coloradosubarules

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I have never ignored advise. I just think it is a little strange that the plugs that worked for soooo well over four-thousand miles, would cause my car to run like SHEEEEOT. I can understand missing but when it wants to stall when put into gear or the wheel is turned sharp...hmm. I will change the plugs tonight and see what happens. 11:00pm Tuesday: I changed out the plugs to NGK V-powers, changed the plug wires to Xact OE's, changed the fuel filter to purolater (something like that) and unplugged the o2 sensor. She runs alot better but I noticed that the timing marks (I coated them in whiteout for more visibility) appear to be off. The left cam (pass side) appears to be TDC, the crank appears to be cocked to the left a tad and so does the right cam. Tommorow I swap out the belt. Should I go with the standard belt or the neoprene? Any suggestions? I will also be replacing the o2 while I am at it.

If you want to retain your factory deack but use your rear speakers output as the input on your amplifier, you have two choices. 1. Find an amp with speaker level imputs (high imput) 2. Go to wal-mart or radio shack and purchase a Line livel converter. They aren't expensive and will serve your purpous. Be sure to pick-up an RCA patch cable while you are there to run from your converter to the amp. I know for a fact that wal-mart sells an amp install kit for about $12.00 and it comes with all the wires and connectors you will need. (converter not included) Hope this helps. (I am an MECP certified installer)

For a second there I thought you were a colorado resident. My 90 legacy was pelted by one of the largest hail storms CO has ever seen, causing dimples in every piece of sheetmetal and over 1 billion dollars worth of damage state wide. I saw the first golf ball fall from the sky and proceeded to drive under the biggest try I could find. That was pretty much useless as it shredded the tree on top of the roof on the car. There was about 2 inches of hail on the ground and the saun was shinning not 5 minutes later. Oh yeah....then a tornado touched down not but a few miles from me and the sirens were going off so everyone was panicing. My AWD having self procceded to find shelter at the nearest carwash (washed off the tree as well) untill the threat blew over. Did I mention that I had just put a dent free hood from a donor car on my car THE DAY BEFORE!! Call your insurance company. I didn't because I did not loose any windows and I payed less for the car then my deductible.

You think the plugs are the problem? Explain the loss of power (wanting to stall) when I put it into gear when the car is not warmed up. It has even gotten to the point where all the dash lights (like it stalled) come on but it catches at the last second and stays running.

Tommorow I will be changing out the plugs, wires, o2 sensor and putting on a new timing belt. (so I will know for sure that the timing is dead on) I will also put a new fuel filter on her as well. I checked the air filter and I can still see alot of light through it still. Thanks for all the advise. If all this fails I will be looking for a vacum leak. If that doesn't work then it is buh bye with the old and hello to the new.

When I gutted the first cat it was intact and I cleaned out every little piece before putting it back on the car. Thanks Josh. I will try that.

I'll give you $200.00 for it.

Ok ladies and gentleman. As most of you know I have a 1990 Subaru Legacy L AWD wagon that is my pride and joy. As some of you know I am having issues with her lately. Below I am going to describe what she is doing so hopefully someone can point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance. When started she seems to idle fine for a second but then losses power and will almost stall if I turn the steering wheel without letting it warm up for a minute or so. When accelerating it has no power but seems to get a little power boost around second or third gear. (strange) The tranny is working fine though. I gutted the cat (front) so now it sounds like a tin can full of rocks when trying to accelerate but is dead silent at idle. The car shakes badly at idle but does not want to stall. The check engine light just recently came on with code 32 (o2 sensor). I cleared it out but it came back when I mashed the gas the first time. I changed the plug to Bosh plat +2 about 4K ago (should have used NGK's) the wires I believe to be stock. (they are red, unsure) Oil is changed every 3K or sooner if needed. I just did the oil pump seal. When installing the timing belt I lined up the notches to the best of my abiltiy. I keep looking at the marks but they look to be dead on but I can't rule out the belt. Somebody...anybody. I am contumplating just getting a new engine if this one is going to take up too much time and money.

Look under your dash or under your hood. There should be a fuse that you can dissconect for your alarm. Not most alarms have battery back up but I guess you are one of the lucky ones. Look for the "black box" it will most likely be mounted up by your ECU and TCU. Also check the drivers and passengers side kick panel. I have been know to stuff them under the seats to really mess with theifs. The black box will be about 4in by 4in and have alot of pretty wires coming out of it all neatly wrapped...or look like colored pasta tossed in the air if it wasn't done correctly. Shoot me an IM if you have any more alarm questions. I used to install them professionaly.

I am running Bosh +2 plugs with the red wires that were in the car when I got it. I change the oil every 3K (or sooner if needed) and I pamper this car. I know it needs the knock sensor replaced and now the o2 sensor. I hollowed out the front cat. It sounds awefull so I am looking for someone in my area that will do the work. Most won't touch it because it involves removing the cat.

I hollowed the cat a while back and as of yesterday I am getting the CEL for a 32 (O2 Sensor) but it was running like crap before I hollowed the cat and before the CEL came on. I changed everything but the wires and pack when I bought the vehicle less than a year ago. Maybe it is the plugs making it run bad? Maybe it is the wires? the pack? the control modules? I don't know so when I get the new engine I will be replacing all these things so I can rules them out then. Besides, I will have alot more miles to go.

Take your old ALT to your nearest parts store and have them test it. See if it makes the same noise when they test it. Hope this helps.

When I say "running poorly I mean pooooorly. I believe it mostly revolves around the timing belt not being put on correctly after I did the oil pump seal but I have had it off more times than I care to count to try to get the timing right and no matter what I do I can't seem to get it to run like it did before I took it off. It is a PITA! If I buy a new engine I will put new NGK copper plugs and wires, new coil pack, change the oil to Redline and run a fram filter. (I always use fram) Then drop the engine in the car and drive on. I hope this makes sense. I basically all comes down to bad timming and lack of patience.

I love the EJ22 and would like to stick with it. Can someone tell me what year they switched to OBD2. If and when I do this I want to just do a tune up on the engine while I have it out of the vehicle and then drop in the engine complete, wire and hose her up and drive on another 233K. I also wish there was someone else I could trust to work on my car. I want to take it to the dealer because that is all they know...but I know it would cost me more than what I payed for the car to have it running smooth.

I want to get a new engine because it is running poorly and I am just tired of fixing it. As it is now it sputters bad, losses power and a ton of other issues. I m ust say it does not leak anything. I belive it needs the timing belt done properly and a good tune-up. I would rather spend the money on a good used engine and drop it in myself. It only takes a day or so.

I am thinking of replacing the 233K engine in my Roo for something newer with less milage. What year and model can be used for donoe cars? I know it has to be the EJ22 N/A. Will a 98 outback work?

I took my 90 legacy L AWD Wagon up the Ute creek and Clear Creek Pass in Idaho springs, CO followed by a 2000 Dodge Durango 4X4 and let me tell you the Durango had a hard time keeping up. My cousins exact words were, "this gets out to nobody!" I can't recall one time that my tires ever slipped the enitre trip. Maybe you should use a little more torque and less speed. I was running M+S tires (nothing special) but you might want to look at your tires. Were the lugs clogged with dirt or mud? just my two cents.....

I have a 90 legacy AWD Wagon and I just recently removed my heat sheilds. Please understand that these serve double duty. First they protect your pipes from off-road hazards, then they are used as heat sheilds. If you remove them your Moab days are thru. If this has no effect on you....RIP THEM SUCKERS OFF!! Use some WD-40 or the likes on the bolts first then they come off easy. Hope this helps.

I have the same make/model/year Subaru and if my memory serves me correctly, the TCU is gold in color while the ECU is silver. Hope this helps as well.

As some of you know I hollowed out my cat and it sounds like Arse. I went to Advances and autozones website to do some research on the cat and they both tell me I have dual cats. Is this true. Have them mistaken the res for a cat? Is it a cat? Someone mentioned that I should take my car to a muffler shop to have a custom pipe welded in place of my cat....I guess this individual forgot that 99% of muffler shops won't have anything to do with removing or modifiying a cat. Am I wrong? Please advise on both issues.

I have 2 cheap silver fenders you could paint white.

Thanks Josh I will do that. Hurricane is gone. Took my back porch, the rest of my fence, a few more shingles, and the power for another two weeks. Thank the lord for generators. I gutted the cat and it sounds awefull. Please see my other recent post for a write up on the cat. The Legacy is still running poorly so as soon as power is restored I will be going to the local advance AP and getting me some NGK's and a new set of plug wires. I'm going with OE for the wireset because I am cheap and if it ain't broke.... Hey Johnny...Don't sweat it. I'm alive and so is my family. Your payment was the last thing on my mind. Besides...I said, "send it when you can afford to." I'm not looking to get rich or go poor. Life is ok brother. <- me in traffic when slipknot comes on the radio or I pop the CD in. You know yall have some music you shouldn't listen to while driving. (IE...Sammy Hagar's "I can't drive 55", Golden Earing's "Radar love" etc...etc)

I did gut the cat...and let me tell you, DON'T! It sounds like someone welded a giant tin can in place of my cat. It actually acts as an echo chamber, but not of the good kind you would find on your dads 88 Chevy truck. I am talking about an echo chamber for what sounds like a rock polisher. It sounds like ARSE! And with the problem I am having with my car it only makes it worse. I think the engine is missing or something along that line. I have not had a chance to check that out yet due to the clean-up of hurricane Jeanne. I will let everyone know what I find out. HOW DO YOU BUY A CAT FOR THIS CAR? 2 pipes welded into the manifolds and one exiting.....hmmm. I might have to get an exhaust welder to work some serious magic on this thing.

Hurricane Jeanne is beating at my door as we speak so I won't be working on her anytime soon. Let me tell you how fun it is trying to gut the cat. I sprayed all the heatsheild nuts and bolts with WD-40 and let them sit. They all came off easy except the flange that has the 3 bolts right after the cat but before the spring loaded, 2 bolt flange. I ended up cutting the flange out and straightpiping it there. This was all done around midnight last night. I am sure my neighbors loved me whacking my prybar with a roofing hammer as they tried to get a goodnights rest before they won't be able to sleep for days due to the oncoiming threat. As soon as the area gets power back (2 weeks most likely) I will go to Advance and get all that is needed for a tune-up. I did change the plugs to Bosh platinum +2's when I bought it and I change the oil every 2K or so because it was running so hot. I think I am going to switch to redline or Royal purple and see how that goes. Thanks for all the info and sugestions.