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First Post - 2 Easy Questions?


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Hi All,

 

I've been a lurker for quite a while on the board - I've got a 1992 Legacy L AWD Wagon 5-speed. 159,000 mile, only one little spot of rust, uses no oil, runs like a top. Bought it for $1,000 (!) last summer, and have put a little over 4,000 miles on it with only fluid changes, new rear brake rotors and two new CV joints up front.

 

Anyway, here's my questions:

 

1.) Periodically (but not consistently), when coming to stop and putting the clutch in, with the engine fully warmed up, the idle will stay up around 1200 - 1500 RPM. No amount of throttle blipping will affect it. Eventually (sometimes 20 seconds, sometimes 2 minutes), it will return to normal (+/- 700 RPM) idle. Car starts, runs, idles and revs fine all other times except for this periodic anomoly. Was thinking 02 sensor or Idle Control Valve? Thoughts?

 

2.) Front end has some "shimmy" at 60-75 mph. Have had tires balanced and rotated around, but still have it. Everything seems tight enough under there, but one thing I'm worried about. The peices (don't know what they are called) that seem to be connected to the steering rack on the engine side, and attach to the suspension assembly can be "rotated". They don't move back and forth or up and down, but if you grab hold of them and apply a twisting force, they both move quite a ways in both directions. Both sides do this equally. Is this normal, or are these parts ready to fail?

 

Thanks for your help, and great board - I've learned a lot lurking on here.

 

Gavin

1992 Sub Legacy L AWD 5-speed Wagon

1980 BMW 528i

2002 BMW M5

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I do not have a Check Engine light illuminated (and I know it works as it does the self-test on start up)... would there be codes if no Check Engine light?

 

Thanks again for any advice.

 

Gavin

 

1992 Sub Legacy L AWD Wagon 5-Speed

1980 BMW 528i

2002 BMW M5

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Followed the procedure on Legacy777's site. After connecting the two black connectors and turning on ignition, I just get a steady blink from the check engine light. No discernable pattern. Just on-off-on-off-on-off etc. I unhooked the battery for 1 hour, then checked for the code again by reconnecting the 2 black wires and get the exact same thing.

 

Does this steady on-off blink of the CE light indicate no problems? The document I was using to check the codes does not indicate anything about a steady blink with no different patters... I'm assuming right now that a steady blink means everything is OK?

 

Thanks again,

 

Gavin

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steady blinking means no codes.

 

Mine does what you describe occasionally with the idle. I chalk it up to the idle air control valve freakin out. It's not really a big deal...so I just live with it.

 

Your other issue is regarding the tie rods. They are supposed to be able to pivot back and forth. As long as they don't have slop, they should be fine.

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If your front end has some "shimmy" at speed, it could be your disk brake rotors. Does hard braking produce a pulsation or rumble? Have you rotors checked and machined or you can just replace them if they are getting thin.

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Great! Thanks for the help, guys. Something must not be quite right up front given the shimmy... it actually seems to be better under braking - the shimmy goes away when you touch the brakes between 60-75mph. Something must be wearing out up there, but all the bushings I can see and the stuff I can grab onto seems tight. My struts are a little weak, so perhaps related to that?

 

Anyway, thanks for the good advice.

 

Gavin

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Sounds like a problem I just had about 2 weeks ago.Had a little rattle up front on rough dirt roads and thought it might just be my pins on my brake rotors allowing them to rattle a little.(By the way I have a '91 Legacy L Wagon 221,814.)Then I started to get a pretty severe shimmy and I recognized it as my ball joints.Changed them both along with new brake pads and a good greasing of the CV's and now its fine.I also think I'll be needing tie rod ends soon as they seem a little loose for my liking.Jack it up and pull the tire.Place a large srew driver between the lower arm and the spindle and pry up and down.Watch for any movement.If it looks loose replace the ball joints.About $38 apiece here at Advance.Good luck.

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