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Brenda brown, broken down.


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So, here we are again. Yet another plea for help for yet another old Subaru.

 

The victim:

1986 Subaru GL wagon EA82 with it's stock Hitachi carburetor with a homer air filter. (Home made). Purchased it as a craigslist deluxe with 142K miles. I drove it 200 miles home and another fifty around Fairbanks that next day.

As I was buying, PO told me that he has been having trouble with the "carb heater", and that it needs some help to become a daily driver again. He tossed in a spare rim and a blue tub of old carb parts.

 

Brenda is dead now. when her heart stopped, it was while traveling at about 55mph. I downshifted in preparation for a turn and as I let the clutch out I heard a faint *pop!* and Brenda went zero on me. i had gravity on my side still, and tried to start her again, no Bueno. In gear? She wouldn't even try.

 

So. I've gotten her home, and started assuming culprits:

I've checked timing belts (worn out, but intact)

Hard timing marks (still ok)

Distributor cap & wiring (hardly scuffed, looks new)

Spark plugs didn't look unusual

I played with vacuum stuff, several parts are missing or plugged off (custom Air filter) but no obvious leaks or breaks were found.

I went onto fuel- everything is working and clean from tank to carb, there's good flow.

I removed the carb and disassembled it. Nothing noteworthy. All the orifices and jets are clear, float/needle is ok. The automatic choke electrics test ok, accelerator pump.....pumps, gaskets all look great.

I went into the instrument panel. I checked for burnt bulbs, I checked every fuse and fusible link with my multimeter. Tachometer safety thing works too.

I did notice the CEL bulb exists and is not burnt out, but does not illuminate when key is switched ON. Tried finding OBD 1 connections without success.

 

The best method I've found is to listen to that starter crank. Hold pedal to floor and release after about third crank and the car sputters to life after the fourth or fifth. If I let everything go, Brenda will lug at around 100rpm for about two-three minutes before dying. I can repeat the procedure forever. But if I try to throttle any, Brenda dies. If I deviate from this awkward starting ritual, Brenda dies.

 

What do I do next?! Try to put the stock filter assembly/vacuum together?! Compression test?.........shoot it?

 

I'm more than willing and able to post pictures, provide info, and answer questions as needed!

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Did you get the timing belt covers all the way off and look at the idlers? I just ask cuz one time I had an issue where an idler fell apart. Since the covers are such a pain in the butt to get off, I took off a few and flexed the plastic back and saw belt was not broken and moved on looking at other things. However I mislead myself by not getting the cover all the way off to see the roasted idler, which effectively made the belt looser and was the source of my problems, which sound similar but not necessarily identical to yours. 

May be something else, but just thought I'd ask about that since I was once deceived myself. 

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I would look at thee distributor rotor again...screw could have backed out.. mine did.. sounded like a tottal misfiring episode when mine did.. I changed.the belts etc just find the screw laying on its side under the rotor.. I looked but failed to do the touchy Feely ;) good luck on this amazing day of life

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That makes a lot of good sense, I'm glad I'm not crazy and there are no codes to look for in the first place. I'll have a thorough look at the distributor after work! also, Is there an easy way to post photos via iPhone? Or do I have to link them to a site?

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If it will start and lug around 100 rpm as you say, then die, it could be a carb issue. If you didn't soak the carb or blow compressed air through all the passages, there could easily be something lodged in there. Quick check, use starting fluid. If it fires, runs, then dies, it's fuel related. If you get the same results, then I agree with the ignitor or the coil.

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Have a good look a the timing belt.  They can lose teeth, so they look OK, and the engine might run a bit until those teeth come around again, then it stops.  Timting will be out, so use that as well for a check.

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Alright. I've made my rounds again and have fallen back to Brenda. The carb was installed and I got it running, albeit the idle was nearly max. I took a look at the ignition via another thread on this site. I've set timing to the hood specification, and am now trying to get the vacuum/fuel sorted out. It's gutless

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Well, I got this one running for temporary use, but it's completely gutless. The CAT is probably not plugged, as it's running so rich that I burned the O2 away with a cherry red pipe. It only goes to work and back until the reliable one is repaired, but it can't pull its own weight. It will backfire under heavy acceleration of moderate load. I removed a rear CV axle and it keeps up in 4WD Low. There is no set screw for the distributor rotor, I dabbed a couple drops of super glue in there....

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  • 2 months later...

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