Aquaticus

The wire between the relay and the fuel pump is continuous and by bridging the relay I am able to hear the fuel pump operating. I've tried setting it up like this and quickly trying to crank the engine over but now I can't even get it to fire, even with a cap of gasoline in the throttle body.

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And as a morale booster, I did tip a cap of gasoline into the throttle body, fired her up and the engine coughed into life.

Thanks very much for this advice, guys, it's most encouraging. It had to be the one with the green plug, damn it! Why did they have to hide the fuel pump relay in such an out-of-reach spot. Well, I eventually got it loose and it's showing 70 ohms and making an audible click when energized. As for the fuse, it's not in either fuse box and I haven't been able to open the '98 Legacy FSM which I downloaded. Where else could that fuse be hiding? I bridged the connection on the green plug and my assistant couldn't hear the pump whir. So, fuse or wiring? what's the next step? do I start checking continuity between the relay and the pump?

I've removed the fuel pump and emptied and cleaned the tank. The pump works but is getting no power (there is battery voltage for the sending unit on the same plug though). Supposedly there is a fuse for the fuel pump but I can't locate it. Also a relay which is under the dash on the driver's side, near the fuse box, according to the manual, which I also can't locate. Any clues?

As for fuel pressure, I would have thought that when the fuel line is disconnected at the filter, for example, and the engine is turning over, fuel would squirt from the open fuel line. This doesn't happen. Is it supposed to? Surely the fuel pump would be forcing fuel towards the engine.

I'm only assuming the fuel is good because it looks clean. Could that be the problem? I had some starter fluid and was able to get the engine to fire. There was very little left (I'm in a somewhat remote location) and I'm now trying to start it by spraying WD40 into the air intake without a result. I would have thought that even if the fuel was old, the spray would combust.

I'm in Panama trying to start a '98 Outback Legacy which hasn't run for ten months. The engine is turning over but not firing. There is clean (but old) fuel at the filter and also at the injectors. The plugs are clean and sparking. Is there something I've overlooked? Anyone have any tips? Cheers, Richard

Thanks for the advice. The engine was receiving fuel but I think it got even more after I removed the other end of the line from the tank and blew it through with a foot pump for an inflatable boat. That seemed to do the trick because I got her running.

Thanks very much for the useful suggestions guys. No mice, thank goodness! I charged up the battery. Discovered that the positive cable leading to the fuse box was damaged. Replaced the broken cable terminal. The starter wouldn't spin. Replaced worn copper points on the solenoid. The engine is turning over now but will only fire with a spray of starting fluid and dies immediately after. The fuel pump seems to work, I can hear it when the key is turned. I removed the fuel filter which is full of clear gasoline as are the lines which meet it. It seems to me that the engine isn't receiving fuel. I had hoped rather optimistically that any old fuel or varnish in the fuel line would be pushed through and combusted and afterwards run smoothly. The fuel tank is still half full of gasoline which has been sitting for ten months. Could the quality of the fuel have deteriorated to the point where the engine won't run on it? If so, is it necessary to remove all traces of it from the lines and tank? Should I be disconnecting the fuel line and forcing air or new fuel through under pressure to clear it out? Is there a procedure which I should be following for this situation?

The scenario: 1998 Legacy Outback left unattended for ten months in remote location in a backward country. The battery, possibly beyond recovery, seemed to be holding a charge after an hour on an AC charger. The charger has a 50amp starting function but when combined with the charging battery there were no signs of life as the ignition key was turned. Am I expecting too much? Do I need to wait until the battery has amassed some number of cranking amps? I would have hoped for some dashboard indicator lamp to light up or even a faint murmur from the starter. All the fuses are intact. Could a completely dead battery be the problem or does it suggest something more complex? When I temporarily removed the charger from the battery it showed a healthy voltage although I haven't left it off the charger to see how quickly it might drop. I don't have another vehicle to try and jump start it with. Any suggestions?

I would greatly appreciate some good advice here. I have a 1998 Legacy Outback sitting down in Panama City with a serious oil leak. Last year the engine (EJ25D) was removed and the head gaskets, main crank bearings, rod bearings and piston rings were replaced by some young local mechanics. All those parts were shipped down from the States, but when the engine was reassembled, the rear main oil seal was acquired locally for a suspiciously low price. The engine seems to run well but now there is a massive oil leak from the rear end. I'm assuming that the rear main oil seal is at fault but I understand from reading some of the other posts here that there could be other possibilities. The rear separator plate for example, although I don't think they would have had to touch that to get the block back together. I am about to head back down to Panama and would like to ensure that I have the correct parts. Can anyone steer me in the right direction please.