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Running Crappy


Scrub2k
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Ok i just got my car (87 GL-10 Turbo) and i have a few questions

 

Problem #1: When i first go to start it when its cold it starts right up and runs awesome but once it warms up it doesent want to start as easy and i have to floor it and hold it just to get it to fire up, and when it does is puts out a nice puff of black smoke? and it seems like its running really rich. any ideas on whats wrong with it? :banghead:

 

Problem #2: the 4WD isent working on it, it has the button for it on the shifter but the rear wheels dont drive it at all with the button on or off, what could this be? the tranny? the Transfercase? the rear end? :mad:

 

any help would be greatly appriciated.

 

-Matt-

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in regards to the 4WD, the transfercase and tranny are all one unit. SO it could either be the tranny or the rear end but more than likely its the tranny. Since its an auto, I'd swap a single range 5-speed into it. Hondasucks has one that he might be willing to sell for pretty reasonable. As for the hard starting, check the routing of the fuel lines, check the fuel pum p and check the filter. It could possibly be a vapor lock somewhere in the fuel system and so it hard for it to start when its hot.

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Check your coolant temperature sensor. If the computer thinks the engine is cold, when in fact it is warm, it will dump extra fuel into the engine (cold engines require more fuel), but since the engine is hot, it will flood the engine, causing the hard starting and black smoke.

 

As for the transmission, does the 4WD light on the dash come on? If not, you might have a bad 4WD solenoid, which is not all that hard to replace. If the 4WD light does come on, and the rear wheels do not drive, then your transfer clutch is slipping, or the transfer clutch is not engaging properly. I would suggest replacing it with a 5 speed if that is the case, you will spend a little less + will get better economy and performance.

 

How are you checking to see if the rear wheels drive or not?

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Matt, first off, welcome to THE vintage Subaru board.

Andrew is correct about the FI coolant sensor.

It is pretty hard to find and is prone to corroding it's connection.

IT IS NOT mounted on the goose neck (upper rad hose fitting on the engine), that sensor is for the dash gauge.

This sensor is to the pass. side and behind the intake manifold.

It sits in a vertical position, here is a bare manifold shot of it's location.

colsn.JPG

Clean the contacts, if you do not know how to get the connector off - practice on the one on the top of the goose neck, it is for the AAV but is the same type connector.

 

As for your four wheel drive issue, very unlikely for the problem to be the tranfer case. The 4wd is brought into play by the switch on the shift lever (the "James Bond" button) controlling a set of vacuum solenoids/control diaphragms. I would get a FSM (Factory Service Manual) print out of the electrical and vacuum circuit and trouble shoot from it.

Hope this helps.

I have several 87 4wd turbo wagons, please email me direct if you want. My email is in my profile.

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Ok ill check on the Collant Sensor today, hopefully that will solve that problem and i will start checking on the 4WD issue, there are no lights on the dash that come on when i hit the button, so maybe i should start with the 4WD solenoid? Anyone have a How-to on replacing it? or chekcing it?

 

Thanks for all the help.

 

-Matt-

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CalebZ, he has an automatic, the 4WD is not vacuum actuated on the automatic. There is an electric solenoid on the rear of teh transmission, mounted to the side, in the rear housing. There is one on either side of the transmission, one is the 4WD solenoid, and the other I think is the switch for the light. The 4WD solenoid on the automatic I rebuilt was larger than the switch, and when you unscrew it, it has a little brass plunger on the end of it.

 

Not sure how hard it is to get out with the tranny in the car though. Also, when you hit the 4WD button with the engine off, but the key on, you should be able to hear the solenoid clicking. If the solenoid doesn't click, check the wiring and the 4WD switch, something may have come unplugged, otherwise, the coil in the solenoid is open, and the solenoid needs to be replaced. If it does click, take the solenoid out and make sure the plunger isn't broken. The 4WD light on the dash isn't supposed to come on unless the 4WD engages, so the fact that it does not come on indicates a problem.

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if the 4wd light doesnt come on, check the electrical connections on the top of the tranny....

also, its possible the bulb in the dash may be burnt out.

 

my 87gl-10 turbo is a 5spd, and someties the 4wd indicator doesnt come on or go off right away. but mine is a stick, not an auto.

 

my 2 cents

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ok Well I Checked The FI Sensor Connector off today and cleaned it out and sprayed it with some WD-40 and put it back on and now it starts right up and the Check Engine Light Went Away, Im Going to Replace the Air-Ride with Regular Spring/Struts.

 

Thanks for all the Help

 

-Matt-

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