bork Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Starts fine, idles fine, but under load going up steep hill in 1st, dogs or bogs until 2500 rpm, then feels like the dead cylinder kicks in. Also noticed from complete stop, sluggish till 2500 then instant on. Confirmed CEL light does work at start up mode. Soo if problem is plug or plug wire, would CEL definitely come on ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Possibly bad knock sensor or vacuum leak. The ECU doesn't always pick up misfires right away, especially on MT cars where the crankshaft is connected directly to the drivetrain through the clutch. When did it last get spark plugs and wires? Have you removed spark plugs to check their condition and gap? Also, what year and engine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureSubaru Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 I fried a set of plug wires with some romping in puddles and got plenty of misfiring and no CEL. I'd start there. Off brand plug wires in particular can wear out quickly on these engines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 could it be the TPS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bork Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 Sorry 1999 impreza L 2.2. I'll check replace plugs today, & then if problem still exist, replace plug wires. (I located ngk wires). I wouldn't think vacuum, idles smooth. I bought car about 8 months ago with 146k on odo. Did timing belt kit, replaced all fluids & filters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivans imports Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 valve cover leaking oil on wires ? or timing belt idler giveing up or valve addjustment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bork Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 Just changed plugs, all electrodes looked ok but enlarged gap. (approx.050-.055) 2 & 4 were autolite , 3&4 were ngk. # 2 well had a bunch of oil. cleaned out as best as I could. put all 4 new ngk's. Test drive & still same. Wires are blue 7mm Belden(napa?) . I suppose I'll change them next to ngk wires. Is this best, next, choice for elimination? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikaleda Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 (edited) Beldins are napa lifetime wires I use them in all my subies they usually work well. I would do a visual inspection of the knock sensor and see if it is cracked and check the ohms reading on it to sometimes they corrode on the bottom and cause it to malfunction Edited January 19, 2013 by mikaleda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Good way to get zapped. Easier to unplug fuel injectors. By covered in oil do you mean the electrode was oil fouled or was there oil in the plug well (where the wire goes)? Oil in the plug well means it needs valve cover gaskets. This would also damage the plug wire which could cause it to arc to the head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikaleda Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 I totally missed the part about #2 well having oil that is probably culprit, as fairtax4me said oil could have compromised #2 wire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Beldin wires really arent that great, i used to test them against OE, they failed quickly. If that was the issue they would fail a water mist test. Check your knock sensor, it sounds like it can cause this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 install good wires. if that does not help i would visually check the knock sensor. hell for the price on ebay, $15 shipped, i would just replace it. but i would also check the timing, it could be a tooth off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikaleda Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Beldin wires really arent that great, i used to test them against OE, they failed quickly. If that was the issue they would fail a water mist test. Check your knock sensor, it sounds like it can cause this. The nice thing about beldin is if they do fail napa has to replace them for free Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivans imports Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 have had alot of that era of subarus with bad front o2 makes it surge and weak on hills and very surgy and hesatant but no check engine light or codes have had 6 with thiss problem recently changed the 02 and problem was gone. It seems worse if has a wide band 02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bork Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 Ok put ngk wires on & still have problem. I did change the knock sensor when I 1st got car about 8 months ago. & made sure not to put it on hump & torque down & stress it. (in other words put it in correctly) & CEL went away.(back then) About a month ago there was an o2 code that was tripping but hasn't come back for a few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 And you're positive you have no vacuum leaks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89Ru Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 About a month ago there was an o2 code that was tripping but hasn't come back for a few weeks. have had alot of that era of subarus with bad front o2 makes it surge and weak on hills i'm no rocket scientist but I can connect two dots together sometimes...change out o2 sensor see if it helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bork Posted January 21, 2013 Author Share Posted January 21, 2013 Either knock sensor again or o2. should I check ohms on knock sensor? Whats the range? 1999 2.2. If I change o2 , OE or aftermarket? If after which one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Knock sensor should be roughly 580k ohm. It's probably fine if it has already been replaced. If there is any corrosion on the housing that can alter the voltage signal. O2 sensors either Denso or Bosch is OE. I've seen both on the soobs ive worked on and either seems to work fine. If you get the Bosch universal fit make sure you know which wires to connect. Denso exact fit sensors are usually pretty cheap through Rockauto.com. (Around $50) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bork Posted January 21, 2013 Author Share Posted January 21, 2013 rrrrrrrrrrrrrr I checked knock sensor(single wire) & get no reading. Am I doing it wrong? I have single wire, one probe to wire & other to ground? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 It grounds to the engine block through the base. Put one lead on the block somewhere easy to get to. You may have to scratch some dirt out of the way to get a good connection. If that doesn't work unbolt it and check resistance to the base of the sensor. There could be some corrosion on the block under the sensor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bork Posted January 21, 2013 Author Share Posted January 21, 2013 I remember polishing block before knock sen install. Well took off & all still looked polished. I checked resistance from wire to metal base on sensor, still NO reading. unplugged little short pigtail from unit & checked male fingers. Still NO reading. Hope the thing is still under warrentee. I'll let you know when I get new one in. (& will check readings before install.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Is your ohmmeter auto-ranging or manual set? Do you get a 0 ohm reading by touching the leads together? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bork Posted January 21, 2013 Author Share Posted January 21, 2013 (edited) Manual set multimeter and yes get reading when leads together. Found my sensor receipt, lifetime replacement!!! Went to Advance auto , & checked new sensor at counter. Same thing, No reading. Counter dude got his meter out & same thing. He gave me new one anyhow. I tripped the check engine light when I started car with sensor unplugged. So I took off neg bat lug while installing new sensor. hooked all back up & CEL still on. let engine get up to normal temp & took for test drive. Pep is back !!! Now to scan for code. But still puzzled on testing knock sensor? On edit; code was 0325, so I cleared it with my scanner & so far it stayed off, time will tell. wander why battery disconnect did not clear it? Edited January 21, 2013 by bork Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Dis you set the meter to the Mega-ohm scale? Did you try anywhere else besides the base like the metal part on top? Sensor should test somewhere around 580K (580,000) ohms. If the sensor were open internally the ECU would have set a code just like if it was unplugged. Perhaps there was a cold solder joint where the signal wire joined the sensor element causing very high resistance but not enough to trigger a CEL. Maybe the sensor design is different and the base is electrically isolated from the element. Hard to say. Either way, a new sensor should pass the ohm test just fine. Very strange that it doesn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.