reply. how is it running now? same issue?

 

start with a wideband AFR first. not sure how you got it tuned with a narrow. unless you had them take it out for a wideband just to throw the whole idea away.

 

was it doing it before you replaced the cap wires plugs and fuel filter ? did you wash the engine bay at the same time ?

 

Get a wideband in there ASAP. It's the easiest way to keep an eye on the health of your motor, and arguably the most important gauge you'll have in your cluster. It might also help us figure out what's wrong.

 

Mines n/a, but I once experienced that. LOL. Funny thing was I had one fuel injector clip unplugged and sounded like that. No check engine light, lack of power, but the beautiful sound of a Subaru. Check your plugs. GL. Hope all is well.

 

hey same thing happen to mines but i lost compression in one clyinder.. wat can that be?
compression =0

 

im just throwing this out there but it could be your Catalytic Converter. I had the exact same problem, lack of power, stumbling acceleration, Vtec engages but i dont go anywhere. I replaced all my spark plugs and wires with no solution. So I just replaced mine tonight and im very surprised that the converter was my problem. Also not to long ago someone on here had the exact same problem and said "It sounds like a Subaru" too. Needless to say it was a $hit converter he had. If you have the original converter from the factory this could very well be your problem.

 

If you are using a narrowband, the car isn't tuned. Unless your tuner is good at blindly tuning.

 

I got tuned on a wide band. I'm not an idiot. I know how to Turbo a car. Now anyways. I'm thinking it could be bad dizzy contacts or my main relay cracked and fried an injector. But ill check the things you all just listed. My afr's are all spot on. My buddy has a wide band. Its not hard to through one in real quick and check things. I would never get a car tuned on a narrow band.

 

Moved to forced induction.

 

hey guys i dont know if this will help or not, but gonna add it. wrx's and sti's sound the way they do because of the unequal length header they have from the factory. I had a wrx for almost 5 years, how i know.

 

I had my b16 motor like 6 years ago sound like a Subaru. I broke a piece off a valve. I was running nitrous and spraying at the top of 4th gear at like 9000rpm. That's the only experience I have with a b16 sounding like a subaru. I hope for you sake its something else.

 

Whats the exhaust setup on the car? If you're running a cat and were using a narrowband to tune, you could have plugged it up and will continue to run rich.

 

I didn't tune on a narrow band. How many times do I have to say that? Lol. And yes it has a cat I'm going to get 3 in. Straight pipe put on this week

 

A cyl is not firing.. whether a plug is fouled or something..