Megell

Hi Nipper, when I called them about the alt. I asked if I could just drive it down and have them check it on the car ..(hopefully while the warning light are on and not off, because the voltage changes as well as the rpm of the engine when they go on and off) thinking I could just install new one in parking lot if needed. They said they do not have a mechanic to perform such a task. I thought, well, I got a voltmeter and I can show you that the alternator drops down at least to 12.1 v. and as high as 17 and 19v. Nipper, maybe I not testing right. I am connecting the + lead to the large wire on the alt. and grounding the black leak on the alt. housing or nearby engine parts. Am I doing something wrong? Mike

I was surprised that he said external reg. He also asked this other guy Chris (that sold me the one I've been using for six months) and he also said that my alt. that he sold me did not have internal reg. and of course that it checked out ok. I believe them about the alt. readings but except for the fact that it can take up to an hour of driving and then the 4 dash lights appear and then go out There seems to be no real set pattern to when they come on. Tucson Alt. Exchange seems reputable and they were helpful when I returned it for a test. ... OH man, As I type this I remembered that I called TAE beforehand and told them over the phone the symptons and..this same guy Chris said..to me over the phone that it was probably the internal regulator spiking. I will give him a call Monday to see if Subaru reg. is in or out. Meanwhile I keep driving armed with my trusty voltmeter. Mike

I removed the alt. last nite and returned it to the supplier for testing. Since the problem has been intermittent, I was afraid that the problem might not show up when they tested it. 15 minutes of testing and a hardcopy readout sheet of it performance were all within specs. OK, I put it back on, making sure everything in clean and tight and start the car and everything is normal, until less than an hour of driving, the lights came back on.....and off..etc; That's the way I'm driving it right now with the lights coming on and then off. The battery, so far, seems ok at upper 12 volts. I'll keep an eye on it to see if it starts discharging. The supplier also said that my 91 legacy's alternator does NOT have a built in regulator. Is that true? Is there a voltage regulator that's not part of the alt. that I'm not aware of. Mike

It's interesting to note that the original alt. failed and never did give me ANY kind of light or indication until the car started running crappy and died in the middle of one of the busiest intersections in Tucson. Cost me an additional 300 + because of the red light that appeared and photo radared me. I coasted to a stop just past the intersection and nothing. Where were those lights when I needed them? And now the lights are telling me the alt. is bad....hmmmm! I wonder how hard it would be to hook up a real amp gauge instead of the batt. light? BTW, what's up with turbo car without full gauges, no boost gauge either. Oh well. Mike

Alt. was a rebuild by a Alt/starter rebuild company here in Tucson. It came with a readout sheet showing output details etc; and a 1 year warranty. I called the company and they said it sounded like the internal Reg. was Spiking and to bring it in. Mike

Thanks John, 91 Legacy SS, 5spd. 195K, well maintained. Recent new batt. and alt., Mike

I just now started the car and the 4 lights were on and stayed on. I popped the hood and hooked a voltmeter from the output post on alt. and grounded the black lead on the alt housing and the reading was 12.1 v. I revved the engine and the voltage did not increase. The battery is new last June as well as the alt. Cables are clean and tight. The battery reads 12.46 volts at this time. Thanks for your input. Mike

Hi Everyone, I hope you can help me with a problem. Recently while driving my ABS, BRAKE, STOP LAMP and BATT dash warning light would come on and I could feel a slight difference in performance. My question (s) are does anyone know what would cause those four lights to come on and off intermitanly (sp?)?. It's happening now several times a day while driving. I carry a voltmeter thinking I can take an alt. output reading while the dash lights are on but they go out and the alt reads like 14.1 ISH . Of course I get back in and drive off and they come back on again. Would the alt. regulator cause those particular 4 dash lights to come on instead of just the batt. dash light. Sorry for long post but I kinda need to fix this myself as this is one of those lean times. Thanks for any help everyone. Mike

Hi Nipper, The timing belts, crank pulley and serpentine belts were replaced earlier this year with new. I changed the alt. this last June and the belts still seem tight and no noise of any kind coming from anywhere. I'm wondering if maybe the batt. cables, but they look good for a 18 yr old car. Mike

Thank you, good points to look at. I cleaned the terminals with the wire cone and it seemed like they were ok when I replaced both batt. and alt. I am suspicious of either the alt. or a ground, but everything looks tight reasonably clean. I checked the alt. with voltmeter the next day after it first did it and it was putting out 14.6 v +. That was about a month ago. Mike

It happened again today on the freeway. I looked down at the gauges and the ABS, tail lamp, batt. light and maybe the brake light just appeared. The engine seemed ok, but I was going 65. It stayed on and would then go of and come back on again. I got off the highway with the intention of aborting my mission and return home. Once I got off the freeway (busiest part of downtown), the light went off when stopped at light. I reved the engine and the lights would come back on. Once I turned around and headed they did not come back on. I replaced the alternator and battery in June. BTW, I'm in Tucson, so no rain. I would like to know what the alt. is putting out when the warning lights are on. I'll arm myself with a voltmeter and maybe I can get a current reading the next time it does it. I thought maybe someone had experienced a simialar electrical symptom to guide me in the right direction. Thanks everyone, Mike

I was driving at night recently and all of a sudden my headlights dimmed slightly and my dash panel light of everything came on. Battery dash light, engine light, everything including dash warning lights I never seen before including a tail light warning light. It was intermittent and only did it on the way to where I was going. Everything was working normal on the way home. I recently replaced the battery and alternator and the connections are clean and tight. I have a feeling my 91 Legacy ej22t was sending me a warning, but I don't know what it is. I would appreciate anyone's suggestions as to what might cause all those dash warning lights to come on all at once for no apparent reason. Car has 194K and is well maintained and I have never had any warning lights appear when I was driving. Thank you all, Mike

I noticed when I replaced the contacts in my starter solenoid that the spade terminal for the ignition wire was a bit corroded and seemed like it could have been a tighter fit when connected. You might look at that connection a bit closer. Mike

Thanks, GD, Cables are original, but in good condition. Battery and alt. are recently new. I changed the contacts and everything seems to be back to normal. Thanks everyone for all the help. Mike

Thanks, Olnick. Yeah, it started right up. The real test will in the morning when the engine is dead cold. The last few mornings, it would just click a dozen times or so before it would engage the starter, after that, it would start just fine for the rest of the day. Pretty easy fix for $11.00 and an hour or so of time. Thanks again for all the great help.

I just changed out the contacts on my starter and reinstalled it. It occurred to me that I really did not do anything else other than wipe the contact surface of the access plate. Should I have done anything else while I was in there, like lubricate anything, or maybe the contact part of the plunger? I don't mind taking it out again if I missed something. Thanks again for any post repair advice. Mike

one or two of these hose go to the AC, so don't mess with them. i had to get the lower bolt / nut from below. it was a surprise to have to crawl under the car when the starter is on top but that's what i did. I see least two "hoses" in the way of easy removal from the top. One of them is pretty obviously the AC Hose. The other(s) looks like a coolant hose and maybe some vacuum. I see a couple of screws holding the brackets for the hoses, so removing them should help with clearance. The starter is pretty small so, that's good. I Live in Tucson, AZ, so I won't mess with the AC Line as it is working just fine right now and I don't want that to change.

Thanks Olnick, I saw the thread after I posted my question. The starter looks fairly easy to get to, except for all the hoses in the way of removal. Can It be removed from the top or underneath the car? Again thanks, Mike

I would appreciate any advice anyone can give regarding my 91 Legacy Sports Sedan, 192K. For the last week or so, when I first start the car in the morning, I turn the key and just get a "click" sound. I release the key and try again, or more and the starter finally engages and starts right up. Recent repairs include new alternator and battery. My car has always started on the first turn of the key and this is kind of a all of a sudden message that something is going south in my starter or solinoid. Thanks for any advice, Mike

Thanks Grossgary, I checked the manual and it sez use 90wt. for hot climates. So, I thought that might help with the 2nd shift. I do shift to third from 1st occasionally when I start feeling the need, but with a turbo it takes a light foot. I hope I don't have a second gear syncro going bad. I don't really know anybody that will ride in a 18 year old car with me so I don't have to worry about my ..pscyhe being on the line. I do use Mobil 1 in the engine but not sure that a synthetic in the trans. might make the problem worse. I used Amsoil for a gear lube change in my old 86 Toyota Turbo pickup truck and it would not shift without grinding the gears after that. Amsoild tech. mentioned something about a syncro thing that might happen when the oil is to slick. I don't really remember the exact words , but it makes me uncomfortable thinking the same thing could happen to my Sub. Mike

I could sure use some advise from you fellow Subaru owners. I recently moved from Colorado where it is usually cool to cold to Tucson AZ. where it is usually warm to very hot. My question is, should I run heaver gear lube in my manual trans. The reason I'm asking is that I notice after I drive for a while and the gear oil get heated up that second gear feels more and more "notchy" when I shift. I have tried double clutching, shifting even slower from first to second and it still does not feel smooth and sometimes actually grinds a little bit going into second. The car is a 91 ej22T, 5 spd with 188K. Subaru service was done on the car in Colorado at 168K and clutch and fluids were replaced at that time. Is perhaps the lube 75/85 (?) they used is not heavy enough for down here? What do you guys suggest? Take it to Subaru to have heavier oil installed? Do it myself with heavier oil and see what happens. I'm very easy on clutch's and shifting. I don't know why it's starting to grind going into second after things get heated up. Thanks for any suggestions. Mike

Thanks OB99W, I'll check the site out. I do remember taking a reading at the battery posts with car idling and old alt. and it read 12.3v prox. with not much difference in higher rpm. I always thought that my car, with a factory turbo, should have had gauges for the Alt. and Oil instead of just a light. And what's up with no turbo boost gauge or even a simple light? I still love the car though and I'll just do what I have to do to keep it running. Thanks again for the website. Mike

I was surprised and disappointed that my battery dash light did not come on with a alternator not putting out enough voltage to run the car. I'm used to a light coming on letting you know that it needs attention. I just ever so barely made it through a very big, busy and dangerous intersection before the engine just died. That's what concerns me. If the amp dash light had come on, I would have had time to fix it before the surprise of a dead car on a busy road. I realized a battery can go bad without too much warning, but an alt. to fail without the amp light lighting up is new to me.

Thanks OB99W, good information to know if needed in the future. Mike