sunflowersubaru

Success at last... My Subaru is now finally up and running after several weeks of trouble shooting and visits to the shop. Here is a brief summary. Went throught all the vacuum lines and replaced those that failed. Be careful here as several lines have orifices in them. In this execise also found that the two vacuum advance lines that split off the single line from the distributor were in the wrong place. On line with check valve goes to the below-the-throttle-valve and the other above-the-throttle valve passage ways. Also found that someone had pressed a stainless steel ball into the below-the-throttle-valve vacuum advance passage way on the underside of the fuel chamber. Now have proper vacuum advance after having removed the ball. Noted variation in level of fuel in fuel chamber on several opening of the carb. so..... Disconnected fuel delivery line and directed into jug on ground. Ran car in place until it stalled out. Refilled fuel chamber via the fuel inlet hose barb with a rubber syringe. Ran car. Did this twice and no gas in jug either time. Disconnected fuel pump power supply and put a volt meter across conector. Refilled fuel chamber and ran car again until it stalled out. Had 12 volts on the meter. Reconnected fuel pump power circuit, filled fuel chamber and ran car again. No gas in jug. Did this again two more time and there was gas in the jug both times. Note at this point that alternator belt broke a while back and was replaced and car was hard to start during this diagnostic. Had alternator and battery checked - alternator marginal. Replaced both alternator and fuel pump. Car now starts and runs like it should! No hard starts, no stalling, no crap! Another problem addressed during all of this - Moisture in headlights - this GL has two headlight assemblies. Removed assemblies, dried their insides by fishing paper towel around inside with a rod and then ran a generous bead of silicone caulking around the perimiter of the assembly where the glass and the metal frame meet. A little moisture returned after 2 days so I dried them again with the assemblies in place. No moisture returned after 2 days so I assumed that the caulking hadn't yet cured and that there might have been moisture within when I re-installed the assemblies. Important to not let this problem continue as the metal surface inside the assembly at the glass-steel interface will rust and the silver coating will peal. Loss of coating means no reflectance. An installed cost of $200 per assembly is motivation enough to stay on top of this from here on out. Thanks to all for the help that I have gleaned from the discussions of everyone elses problems. Hope to spare others from the misery I've experienced these past several weeks. Happy Subaruing!

Where is the idle solenoid/purge solenoid located? What does it/do they look like? Any insight here might help me solve my varying idle problem. Had 700 rpm at 8 degress BTDC when I left home, but had 400 rpm at same when I got home. This morning had no rpm. What's up with idle where you want to? Thanks.

Could you be more specific in description of location/wire/connector? Having trouble maintaining idle on '87 GL. Maybe your solution is my solution also.... Thanks.

Has the front oil seals, oil pump and timing belts replaced this past winter. Car ran okay afterwards. Will ask dealer to check them next week.

Changed fuel filter again last week. Put about 150 miles on it since then. Engine roughs rough/struggles at idle until engine warms up and choke system off. Was 50 F in am and 96 F in pm yesterday. Engine ran rough/struggled while starting in the morning, but popped off straight away while starting at the end of the work day. Dealer would not sell me a pump. Said that they when they go out, they go out, not start to go out. Something wrong with choke system?

Checked timing. Pardon my phrasing here.....4 bars below 20. From maintenance manual looks like 8 degrees BTDC if 20 is TDC. Doesn't rock back and forth. Runs rough, struggles until chock opens. Was 50 F in am and 96 F in pm here on Friday. Engine ran rough/struggled at idle until choke opened while starting in the morning, but popped off an ran smooth while starting at the end of the work day. Something screwed up with the choke system? Fuel filter changed last week. Pump????? Drove about 150 miles so far since fuel filter change. Dealer did not want to seel me a pump - they said that when they go out they go out, they don't start to go out.

New filter a month ago. No change.

1987 Subaru GL 4WD Wagon. 4-cylinder carb. motor. 5 spd. 180,000 miles. New carb from Subaru dealer in '02. Had rough idle, runing issues last year until anti-backfire valve replaced. Shop also replaced fuel bowl inlet valve and float at that time as gas was pouring into engine. Mostly fine when I got it back at that time, but the engine did have some some roughness during idle that was not present before the shops started screwing with the carb. Lately, replaced plugs and wires, and also cleaned up rotor and dist. cap. At present, can't start or keep it started. Fires up, but dies out just as quick. Had it running a couple of weeks ago. Took it out for a drive, but it stalled out when I pushed the accelerator pedal to get up the driveway from a standing still stop. Wouldn't start easily. Did get it started up enough to get the car up the drive. Car has been parked since. Did spray fast start around carb base, hoses, etc. to test for vacuum leak. No change in engine operation. Ran idle mixture screw in and then out. Starved engine at less than a full turn. Past 4 full turns there is no change in idle. Also isolated new anti-backfire valve to ensure it was working - plugged supply and sensor hoses. No affect. Dealer in my area won't touch it because based on my description they think it is the carb and they don't have a carb expert in their shop. Thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks. Not Subbin' at the moment.