thin air and cars

[pmipdica]

yo i just moved to colorado from oklahoma, big altitude difference. when i got up here my car wasnt responding to my foot hitting the floor like it use to. so im guessing i need to change it to soot colorado's air, right? like an emisions place? well can any body recomend a place to take my car and get that checked out (2000 subaru impreza 2.5 RS). like a subaru tuning place. any good import garages or car clubs around denver?
juan

[TedR719]

You came to the right board! I would like to be the first to welcome you here.

It's the thinner air that is affecting you performace, and don't we all love the fact of that....hehe

As far as tuning places for Subys in Denver I have no clue.

[john]

The car will take care of tuning itself, unless you are using some type of speed density setup which has eliminated the MAF.

The answer to thin air? More boost. Seriously. If your scoob is turbocharged, it's time to boost it up.

There is a subaru performance shop in Colo Springs - Scooby Sports. That's the only subaru shop that I'm aware of.

Cheers.

[Dallas J]

Yeah, Bradin at Suby Sports can teach you alot about your car...Right now hes working on a SC kit for the 2.5rs. His number is 630-SUBY.

[newt2]

The biggest maker of Subaru parts in the USA is right here in Denver, JC Sports.

I know there's conflicting opinions of them over on I-club, but they do make more parts than anyone else and have a lot of experience with Subarus.

[Brian]

To speed along the process of your ecu adapting to the air up here you might want to reset it. In most cars you can do that by disconnecting the battery for a few minutes. Then drive around and the car will relearn everything.

[bikenski]

Normally aspirated engines lose roughly 3% of their power for every 1,000 feet of elevation. Assuming your car is stock the 165hp it has at sea level becomes around 140hp in Denver, and a lot less than that up in the mountains. Unfortunately it's a scientific fact and there's not much you can do about it short of slapping on a turbo or supercharger to force in more dense air. Perfect excuse to boost up and create a WRX killer!

[crxrocks]

I don't think that JC Sports is in business any more. The owner of JC Sports (Joe Cox, I believe) had some pretty bad business practices. The word on the street is that the technical leads of JC Sports have opened or will be opening a new shop in the Denver Metro area, but I am sure that they will want to keep the name JC Sports far from their new business.

Chris

[Steve_C]

yeah, i think JC Sports is no longer in business. Heard a few months back they were selling everything. Brand new garrett turbo for like 500 bucks or somethin like that. but hey, i could be wrong.

[pmipdica]

thank you every one for your imput... -¤jaun

[john]

Actually, this is 100% unnecessary, as the car has learned all about altitude changes on the drive from OK to CO. The only reason I'd ever reset the ECU is if I were boosting too much, the car knocked and timing was pulled out...


Originally posted by 99SIVTEC
To speed along the process of your ecu adapting to the air up here you might want to reset it. In most cars you can do that by disconnecting the battery for a few minutes. Then drive around and the car will relearn everything.

[civic00si]

i have reset my ecu every time commin back here from sea level.. basically it helps your ecu work out the elevation issues faster.. starting from a base, the high elevation being the base and working off of that. not going from a low el base to adjusting for the elevation.. and braden at Suby Sports will deffinetly take care of you he is a outstanding guy and has excellent shop practices. there are guys that drive from all over the state and out of state to have him work on their cars.......www.subysports.com;wor;

[john]

Actually no, it doesn't. There is no ECU reset necessary to "learn" about altitude. The car does that as soon as it starts seeing mass, temp, barometer, etc from the MAF. Period.

You may think you are telling your car to learn about altitude, but what you are really telling it is to lose it's memory, which includes all the fuel & timing maps it's been working on.

Just say no. Unless you run crappy gas and try to make big boost on it.

IMNSHO.


Originally posted by civic00si
i have reset my ecu every time commin back here from sea level.. basically it helps your ecu work out the elevation issues faster.. starting from a base, the high elevation being the base and working off of that. not going from a low el base to adjusting for the elevation.. and braden at Suby Sports will deffinetly take care of you he is a outstanding guy and has excellent shop practices. there are guys that drive from all over the state and out of state to have him work on their cars.......www.subysports.com;wor;

[civic00si]

well john ur bout the only person i have exhanged posts with that feels that way. and i just came back from 0 elevation and it took 5 days for my ecu to work out the elevation thing and my car to run right again... the car was running sluggish up til today. basically thru about 8 gallons of gas. the trip back was different elevations the whole way not a constant... and i am running a map.. not maf.. not a big difference but i know of some guys running cai on suby's up here having check engines bcause of the maf cant read correctly because of the elevation with the intake installed so they have to constantly have the ecu reset. so go figure.. if its up to me i will reset every time commin up here....but thats my 2c.....and why u soon to be x-supra man??? u got a god ride!!!!

[pmipdica]

thanks. i did unhook it and when i rehooked it i could intantly tell the difference hasnt had a problem sense... juan

[jojo]

Originally posted by civic00si
well john ur bout the only person i have exhanged posts with that feels that way. and i just came back from 0 elevation and it took 5 days for my ecu to work out the elevation thing and my car to run right again... the car was running sluggish up til today. basically thru about 8 gallons of gas. the trip back was different elevations the whole way not a constant... and i am running a map.. not maf.. not a big difference but i know of some guys running cai on suby's up here having check engines bcause of the maf cant read correctly because of the elevation with the intake installed so they have to constantly have the ecu reset. so go figure.. if its up to me i will reset every time commin up here....but thats my 2c.....and why u soon to be x-supra man??? u got a god ride!!!!

FWIW I agree with John.