me46han

Last year, on the way to get a christmas tree, in my old 88 sube gl wagon, on the snowy side of a mountain, I got stuck waiting behind the biggest, baddest, black dodge (brand new with big nobbie tires) who had gotten himself stuck on a particularly steep slope. after a few minutes he slid off into the ditch and gave up. I drove by and asked if he needed to borrow my cell phone - he wasnt too happy - said no thanks. and continued my way up another 1/4 mile or so..to the very top of the mountain.. no chains, studs, nothin... passed him again on the way down. I used to be ashamed of my car when i first got it. cuz it was rough looking and i got no respect. (but it was soo cheap) after that day on the mountain.. i have never thought of getting anything else.. this car can climb over big icy rocks like its got suction cups on its tires!! Now 3 years later.. gas prices as they are.. 3 members of my extended family (who used to give me no respect) have subarus. (traded in their range rovers, explorers and land cruisers!!) Your car may not LOOK the coolest-cool isnt a look.. its a state of being. The coolest cars/people dont need to prove anything to anyone.. keep the faith - your car ROCKS

Yeah .. so the victory bell rang too soon for my timing belt change-out!!! Rosie ran fine - for a day .. then, with a heaving screeching horrible sound.. crapped out on me.. AGAIN just like before - but this time..with a carload of kids, and the dog about 5 miles from home - pitch dark. (at least there was a place to pull of the road this time:)) tried to start her up again, and same exact sound.. crank crank craaaaank!!! timing belt !!! WTH!!! beaten and worn from days of rosie drama .. i just gave in, and called the tow truck. towed her home next day inspection found the idler pulley bearings to be seized.. brand new belt was torn down one side, and oil pump gear bent.. CARNAGE!!!! wait till 3 pm when the auto parts store has the new bearing in.. replace idler pulley bearing, two new belts, and oil pump gear back in place.. go to torque the idler pullley down.. and it just spins, wont tighten..the hole in the engine head, that the bolt goes into, is STRIPPED!!!! oh... MAN so last night we go to some obscure auto parts store 2 towns away and purchase a helicoil kit that fits the idler pulley bolt installed it today - put her back together car runs again - for now rough road.. but happy ending..I THINK.. SO FAR (????)

Hi, We just fixed this exact problem on our EA82 last night.. we had replaced belts and would barely run afterwards.. In the manual it didnt tell us that you have to rotate a full turn after installing the drivers side belt and lining it up..before moving to the passenger side. The folks here on usmb told us you had to rotate in between the belt installations..doing that did the trick! It runs great now. (I know i am making it sound way simpler than it was.) See the last couple posts on the "Code 11 on a 1988 GL wagon?" string. We got a lot of good advice on this deal.

\\ WHEW!!! Thanks for the tip.. I read this last night before leaving for home..we had NOT turned it in between belts. Went home and redid.. the right way - (the book said nothing about this!) put back together, checked the timing w the light.. then cranked it up.. AND SHE RUNS! (The bell of sweet victory rang out across the land.) Took out for a test drive.. and its PERFECT! runs better than before, quiet and more power. I owe our success to all you folks here on USMB. otherwise..would have been down for weeks trying to figure this out - (weve been doing all the repairs outside in the rain and about 4 inches of mud..) THANK YOU for getting 'rosie' back on the road...!!!!!

Update: Got new timing belts installed (twice- first time did not work AT ALL so tore it all down again..) .. matched up the 3 lines, etc.. did the deal where you line up the dist w the #1 plug according to the manual.. We now have a turning rotor, spark from the coil to dist etc.. Car will now start barely, and runs only if you hold the gas pedal down above 1,000RPMs = runs like crap Im guessing the timing is still off..?? What should the next step be? Should try to adjust w a timing light? or should we tear her down again and start over with setting the belts.. (getting kind of fast at it now..)

Good to know. (about the non interference engine) Thanks again for your help! Thanks for the info on the sensor too.. if it ever DOES go i know that I have one now - contrary to what the dealership said, and what it does.

Mystery solved I think.. checked w cap off.. and rotor is not turning, so pulled timing belt cover off..right side timing belt stripped clean..not moving at all.. will be replacing. hopefully valves arent damaged now. Thank you all for your advice and help!

so I took apart the cap/rotor took off the metal plate and this is what i see.. a metal disk that spins round.. and on one side is a little black box that hovers over the disk.. so.. are both the disk and the black box the crank angle sensor? thanks..

tried the cranking thing.. with the lead detached, think we did it backwards though (detached from the coil) oops .. got nothing in the way of spark. will check the wiring between the coil and distributor and to do the spark test correctly.. thanks for the help!

IT is SPFI - I will go and look for myself then for the sensor.. I didnt even know where to look. will also check the dist harness.. thanks!

HI, First time post here. I am hoping someone here can help me get my sube back on the road. I have a 1988 GL wagon 1.8L Yesterday, while driving it sputtered a few times then died. No previous symptoms/warning signs. Would not start again..towed it home. It won't start, it will crank but not start, ocassionally while cranking the tach will go nuts. I looked up the ECU codes, (thanks to your wonderful message board here.) and found the code '11' on my sube. (one long pulse and one short.) According to the master code list this means Crank angle sensor.. according to the local dealership/parts counter - my car does not have a crank angle sensor.. ??? Where to go next? Today I, have switched out batteries, changed out the coil - no difference.(Alt is only a couple months old but a rebuild) New cap and rotor put on about 3 months ago. Any suggestions? Thanks!!