Cougar

If there are no stored codes and the light is on then the ECU is probably at fault. I think it is near the steering column under the dash. I think if you disconnect the battery for at least a half hour it will erase any stored codes in the ECU. The memory for the engine will be lost also so you will need to go through the proceedure for the engine to relearn itself.

It looks to me that both caps are bad. There should be a center pin connection to the rotor I think. I think there are two different types of rotors you can get for these and they are not interchangable. I would take the original with you if you get a new one, to compare with.

I doubt that the ground leads are causing these new problems but you may have disconnected a ground connection on the instrument panel or a signal wire for the gas gauge. You may want to push on all the connectors near that area to see if that will help. Another possibility is, you crossed the wires that go to the problem areas somehow when you put things back together. For the CEL light problem, if there are no codes causing the light to be set on then there may be a problem within the ECU. I have repaired some that had a bad IC section causing the light to stay on continually. Normally, the ECU makes a ground connection to turn on the light.

This happened to me also. I had the six in mind when I first saw the post and thought the same thing until I did a seach and found out about the regular XT.

I would check the fuel system first. Replace the fuel filter if you haven't already. The pump may be bad also. Also check the fusible links for a loose connection.

The distys may be compatable. I would be checking the the type of ignition setup each has. You should be able to find used disty at a salvage yard or a rebuilt one from a parts supplier for a lot less than new if they don't swap directly.

The pickup loop doesn't directly make a ground to the coil. It usually is tied to the ECU or the ignitor and makes a signal for one of them to make the ground connection to the coil. You may have a ignition that uses the ECU for that process. As I think I stated before you need to place a test light probe on the minus side of the coil with the other side of the light clipped to ground and see if there are firing pulses getting to the coil as you crank the engine. If you have a steady light then the pickup loop is most likely defective.

The pickup loop in the disty can be intermittent also.

You need to check the ignitor as I suggested.

Check with these folks. They may be able to help you. http://www.subaruparts.com/parts.php

The minus side and ground. Almost all voltage measurements are referenced to ground. I think the transistor, or ignitor as it is refered to, is under the distributor. If it isn't, then try to follow the leads out of the the distributor. They should lead you to it.

Welcome to the forum. I would check the ignition switch area for a bad connection. There is a plug connection in the steering column that is a fairly common problem that show the symtoms you state. The connector has to support a lot of current for things and gets hot if there is a bad connection. You didn't state if this is a automatic or not. If it is, then the inhibit switch is another possibility. It may be under the tunnel near the shifter. Oops! After reading your post again I see you do mention this is an automatic so if the ignition connector is ok then you need to check that. Also I forgot to mention to check the fusible links for a bad connection also. They should be in a plastic box mounted on the coolant resevoir.

It would be good to know if any codes are generated in the ECU when this happens. It could be a good clue to the problem if there were. I would suspect a ignition problem but it may also be a fuel pump problem. The MAF could be the problem as Color-blind suggested but I would think you would have a code error if it was.

To test these things you could use a test probe light but a better way is a volt/ohmmeter. The meter would be better in this instance because of the light being partially on, meaning it is only getting some voltage and not the full 12 volts. You can see the real numbers using a meter. Since relays are just electrical switches you should have the same voltage on each side of the contacts when the contact is made. If the relay contact is dirty or bad then you will have less or no voltage going to the load. Using a voltmeter to measure each side of the contacts will show you real quick what is happening. You can also measure across the contacts when the relay is closed. Since the switch is supposed to be a direct connection to each side, and have no resistance, the voltage should be zero across the contacts if it is good. Thanks for the thumbs up Brus Brother. This problem is a little different but not too hard for a novice to work on with some guidence. You can do this Su5an. Welcome to the forum BTW.

Before you start replacing parts I would check to see if you are getting a pulse from the disty pickup loop. Place a test probe light on the minus side of the coil and see if the light pulses while cranking the engine. If the light is on steady with no pulsing then the pickup needs to be changed out. If there is no light on at all then you need to check for power getting to the coil on the plus side of it. Your car may also have the transistor under the disty area. Check the connections to that also if you have light pulses but no spark.

There may be a problem with the combination switch causing this to happen. The ground for the lighting is provided through that switch. The daylight hi beam running light relay also would need to be ON somehow in order for that to happen since it is in series with the circuit. The relay is in the right hand side kick panel. Another way this may happen is if the left side headlight relay was making a poor power connection. The relay is in the main fuse panel under the hood. This seems the most likely to me. You may be to prove this by pulling the left headlight relay out of the socket. The way things are wired for the indicator light in the dash, a ground connection could be made through the left normal headlight and the headlight resistor. Though these items would be in series I think the resistances would be low enough to make the indicator light glow.

It does sound like you have lost transmission fluid somehow. I wouldn't drive until you can figure this out since you may do more damage to the tranny.

I don't think any of the things mentioned will create the low compression like you have. You really need to check the valve timing.

I think you may be looking for the pickup loop in the bottom of the distributor.

The problem may be due to carbon buildup. Seafoam has worked for others with this kind of problem. Pouring some into the intake and some in the fuel tank.

I would doubt very much that the gaskets are the problem. To me, having those readings that you got is very encouraging. If it was the gaskets then it would seem that the readings would be random since the leaks would vary in each cylinder. Since the pressures are exactly the same on each side I would guess that the higher side is maybe a tooth off and the lower side is two teeth off on the cams. You might try moving the lower side first a couple of teeth one way or the other if you can't figure out which way to go then see what the pressure is. This may then be a guide for doing the other side.

Alright! Another Alaskan. Welcome to the forum.

I think what you found was the resistors for the speed control. The relay is on the left side of the console.

Glad to hear you are not soured with Subaru from this incident though it isn't good. I guess you received a fair settlement from your insurance company and depending how much you paid the dealer (they have ways of getting even) for the new car, really stuck the dealer's feet to the coals by getting that extra long policy. It sounds like the the dealer really wants to keep you as a satisfied customer, which is good for everyone.

Good tip TC.