misledxcracker

haha, i've got "el soob" on the '86

update... been fiddling with the car. Now I'm only getting a code 62 - egr solenoid... never had that code before. first it was 35 and 16, then only 16, now only 62. the crank angle sensor code went away after i timed it again... but the idle still acts weird (900-1000 in park, 500-700 in gear)... Can having it timed wrong throw a CAS code?! the egr valve itself seems fine... the inner part pushes in and out, so it's not stuck... WTF is wrong with this thing? New day, new code... edit: oh yeah, and also, when car is started, and no gas is applied, no CEL. once i even touch the gas pedal, CEL comes on.

Are you getting a ECS or Check Engine light?

Yes it would, there's two different sensors, one of them being for the gauge, IIRC.

a local parts store should have it, checker auto had my coolant temp sensor... but it may be cheaper to grab one from a Junkyard

About the idling problem... In Park, it idles at about 900. In Drive or Reverse, it idles at about 500. The CAS code still comes up... but all I've seen on the forum are people that get the CAS code but the car doesnt start... well, mine does? And now I've noticed... at about 45-55 mph (3k rpm) it shudders somewhat like it wants to die... and it stalled out on me again out of nowhere! And I checked timing again this morning... after I had set it to 20 degrees before... it set itself forward again, by itself?? So I took the disty cap and rotor off (darn screw) and then shook the shaft... it turns a slight bit... like the rotor would, if that makes sense? Like, it turns a tiny tiny bit when i turn the shaft, is that the "free play" I should be replacing the disty for?

This is a long one... hopefully I/you/we can figure all this out... I have a new problem with my '86 GL, 3at crappy auto, n/a.... I checked the timing, set it to 20 degrees BTDC. It still idles odd, in Park it idles high at times, and low at times. In Reverse or Drive, it idles lower than when in Park. Funny thing is, it seems to act a lot better when it's warm. It used to stall out when cold, but since adjusting the timing, it doesnt do that anymore. Thing is... also, the timing threw itself off already... twice. I'm getting the ECS light - Crank Angle Sensor code. Sometimes the ECS light just turns itself off while driving, sometimes stays on... It's weird. I used to have the EGR code but that eliminated itself... also another weird one. Also, it ticks, knocks, something like that, but it makes a noise that you cant hear above 3k rpm.. the lower the RPM's, the worse it sounds. I bought the car non-running for 2 years, and got it running, the oil was dirty, old, pretty bad. I changed it to 3 quarts 10-30 Castrol, and 1 quart MMO. Within 100 miles, the oil was dirty as the last oil was.. Well I then drained that, ran 4 quarts ATF and idled it for 45 minutes, and then drained that, and replaced filter and put 4 quarts of Mobil 10-40. It still makes that friggin noise... tick, knock, I have no idea. The local mechanic says it's a "flex plate" problem... yet how the heck does oil get so dirty within 100 miles of driving? I'm suspecting dirty lifters... but how can I tell a tick from a knock? Also... since I'm getting the CAS code... and my timing keeps getting thrown off... bad disty? And... could a bad disty possibly cause the engine to make that horrid noise? It does start, run, drive... but the noise, ahhh the noise! Can someone enlighten me here? I want to get it running primo so I can start buying the less significant things... like a CB radio, stereo system, window trim, and corner light housings...

Well looks like I have a spare Fuel Pump. It wasnt connected to the car or anything. How can you diagnose if it works or not? (oh yeah, its dry as could be, no smell and all, and i blew in the hose)

can someone possibly tell me what exactly this thingie here im holding is??? it was in the trunk of the soob... im wondering if it actually goes on my car or not... it has two wires and an electrical connector.. and that black thing is just a normal air hose... if i blow in the hose, it comes out of the top of the cylinder thingie with a little resistance... oh yeah and when you shake it, it sounds like there's something inside of it... but what is this thing?! pic: hopefully if it does go to my car, itll help how its running if i put it back on! *hope*

i dont even think my power steering is connected... i filled it with ATF and it loses it like nothing. Plus when I do fill it, it doesnt even register with the steering. do the power steering hoses run by the exhaust? plus that doesnt make up for the loss of a quart of oil in 150 miles...

well, ever since ive got the GL running.. it's made a noise of which im not sure its the TOD or a rod knock or a bearing problem... it seems to go away the higher the RPMs are and sounds like it's all over the place, not just in one cylinder. the car had sat for 2 years, prior to me buying it, and i changed the oil to 10/30 and substituted a quart with MMO. Also... this may be related to the noises im getting... i changed the oil 150 miles ago, and had lost one quart already... and also, one day i drove it approx. 40 miles and came home, it was smoking badly from under the hood, in the back of the engine compartment, behind the cat converter all over the exhaust pipes causing the smoke. I havent lost any coolant, tranny fluid, gear oil, or anything else. What's back that far that oil could get through? Or am I missing something? The oil does not leak out of the front whatsoever, and it doesnt burn oil at all. No puddles on the ground, either. Feedback is appreciated... this will be one of the last things I need to diagnose before my Zion National Park trip..

There's only that 12mm bolt (on the right side) and the hex thingie (on the left side) Also, there's a nut holding the pulley on, but it turns on both sides and I cant get it off. The bearing broke and the whole pulley mechanism is shot... I see nothing else though that would even relate to getting the tensioner off...

I searched a million times and couldnt exactly figure it out... how do i remove the whole idler pulley out of an '86 GL? It has a long bolt that sticks out like an inch and a half, and a 12mm bolt also. I got the 12mm off but the hex one wont move for anything? Also, what are the consequences for running one belt instead of two? Because it seems everything is hooked up with just one belt...

well, i got the '86 tagged and on the road (FI 3at EA82) but it's having its share of problems... the first one i couldnt find on the search... the car's just there sitting... i put the key to the ON position... leave it at the ON position, i get a mean buzzing noise from what it seems to be the dash, and the tachometer bounces up and down! Keep in mind this is when the car is NOT running at all... because when it does this, it doesnt even start. i fiddle with the battery terminals, and bam, it starts. then i turn it off, and put them back to where the terminals were before... and it still starts. 20 minutes later, jumpy tach, buzzing, no start. whats up with that? also, when it IS running.. it idles however it wants to (300-1000) and its timed perfectly. i made sure it was timed right with a light and all. sometimes it just stalls out of nowhere, the RPM's go so low at times. not to mention it TICKS horribly when the RPM's are low.. I've added MMO to the oil when I changed it though. so... hopefully someone can help me (esp. with that no start problem)... the Subaru is going to be the "road trip" car so hopefully I can get it tip-top pretty soon...

well, i got my '86 GL running (and somewhat driving) after a lot of research and help from this board, thanks to all of you! now i still need to time it with a light, it idles at 1k-1.5k rpm, and the car dies once in a while... i got the EGR code and the Crank Angle Sensor code also... going to replace both. not to mention the TOD... but my main thing is... when i take off the oil filler cap when it's running... it smokes profusely. it doesnt smoke out of the exhaust (even at 6k rpm) but it really smokes bad out of that filler hole. PCV, maybe?

SHE STARTED... AND RAN! ...but not for long. the idler pulley bearing broke, but fortunately didnt break the belts... what was the reason it didnt start? god only knows... my friend thinks its because of the bearing and the fact that my disty rotor was bent so i'm off to buy a new cap and rotor. but what do i do to fix the idler pulley? what part should i be looking for? i still have the pulley itself... and a shaft type lookin thing is still there where the pulley was. any input would be appreciated... i know i got this thread going long but it was well worth it, i learned a lot, and SHE RUNS!

My '86 GL has a tan/brown interior... but I have never seen a DL or Loyale with that color.

Glad you found out what was wrong with your Soob! Car payments are no fun... You have a K-Car? I also have one, a 1987 Dodge 600... I almost love it as much as the Soob!

heres something... it wont spin by hand... but it does do this... okay i aligned the spark plug wires with the rotor and cap... spark plug wire number one being the one right in front of the rotor. i tried turning it over, it was a no-go, and then i lifted the cap again, and the rotor's moved over a spot? is that normal?? im just about to throw in the towel.... i wish SO MUCH that thing would start... i absolutely LOVE subaru's... but all this is getting me is a big headache.

okay the timing belts are lined up properly (went by miles fox's tutorial) and i did more searching... i took the disty cap off, and the metal/plastic thing with an arrow (is that the rotor?) well, the arrow is pointing towards the front driver side of the car... is that okay? isnt it supposed to point to piston 1?

i had a friend check the timing, since i dont know anything about it. but i think this time i'll check it myself, the radiator and all that stuff in the front is already out. there should be holes on the pulleys right? one pointing up, and one pointing down? i need specifics so i can check it, or a link to direct me on how to do it.

ok, i tried to prime it, still no start. guess it might not have been the gas after all... i shall download that pdf and read it... and see what comes out of it.

im going to try to find that intake boot right now... on the spark plug, its fuel, not coolant... it reeks of gas, and i looked down the spark plug holes for green and there wasnt any sign of it. cylinder 1- 135 cylinder 2- 130 cylinder 3- 130 cylinder 4- 135

changed fuel filter, made fuel pump get rid of that old gas, put in 2 gallons new gas, still not starting... by the way the filter is a Deutsch cheapie one, but gas is getting through the filter.. i'm going to try that "priming" technique. but, where is this intake boot i need to remove to put gas in it? does anyone have a pic or a real good description of how to find it?

i just disconnected the big line off of the gas tank, and plugged in the green connectors, and let the fuel pump, pump it all out. so theres a good chance that getting the old gas out and the new gas in, and changing the fuel filter, (i bought a cheap $4.99 autozone one for now, called Deutsch) this thing will all of a sudden start? i hope so...