Gene

1988 Justy article. I still have this exact car that I bought new in 1988. Still runs as good as the day I bought it.

Thanks much Skip. I'll look into that.

Thanks for the tip Gloyale. There is no click, nothing. It was starting but every 3rd or 4th try, it would do nothing. No click, nothing. I would do the old smack the starter trick and then it would start. Now that doesn't work and it does nothing when the key is turned. When this all started, sometimes the starter would turn slowly, like the battery was drained. The battery is fine as it's almost new and checks out fine. Other times it would start fine until now where I get no click or anything. Just in case, I tried jumping it but no dice.

I have a 1988 Justy. The starter just went out. Will another Subaru model fit? Also, any recommendations on where to get a starter for a reasonable price? I live very rural and there are no junk yards around.

No offense taken at all daeron. This has been a real struggle trying to find out what and where a distributor ignition module is? Check the archives here and folks talk about it like it's something that even a novice knows about. I even noticed in old threads here where some folks have corrected others saying a "pickup coil" is NOT a distributor ignition module! I hope I'm not coming off as a hard nose but this sure is frustrating. The Soob parts dealers I checked with didn't know exactly what a distributor ignition module was either but did say people must mean the pickup coil in the distributor, like GD said. I even had a "mechanic" here e-mail and tell me my problem was the distributor ignition module as he had a 1988 Justy and replaced his and it cured his problem. When I e-mailed him back about where exactly could I find the distributor ignition module, he never asnswered back. I appreciate all the advice I've received here but sometimes it seems, (like the old addage); "don't believe anything you read and only half of what you see." I'm still not positive what a distributor, (or "dizzy"), ignition module is!

Okay and thanks GD. I received responses from people saying to replace the "distributor ignition module". I've just been trying all this time to find out exactly what a distributor ignition module is. The shop manual doesn't list it and I have received all kinds of different answers. It just seemed like everyone here knew what a distributor ignition module was but not the two Subaru dealers I checked with and again, not mentioned anywhere in the shop manual.

Thanks for all your replies but a lot of folks said to replace the ign. module in the distributor, not the complete distributor. Here's an exploded view of a 1988 Justy distributor and what would you folks consider the ign. module? Also, the small box under the dash has "IGN. CONT" marked on it and the manual lists it as the "Ign. Timing Unit". Sorry for all the questions but I'm just trying to get clear what a distributor ignition module actually is?

I was just wondering why almost everyone recommended, (even most early Justy owners), that the ignition module is in the distributor. Thanks to RONAN I finally found out that it is under the dash and not in the distributor. I found out that in other early Subs, (NOT Justys!), that it is in the distributor but they are the original Sub motors and the Justy is a whole different engine breed altogether. Not trying to slam anyone but but it's strange that even Justy owners said it was in the distributor when it really is not. My 1988 is the first generation of Justys, (1987-88), and maybe they went back to putting it in the distributor from 1989 and beyond but again, the ignition module in 1987-88 Justys is under the dash. Just wanted folks to know and save them some time.

Thanks RONAN. Man, I hope so too. This problem has been a ***************. If replacing this doesn't correct it, the car is haunted.

Checked it out RONAN and there is a small metal box about 3"X3" and it says; "SUBARU IGNITION CONT" on it with some part numbers. It's right where you said and mounted on the side wall with two screws. The larger ECU is just to the right of it and mounted on the front firewall. There's a connector with a loom pugged into it that seems to go to the distributor, coil, and ignition switch. Could this actually be the elusive "distributor ignition module" everyone talks about? I've had this dying problem with my Justy where it just dies instantly at any speed with no warning whatsoever. I posted about this here several times and people said to replace the distributor ignition module. I could never find it and some folks said it was in the distributor but I guarantee you it's not, at least not in a 1988 Justy.

It is the first generation, (1987-88), carb model. I don't think the complete distributor has to be changed, but? Like I say, the exploded view of the distributor, showing all parts, shows nothing concerning an ignition module. RONAN, I think that's the ECU, (engine control unit), you're talking about.

Can anyone please tell me exactly WHERE to find the ignition module in a 1988 4WD Justy? I've been told it's in the distributor, (dist. or "dizzy" ign. module). I have an original 1988 Justy Factory Shop Manual, (the big, fat one), and nowhere does it even list or mention an ignition module or distributor ignition module. It even has the exploded view of the distributor and no ignition module is shown or is any ignition module shown in any diagram. I want to try replacing it as I'm still having the mystifying dying problems. Any help would be really appreciated.

I've been super busy lately but guess what? There is NO ignition module in my 1988 Justy's distributor! Subaru must have gone to a different system in 1989. They did change a buch of stuff when they upgraded the 1989 model as the 1987-1988 models are exactly the same. So I'm out of luck there. I called several dealers and they said there is no dist. ignition module in the 1988 model and the 1988 shop manual doesn't show one either. One nice tech at one dealer took the time and said to check the wires coming out of the dist. that connect to the main wiring harness. He said he has repaired a couple with the same problem and that connection was loose or corroded and that cured it. I don't have time now but will check that soon and I hope that's the case.

Can one of you please tell me exactly where to find the distributor ignition module? I'm sending back the radiator auto fan switch that the dealer sent in error and they're sending out the distributor ignition module. I checked the FSM and I can't find seem to find it's location. Thanks.

bush, Thanks for the tips. Like all things too common nowadays, the dealer sent me the wrong part! I ordered a engine temp sensor for the ECU and they sent me an electric fan control sensor! With all due respect to nipper, I don't think this problem is the ETS for the ECU anyway. I'm going to try what Quidam suggested and try the ignition module. That sounds like a good place to start. If only I can get the dealer to send the right part!