[EA82 SPFI Fuel Pressure Regulator]

Thanks for the reply. I tried hooking full manifold vacuum to the regulator and at iddle the car nearly died - not enough fuel I guess! As I reved it up it seemed to work well. I did not drive the car like this.

 

I may try and find another vacuum port that is nearly zero at idle yet builds vacuum with additional RPM and see what that does. I'm doing this because I have a terrible pinging/knocking problem that I cannot figure out. Maybe you have some suggestions for me. Here's the skinny:

 

1. Only pings when the outside temperature is above 32 degrees (0 here in Canada).

 

2. Will do it when I come off a right hand ramp carrying good corner speed. Once the car is level, I will take my foot off the gas and then back on and pinging stops.

 

3. Higher octance and reduced timing helps a little but not enough. Some times it will ping even when I'm going down hill

 

4. Car runs a bit rough at idle. Sounds like small "backfires" if you put your ear to the muffler. New electronics did not help at all (plugs, wires, cap, button).

 

5. Car will sometimes erratically idle from 1000 to 1250 when coming off of fast idle during the warm up process. Eventually settles down to 900 or so.

 

All of the basics have been covered except that I have not checked all the components in the fuel system.

 

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Matt

[EA82 SPFI Fuel Pressure Regulator]

After reading your post I decided to put a vacuum gauge on my intake port (the one that the two inch rubber hose plugs into from the FPR) and I have 0 vacuum throughout the RPM range. I sprayed brake cleaner in there and the engine started to die which tells me that the fluid was making it all the way through.

 

Does anybody know what the vacuum range should be for the port that the FPR plugs into?

 

Thanks,

Matt

[when was last 2.2l automatic wagon legacy made]

This URL may give some insight to the changes in Subaru engines in 97. Check out the section Engine (9 items down).

 

http://www.ravensblade-impreza.com/techdocs/pdf/pdf.html

 

 

Originally posted by richierich

The phase II 2.2 should not have solid lifters. The phase II should have come out in 97. They have a redeigned intake that has an extra 5-10hp. The motor is just as reliable as the old 2.2

 

One note about the 99. In mid 99, they started putting the newer redesigned 2.5 in all the Legacys. You can get a old body style Legacy with the newer redesigned 2.5 (in Legacy and Outback models)

 

So the only full year of 2.2 would be a 98. And I have owned a 98 Legacy 2.2 AWD Auto Wagon. I have also worked on one 99 2.2 Auto, and two 99 2.5 Autos.

 

 

Richierich

SIR, Inc

[High Miles on your Legacy Outback?]

What years are the Phase 1 engines and the Phase 2 engines? What are the major differences between the two? The reason I'm asking is because I'm about to buy an OBW but I'm wondering if I should be getting the newer style (2000 and up) vs. the older style (currently looking at a 98 and 98).

 

Thanks,

Matt

 

Originally posted by 99obw

Well, with the Phase I 2.5 is does seem to border on routine maintainence. My guess is that a huge percentage of these engines will eventually have head gasket failure, it's just a matter of when. I feel pretty confident that my repair with the newest gasket revision should last the life of the car. If not, it's a pleasure to work on, and I would gladly replace it again.

 

I must add that despite the troubles I have had with the car, it is extremely well designed and built. By far the best car I have owned, and I have had ford, dodge, chevy, cadillac, buick, nissan, and toyota. I am not saying subarus are the best cars in the world because I haven't owned every make, but they are IMHO the best car I can afford.

[engine pinging/knocking problem with EA82]

I would be very surprised if there is excessive carbon in the cyclinders. I run the old beast pretty hard and the plugs do not have any carbon deposits on them.

 

Explain the water trick!

 

Thanks,

Matt

 

Originally posted by snotrocket

The EGR valve dilutes the incoming air/fuel mix with inert exhaust gas, effectively taking up space, and therefore lowering combustion temps.

 

How about excessive carbon in the combustion chamber? Anyone recommend a top engine cleaner or the 'water trick'?

[engine pinging/knocking problem with EA82]

Thanks for the instructions on how to test. I'll try it this weekend.

 

Matt

 

Originally posted by Hondasucks

hmm.. Maybe for some reason the computer is not adjusting the timing properly?? Put a timing light on it and rev the engine up, you should be able to see the timing advance itself.

 

I also remember hearing that there are two connectors you are supposed to hook together before setting timing??

 

 

To test the EGR valve: At idle, reach inside the diaphragm housing on the EGR valve and lift the diaphragm up, this will open the EGR valve. If the car starts to stumble (it might die even) then the EGR is working, if it does not stumble, then your passage could be blocked, or the valve stuck open (will idle rough with it stuck open) without EGR, the combustion temperature will rise, which CAN cause pinging (overly hot chamber leads to pre-ignition, fancy word for pinging).

[engine pinging/knocking problem with EA82]

I know that the vacuum to the EGR is good but I do not know if it pulling EG back or if it is just plugged at the bottom. 20 degrees is spec for the newer models. Their is no vacuum advance on the newer style distributors (crank angle sensor type distributor).

 

Thanks,

Matt

 

Originally posted by Hondasucks

The EGR valve is on the back side of the intake manifold. It's got a big round vacuum diaphragm on it.

 

Run a bottle of Chevron Techron through it, should help. Also, when you set your timing, you disconnected and plugged the vacuum advance right?

20 degrees seems awful high, mine is supposed to be 12 degrees I beleive (EA82T)

[engine pinging/knocking problem with EA82]

Thanks for the idea but the newer models do not have a vacuum advance system or weights to control advance.

 

Matt

 

 

Originally posted by All_talk

Hey Matt

 

It could be a sticky vacuum advance mechanism that’s not retarding properly at low vac (high throttle). The advance plate rides on a large diameter ball bearing that can get loaded up with crap. I had a pretty severe interment detonation problem pulling hills with my ’87 GL, I tore the distributor down, cleaned and relubed it (also replaced a bad bushing on one of the mechanical advance weights) and that solved the problem. Worth a try.

 

Gary

 

P.S. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving.

[engine pinging/knocking problem with EA82]

I don't believe the EA82's (non-turbo) came with a knock sensor. If they did please let me know where it is located.

 

Thanks,

Matt

[engine pinging/knocking problem with EA82]

Thanks for the info. I'm currious to know what you find out.

 

Matt

[engine pinging/knocking problem with EA82]

I have a 1991 Loyale EA82 (Canadian car) that has a terrible pinging problem that is driving me crazy! This is what happens.

 

The problem predominately exists when the outside temperature increases. I bought the car in the winter and did not know of the problem until it reached over 15 degrees Celsius (60 Fahrenheit) the following summer. The hotter it gets, the worse it gets. The problem happens often but not consistently. The more I drive the car the better it gets. There will be times that I don’t hear anything for an hour (on the highway) and then I will slow down for an exit and when I accelerate again, the motor sound like it is coming apart. I’ll take my foot off the gas and accelerate once again and no more pinging/knocking.

 

These are the things I have done to try and solve the problem.

 

1. Replaced O2 sensor

2. Replaced radiator (it was starting to overheat)

3. Replaced coolant temperature sensor (improved throttle response but not pinging)

4. Cleaned little "pick-up wires" in Airflow meter (intake track)

5. Timing is at 16 degrees BTDC. If I set it at the recommended 20 it is worse. At 16 degrees the car is noticeably sluggish.

6. Recent tune-up with NGK V-grove plugs, cap and rotor. I also purchased an Accell Super Stock coil but it basically left me on the side of the road the next day (ignition would cut in and out, would stall at idle – old coil is back in and working fine).

 

At this point I'm totally lost! I can unplug the O2 sensor but there is no difference except throttle response goes to hell. I must run high octane fuel 91 or it is considerably worse. My Subaru guru told me that he has seen this time and time again in Loyale’s from 1990 to 1992. There seems to be a design flaw with these years. My questions for the group are:

 

1. Can anyone confirm the 1990-1992 problem that seems to plague EA82’s?

 

2. Can anyone suggest something to me that I may have not thought of?

 

Thanks so much,

Matt

Lethbridge, Alberta