hooziewhatsit

86 GL wagon, SPFI, 2WD auto Just got the car running again. When I start it up, there's a horrendous metalic screeching coming from the torque converter area. Fluid levels are fine, etc. When I turn the engine over by hand, I can hear a little scraping at certain points in the rotation from the TC. History: Fixing this car up for a friend. He had a JDM engine put in 10,000 miles ago. Sometime last year sprung a coolant leak and overheated it. Took it to a shop, where they re-did the heads, put it all back together, and got the timing belts on wrong. Needless to say, it ran like crap, so not wanting to spend any more money on it, parked it in a field. At some point he also took the radiator out, and had one of the lines to the trans cooler blocked with a bolt. When he got it back from the shop, besides it running like poo, it didn't make any strange noises. I read a couple threads where people found their TC spinning not quite true; this one looks to spin just fine (if that makes sense). When I put it in gear the idle drops like it should. The car is still on a dolly, otherwise I would maybe try to move it under it's own power. So... any ideas as to what's causing this noise? I have a couple ideas, but will wait to say them to avoid going down the wrong path... Thanks, -Dave

yep, as it is entirely standalone with it's own sensors, it would actually work on any type of car. Glad to see there's some interest! Gives me (us) some extra motivation to get it done.

Hey all, just gauging interest in a product I'm developing for mine and a friends' cars. It will be a stand-alone unit capable of reading many different aspects of our cars. It will have a harness with all the sensors you will have to hookup to the various places on the car. It will include at the very least: temperatures: see model specs below other: -voltage -Time/date display -alert buzzer -SD card socket -backlit display (may even come on with the headlights) maybe in the future? (or enough interest) -turbo timer -02 sensor monitor -video display (also interest?) The display will be on a 4x20 character screen, similar to this one: (http://www.crystalfontz.com/products/2004a/index.html#CFAH2004ANYAJP) We haven't worked out how everything will be displayed, but it will probably have several static sensors displayed, with the rest cycling through a spot on the display. It may also be partially user configurable, with several buttons to hold different display patterns. It will probably have a mix of digital displays and bar graphs/needles, as well as the actual value. Navigation will be menu driven through a set of 5 (or so) buttons. The unit itself be approximately 5.25"W x 2"H x 1.5"D, or roughly the size of a 5.25" drive bay on a computer. It should fit nicely on top of the steering column between the wheel and the dash. We don't think that will block any of the stock gauges while still being in a good viewing area for the driver. The buzzer will alert the driver that one of the values is outside of user configurable ranges. (it won't be real annoying, just enough to get your attention :-)) It will most likely also have a socket for an SD card that will allow you to log the temperatures/pressures vs. time & speed into a file easily imported into Excel. Most of all, it will have ACCURATE sensor readings. We all know how good the stock temperature/oil pressure gauges are :-/ As for price... we're trying really hard to keep it under $300. If enough people are interested (typically 10+), we can get more parts at once and save money that way. Time frame for actual production... depends a lot on the interest in it... but is at least a couple months out from now. We're still gathering ideas as to what all it should contain. So, my overriding question is... would anyone be interested in something like this? How much would you be willing to pay for it? any other questions or comments? Thanks, -Dave edit to add models & price information: All models will have time & date display, backlit display, and warning buzzer with user configurable bounds, in addition to the sensors listed below. These prices are not set in stone yet, but they are what we're trying to achieve. base model: ~$200-225 -water temp -oil pressure -volts -rpm -general purpose temp sensor (most anything but exhaust) -fan relay Mid model: ~$300 -oil temp -water temp -ambient temp -intake temp -oil pressure -intake pressure -volts -rpm -afr -TT (turbo timer) -SD socket -general purpose temp sensor -fan relay x2 High end model: ~$450 -oil temp -water temp -exhaust temp -ambient temp -block temp -trans temp -intake temp -oil pressure -intake pressure -fuel pressure -water pressure -volts -rpm -speedo -afr -TT -SD socket -general temp sensor -fan relay x2 Very High End model: ~$500+? (this is one is not set in stone yet. Basically, this could be a special order model; you tell us what you want, we'll build it) -oil temp -water temp -exhaust temp xY -ambient temp -block temp xY -trans temp -intake temp x2 -oil pressure -intake pressure x2 -fuel pressure -water pressure -volts -rpm -speedo -afr -TT -SD socket -general temp sensor -fan relay xY

possible quick fix... You should be able to unscrew the plastic peice around the steering colum; half a dozen screws from the bottom side. I think you'll be able to take the actual ignition switch off the key cylinder then. That will let you start the car/turn it off until you can get the cylinder to a locksmith.

I don't exactly know where the fuel pump control unit is (under the dash I think?), but the ticking under the hood is either the EGR solenoid, or the purge control solenoid; so nothing really to do with the fuel pump working or not.

just curious... did you do it while the engine was warm, and had the throttle plate held open?

the other thing you can do if your fingers aren't long enough to get in the spark plug hole to feel for the compression; Remove the passenger side outer t-belt cover, and rotate the engine until the dot on the cam is pointing north-west (10:30 o'clock). Now, put the disty in so it points directly at the #1 plug on the cap. Now you try to start it, and if it doesn't, move the disty around a bit until it does. Then you'll have to using a timing light to fine tune it. That should at least get you close enough that it will fire.

Someone should add a note to the ECU codes guide that when the ECU gives out only short flashes (5-7 of them I think?) that it means there are no stored/current codes. It can also be decoded to tell what kind of car and transmission it is. I've seen way too many threads about people wondering what this code is, since it isn't in the guide. Thanks, -Dave

short flashes is the equivalent of an 'all clear' code. It also means what kind of car it is, tranny type, CA car or not, etc. You're not doing anything wrong, the computer just doesn't have any stored codes. what have you tried to get it to start? fuel, air, compression, spark?

the gauge on my 91 loyale never rises much at all either. I still have good heat out the heater though, and it runs just fine. I even tried putting a new dash in, to no change. that's one reason I'm designing a multi-sensor gauge right now.

you can connect the green test connectors under the hood, turn the key to 'on' (not start) and it will make the fuel pump pulse on/off at about 1 second intervals. A relay under the hood should click with the same rithym. While this is going on, use your meter to check the voltage at the fuel pump power connector (DC voltage). You should be able to see it go from 0v-12v and back (0v to -12v depending on how you have the leads from the meter hooked up). If that checks out, the pump is probably dead. You can use two wires to jump 12v to it and see if it turns on. If you don't have 12v at the harness, then you have other issues... of which I'm not sure, since I've never had to debug past a dead pump.

yep, sounds like it could definitely be a CTS problem The sensor with a two-wire pigtail is the one you want to replace. The single wire sensor is for the dash gauge.

I've had good luck getting those bolts out of the lock cylinder by using a drill with a dremel type cutoff disk in it. Make a couple of gouges big enough to get a flat head screwdriver in and it should come right off.

I've had my 88 GL for 6 years now. Parents got it for me as a high school graduation gift 'to at least get me through college.' Well, I plan on keeping it as long as I can Wife got the 91 loyale 3.5 years ago.

Here's the procedure to test the TPS http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=24997&highlight=throttle+position +sensor (well, a pdf in that thread) If you want to replace it and you have AC.... I found it was easiest to take a file and make some clearance on the AC compressor. You only need about a quarter inch off the corner of it to be able to slide the TPS off, versus removing the fan, alternator, unbolting the compressor, so you have that 1/4" of clearance. a $5 TPS from the junkyard fixed my annoying low speed semi-mild bucking I was having.

ok... one question I've always had in the back of mine when people bring up swapping axles around... are axle spline counts (23/25) only different at the tranny, and not the hub? I presume it's like this, since I've never heard mention of having to change the hubs to match the axles. (I also don't have the stuff here to check myself) thanks

I believe the jiggle pin/extra holes allows air to pass through the thermostat, so when you do a flush & re-fill, it doesn't overheat due to a pocket of air before the thermostat opens.

when was the last time the fluid was changed? The 3ATs are very picky as to the quality and quantity of fluid in them. When I had a car with the 3AT, I fixed the same problem you're describing by doing a fluid change, and then making sure it had the correct amount of fluid afterwards.

from here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/80s/specs/mechanical/engine-specs.html 86-94 1800 1781 90HP @5600 - 101TQ @2800 EA-82 SPFI 87-91 1800 1781 97HP @5200 - 103TQ @3200 EA-82 XT MPFI I'm presuming the XT MPFI was the non-turbo version, since the turbo listing on that page was 115HP@5200 so... looks like only 7HP and 2ft/lbs of torque between SPFI & MPFI. For some reason I thought it would be more of a difference...

you should append to #8 - Spare tire. Check the spares tire pressure. I've checked the ones in my cars and noticed that they had *no* pressure in them. They won't do much good if they aren't pumped up. Also, go ahead and just replace all the coolant hoses you can. This includes upper & lower rad, the two heater core hoses, the two small ones to the manifold, and if you do the water pump, the 90* hose on it. My 91 loyale blew up (literally) the upper rad hose... ended up needing a new water pump after that... Other than that, great list!

I believe you get the current codes with nothing connected. Connect the whites to get the stored codes. Connect only the greens & go for a drive to force the car to check all the sensors again. If the CEL blinks, you're all good. If it comes on solid, stop and check the codes.

just to clarify... when you put the driver side belt on, you cranked the engine over 360*, so that cam went 180*, then put the other belt on (I think that's what you did, I just had to read it a couple times to get that) Like calebz said, using a timing light and double check your timing. Don't forget to connect the green test connectors by the fuel filter before doing it. If you didn't remove the disty while working on it, it should be just fine. And there's no way to adjust the valve adjusters.

it also sometimes helps to take the caliper completely out of the car so you can get some good leverage on it while you turn it in. First time I did the brakes... took an 1-1.5 hours each side a half turn at a time to do them in using a combination big wrench/other tools. Second time with a drill, special tool, and calipers out of the car... 5 minutes per side

I've had good luck with redline 75w90NS (I can actually shift when it's cold now!) and I've heard good stuff about some pennzoil 75w90 synthetic stuff (don't know any more than that)

the drain plug will be on the bottom passenger side of the radiator. Also, you don't have to drain all the coolant to change the thermostat. But I would recommend it if you haven't changed the coolant in a while. If you take the rad cap off it will also greatly speed up the draining process. edit: make sure you put the new thermostat in the same way that the old one came out, ie, spring going down.