Sign In Join 



Subaru Crew Problems & Solutions

18380 messages,  Last post on Dec 02, 2009 at 12:03 PM

You are in the Subaru Crew Forum. Your Host is kcram

What is this discussion about? Subaru Impreza, Subaru Outback, Subaru Forester, Subaru Legacy, Coupe, Sedan, Wagon, SUV




Your Community Leaders are ateixeira and rsholland.


Messages Page 1821 of 1839
1
...
1818
1819
1820
1821
1822
1823
1824
...
1839
Prev
Next
Last
Go To Msg #
Search This Discussion

#18193 of 18380
Cover/Sheild Underneath the car by phil2000
Jul 01, 2009 (7:29 pm)
Reply

Replying to: girlcarbuilder (Jul 01, 2009 11:07 am)

Does anyone know what purpose the plastic skirt/shield/shoud/cover that is underneath the front of the engine compartment? You have to remove it to change the oil. Can I get rid of it?
 
Some years ago, one of the oil change shops cut a hole in it. And since then it has been falling apart.
#18194 of 18380
Re: Cover/Sheild Underneath the car [phil2000] by kurtamaxxxguy
Jul 01, 2009 (10:10 pm)
Reply

Replying to: phil2000 (Jul 01, 2009 7:29 pm)

It's probably to improve the aerodynamics and provide basic engine protection from road debris.
 
The optional front and back guards do a similar thing, but are made out of either steel or aluminum depending on who the supplier is.
#18195 of 18380
Re: ECU question [sangerboy] by girlcarbuilder
Jul 02, 2009 (4:53 am)
Reply

Replying to: sangerboy (Jul 01, 2009 11:56 am)

Very good. Your mileage tells me none of our fleet units have reached that....yet. Top one is 240K, The 03 is currently racking 5K a month, at 215K, won't be long. So there goes the historical help in that old brain. I always say, after 200K, anything goes and this is where the pros get separated from the real pros!
 
Briefly back to timing, I am assuming all of the idlers and water pump have been changed at least once. If not, and still good, they need to be. That timing belt has a 105K service interval. Might want to save some money later! 1st change, belt and seals. 2nd one everything in front goes.
 
Second thought. I have seen the coils, aka ignitors have cracks on the intake manifold side on them in junk yard units as low as 100K. I recall taking electrical resistance readings to be iffy in determining go, no go. I recall being able to read secondary, but primary readings for some reason read infinite on an operating unit. They are driven by the ECU.
 
Your thinking on ECU seems sound from what I can see. Do you have a professional grade wiring diagram? Too many times in a Chilton's/Haynes have very limited or poor diagrams. Mitchell maybe at the library or All data on the web? The dirty dealer just might have a book up for sale still. If they do, and you plan to keep this car, get it! We have one on the 300K mazda 323. Has been handy a few times already. It has been worth the $50 for a few pages already!
 
There must be something ahead supplying power to the ECU. Many leads to sort out. I would resolve this question first before I spent any money on the ECU. Which makes a good wiring diagram a must. I have seen fuse holders get weak and intermitant in high mileage units. Connectors fail in fuse boxes. Anywhere there is a mechanical connection there is potential for failure after a lot of miles.
 
Good information seems to be your biggest service problem at this point.
 
After you re-establish power to ECU and have no spark still, you have 2 options, change the coil out with a known good unit, or try to take a signal from the ECU with a good fast oscilloscope.
 
keep me posted, you, I and 1 other out on Edmunds here are running these higher miles!
 
 If all else fails, there is a guy in Zachary, LA that repairs ECU's for a living. Know of him, but have not had to use him yet and hope to keep it that way!
#18196 of 18380
Re: '93 Subaru Legacy steering vibration [girlcarbuilder] by hypster908
Jul 02, 2009 (5:56 am)
Reply

Replying to: girlcarbuilder (Jun 30, 2009 10:00 am)

Mileage clocks in at 244,705
 
Power steering fluid levels are okay.
 
Thanks for your help.
#18197 of 18380
Re: ECU question [girlcarbuilder] by sangerboy
Jul 02, 2009 (7:12 am)
Reply

Replying to: girlcarbuilder (Jul 02, 2009 4:53 am)

Got it fixed, it ended up being the SBF-2 in the main fuse/relay box. That controls power from the battery to the ECU, main relay and fuel pump relay. It looked OK but on a more thorough eval proved to be faulty so it was not letting any power get through to the computer. All is good, shooting for 300K miles next. (You're exactly right, the Hayne's and Clymer manuals' electric diagrams were not very detailed, took a lot of old fashioned sleuthing to get it figured out)
#18198 of 18380
Re: ECU question [sangerboy] by saedave
Jul 02, 2009 (1:10 pm)
Reply

Replying to: sangerboy (Jul 02, 2009 7:12 am)

All is good, shooting for 300K miles next.
 
But something probably blew the fuse. I would certainly carry a spare. Does the fuel pump have a separate concatenated fuse in addition to the one that blew?
 
Are there any signs of frayed insulation on wires that are near metal?
 
While a fuse can fail on its own, it is quite unusual.
#18199 of 18380
Misfire [girlcarbuilder] by phil2000
Jul 03, 2009 (8:48 pm)
Reply

Replying to: girlcarbuilder (Jun 29, 2009 4:06 pm)

Behind the cranksprocket is something that looks like a bicycle gear plate. What is it? Mine was showing some wear on it. The points were shinny.
#18200 of 18380
Re: Misfire [phil2000] by girlcarbuilder
Jul 04, 2009 (4:52 am)
Reply

Replying to: phil2000 (Jul 03, 2009 8:48 pm)

Coffee has not set in yet.....but I recall yours being new enough to be an OBD unit. You are looking at the beginnings of the signal generation for everything from ignition spark, fuel injection, air mixture control and so on. Look right above that and you will see the crankshaft sensor that picks up the magnetism from those points to make that signal.
 
There is also another sensor on one or both of the camshafts. Be careful around them. They not cheap, $50 and up to priceless depending on year make and model. Priceless meaning if one can be found!
#18201 of 18380
Re: ECU question [sangerboy] by girlcarbuilder
Jul 04, 2009 (5:08 am)
Reply

Replying to: sangerboy (Jul 02, 2009 7:12 am)

My compliments on your electrical tracing abilities. Getting into that fuse block requires a lot of care. Must be nice to keep that $700 in your pocket as well! I assume the SBF-2 to be some kind of terminal strip everything attaches to.
 
 Reminds me of an old tv I worked on years ago. Hard headed back then. Learned a lot as well. Screen kept going red every so often. Had the problem down to one circuit, but could not isolate the component. Must have spent 120 hours looking for it. Finally ripped the entire circuit putting in new parts one by one. Pulled one power resistor. On the back side, there it was, a small crack in the housing causing that thing to open up when it got hot enough. These "now you see it, now you don't's" will drive any good tech nuts. But a lot of good ole sleuthing over time and a few cold ones will always crack the case. Then again, I learned to finally trash a few sets back then! It just comes to a point of no return. Guess I turned to cars at that point where you can rip out the entire assembly and let someone else deal with it! Thank you A1 Cardone!
 
Next tip for any one else following this post, mark your info that there is a failure possibility in that fuse panel. Will make your life easier when you see this come up!
 
Getting ready to drop a lot of $$$$ on a new Toyota. Guess it is time to pay up after the last one, still here at almost 24 years. Something about parts availabilty!
 
Happy 4th!
#18202 of 18380
Good bang for the buck by mikesdelsol
Jul 04, 2009 (11:29 am)
Reply
Just got a 2006 Impreza 2.5i. Manual tranny. Just lookin for some non bank breaking upgrades, any Ideas?

Messages Page 1821 of 1839
1
...
1818
1819
1820
1821
1822
1823
1824
...
1839
Prev
Next
Last
Go To Msg #
Search This Discussion
To POST a message, please Sign In.

New? Join Now!

Forum Tools

Please sign in.
Email Address:

Password:

Forgot Password?

Search Forums

Enter Keyword(s)

Advanced Search

Browse by Vehicle



View All Vehicles
Advertisement
Ask the Community
See What People Are Asking

Browse by Board

Browse by Topic


View All Topics

Today's Chats

Advertisement