ACEparts_com

Nice cold day today, car has been pulling like a train. A couple of times, under hard acceleration in third gear I had a 'pop' kind of misfire followed by a funny smell! I could feel a little stutter.

This happened a few other times in various gear through out the day under hard accel.

My mechanic friend suggested it may have been a touch rich and the smell was fuel in the cat?

I thought it sounded like an intake 'pop'.

Either way she's going like a missile. Perhaps I need to wind the wastegates in a bit to ease the 'on boost' transition!

ACEparts_com

Perhaps allow DV valve noise? Not one I've heard before.

ACEparts_com

I've just read this on a subaru forum - kind of ties up with what my friend (mechanic of 25 years) suggested!

Ignition and rich-running misfires tend to stink, like sulfur or rotten eggs, because of unburned fuel dumping into the exhaust.

Lean-running misfires are not so distinctive in smell.

Too much cold air creating too much overboost I guess then :O)

Basal Skull

have you had the battery off recently? particularly cool weather? You have the rs tuning motronic if I recall. It might be the ecu detecting detonation/ignition cut out under load if your ecu is relearning its limits? I've been instructed to take things easy for a bit after the battery has been disconnected.