boost issue

[AFAsucks]

ok so i have an 04 STi and i just moved back up here from texas. down there i had no problem boosting the stock boost levels. i came up here and now im only running .06Mpa (damn stock boost gauge) at wot. now i had a boost controler laying around so i decided to see if it was just the stock boost control solenoid taking a shit. then a ran into another problem. i can get it to run stock boost levels at wot but with the boost conroler at that setting it makes me over boost if im half throttling it. obviously you can build boost with that tiny turbo at less than wot...well if im anything less than wot it creeps way to high and i hit theh boost cut and throw a code. i dont really like doing that and im sure the car doesnt either. my question is...should i expec just to run les boost at this altitude or did something get messed up from the time left texas and arrived here. anysubaru owners with similar problems?

oh and also where is the nicest subaru dealrship so i can take it in for the stock boost conrol solenoid (which i found out actually did go to shit). i ask for the nicest only because there are some anal ones in texas that will void you warranty for some really stupid things.

[STIBungy]

What mods do you have on the STI so far? If you have a bellmouth downpipe already, you're gonna get boost creep. There's 2 ways to fix the boost creep issue: engine management or port the wastegate.

[thebluesky]

WHere is "here"?

[stu]

WHere is "here"?

Colorado.

[thebluesky]

:fu: Colorado.

[DismembermenT]

boost leak?

[AFAsucks]

no there's absolutely nothing done to the car....and its not really a boost creep issue its a boost drop off issue. i have tried looking for boost leaks but havnt found any. with the stock i cant hit peak boost till 4th gear...now ive had a problem like that on other cars but not with this tiny turbo. that shouldnt be a problem.

so nobody up here has that problem? im just making sure its not because of the air up here (colorado). ill check for boost leaks again but wouldnt the car be freaking out if i had any leaks whether they are boost or vacuum. im not throwing any codes at all. im not sure what's covered under the warranty either so im not sure taking it to the dealer would even solve anything. i know someone on here has to own an STi...any similar problems?

[STIBungy]

I think it's normal.

[john]

Which boost controller are you using? I've got an 05 Legacy GT and with a Hallman MBC I was able to set it at 17 and leave it.

Due to the pressure source being on the compressor housing (ick ack ptooie) vs post-intercooler (like a real intake manifold vs this plastic "thing" I have), boost tends to fluctuate a bit, maybe up to 1 psi if it's pretty cold out.

Did you leave the stock boost control solenoid (BCS) in place electronically?

Part of running a MBC is that you will get full boost at part throttle. Nothing wrong with it, you just need to learn to 'drive around it'.

[AFAsucks]

well i thought about that because i had a similar problem when my crx's boost signal came from the compressor...gay..there was about a 3 o 4 psi drop across the IC, but i never had that problem when i lived in Texas. in Texas as soon as i mashed on the throttle it would hit peak boost and hold even if it was first gear. STibungy if you say it normal then do you never hit the full .1 MPa untill 4th gear? thats very disappointing. i thought this car would be more fun up here than in San Antonio. i guess what i could do is use a dual stage boost controler so that i could get it to hit peak boost in the lower gears then when it got to the point to where it was going to creep too high i could switch it down to stock which by 4th gear would still be full boost. we'll see. if its normal i'll just have to deal with it then. thanks guys.

[STIBungy]

It's a thing called altitude. Mine never hit .1 MPa until 4th. At times, I noticed that it doesnt even get up to .1 MPa. It would go up to .09 MPa alot of times. Luckily, I have a GM boost solenoid and a Protune. Mine now peaks at .135MPa sometimes and drops. But this is only from 4th gear on. The lower gears arent able to build that much boost.

[AFAsucks]

ah i see. see thats all i needed right there. i was curious because i never had this problem with my turbo crx's up here. but i had never driven an STi at this altitude. i figured the car would be slower but i didnt realize it would actually struggle to make boost. i think i had the whole concept a little off in my head. i got it now though. thanks. BTW is the stock boost control solenoid covered under the factory warranty?