nickbalcombe99

Hi guys - computer code def points to idle control motor. I have been quoted $600?!!? to get it fixed. Hoping you might be able to shed some light on whether this is ridiculous or not. Car goes in next Wednesday! Cheers, Nick

Hi guys, $100 later and it came back with an idle control motor fault (and other other downstream issue). What I overlooked mentioning last post was that the car was wavering in revs when just started and was occasionally stalling because the idle motor wasn't doing its job. They 'cleaned it up' and the car is running MUCH more smoothly now... however, last night, the engine light came back on! Mechanic said if it happened again, replacement is necessary. My question to you guys is - can I do it myself? Or how much labour is involved cos if it's cheap I'll just let them do it. Cheers, Nick

Mike - thanks mate, you're right, I'm gonna need the code. I'll sort it out and come back with it to see if you've got some advice Thanks heaps, Nick

G'day guys, Long time no post, hope all is well in the world of your subie I have had a Forester X for about 18 months. 140k's, reg serviced, runs well as far as I can tell. Every now and then the engine light comes on (it has happened well over 20 times), doesn't flash, just stays on for a day or two then goes off again. It happens more regularly after visiting my girlfriend's place which is a steep uphill trip and then down hill coming back (heavier driving). I haven't taken it to a mechanic to get the codes checked yet. I am planning on selling it and don't want a potential buyer to have to worry about it. Any ideas about common causes and simple fixes? Thanks heaps, Nick

Yeah I imagine a new battery is in order regardless... I'll get some photos of the poor bloody car to show you how badly my mongrel brother treated it, and also to show you improvements in coming months

Could it be that simple? Am I to be checking the fuses under the hood, the ones under the dash, or both? I spose it's worth having a good look through all of them... Thanks, I'll do this tonight. Nick

OK - update. I put the battery in and found out the following - no noise from fuel pump when in the on position (although I can't remember it ever making a noise?) - distibutor rotor IS turning when I crank it... - battery is farked, lasted about 20 seconds of work before dying. What next then?! Ta, Nick

How do I find out if it's the timing belts for sure? Where can I find instructions on replacing them etc?

Thanks guys. The battery is on the charge as we speak - I'll see what happens tomorrow but as far as I am aware it turns over but no spark when a plug is pulled from the block. How does a timing belt affect the spark? Thanks, Nick

Further to above, I pulled the distributor cap off and there is white residue settled on the contacts in the lid, leading to the leads....

Hi all, Long time no post! The past five years my younger brother has been using my '92 GL (Loyale) wagon and has pretty much ruined it completely. Body is trashed, multiple crashes, interior a mess. The time has come to clean it up and get it running (!!) again. I am told that when the battery had charge, it was turning over but no sparks we being generated. That's all I have for you now - not a car genius but willing to learn - coil / distributor issue? If so how easy are they to test / replace and what will I need? Thanks, looking forward to some Subie revival! Nick

Thanks Guys, I'll have a closer look this weekend. It isn't a pleasant noise, I think ur right about not driving it. Let's hope it's just a loose axel nut! Cheers, Nick

Hi Guys, Long time no post, sadly I have given the Subaru to my little brother who is currently looking to mod the hell out of it, like his brother before him and ....etc etc... Anyway we took it for a drive, next thing you know we hear this consistent noise coming from rear left wheel arch - changes with speed and when you go really slow it is actually three - six separate 'click's as though metal is grindingn on metal. It got a hell of a lot worse very quickly, and only does it when there is pressure on this side - i.e. turning right. There is no sound while turning left and no sound while rotating the wheel on a jack. I assume it's a driveshaft / CV issue - any ideas on how to narrow that down? Thanks, Nick

Hmmm...not sure whether I wanna spend the money, so might switch the back ones with the front ones, and hope whoever buys it doesn't clue on!! WD-40 sounds a little suspect...might do some more research...I think it has more to do with the springs wearing out?? Thanks anyway guys, Nick

Hi All, The seatbelts in the front of my soob are starting to die - they require some manual handling to feed them back into the wall! Can this be repaired by taking them out and recoiling them or something along those lines? Thanks, Nick

Hi All, Thanks for your advice, I wento Repco and picked up some oil additive (Slick 50 was $52.99 (ripoff) so I went for cheaper alternative) and carbie cleaner, both of which have given the Soob a new lease on life! She's idling more nicely and running more smoothly. I also found out what vibrating noise was - just the exhaust pipe a little way back from the cat! Which is good news! It is still back firing a bit when I let her drop speed while still in 2nd or 3rd, but not sure whether there's an easy way to fix that... Thanks again

The grinding is not evident when Idle, only when I give it some throttle. It's sounds sorta like something is vibrating off balance, v hard to explain without hearing it. Like when you spin a worn bearing and it rattles instead of actually spinning, like bounces around its axis. That kinda noise on a bigger scale! Yeah I prob need to get it checked out but I dont wanna spend any more money on it yet!

Hi All, I have a '92 L series wagon. 1.8 EA82 Carbie. It is sounding like it needs some tender loving care. Spluttering, gasping for air, struggling to start in the mornings, etc etc. I have recently had it serviced and can't afford a tune up so I am looking for some cheap options to keep my baby running...are there fuel additives that can clean her up or would carbie cleaner help my cause? Another issue is this dodgy "grinding" noise coming from engine. Changes with revs, and comes in and out. If anyone knows how a lawn mower sounds (like it is off balance or something?) then that is probably the closest description I can give you. Maybe we can suss it out with the right q and a's! Any help would be appreciated. I need to keep her running til I buy the '03 REX wagon in October!! :) Thanks, Nick:)

Yeh, pretty sure auto choke is problem now that I think about it - car was idling at "choke speed" constantly for a while there. Now will generally drop to normal warm idle speed after it has warmed up - engine may have been flooding - could have been combination of hot air / flooding... I know this is a big question but what are my options with regard to choke. Easily fixed? Thanks again, N.

Codes / O2 sensor are probably a little above my head ... Car has been running a lot better since I disconnected the hot air tube from cat converter through to air intake. When I gave some revs there was a weird sucking noise from the thermostatically controlled intake gate on the air filter intake (where it changes from plastic to metal prior to air filter). So disconnected pipe from intake, so no hot air could be sucked in. Remember this is carb engine so does it still have a computer as such? Could be auto choke - or the car was sucking hot air the whole time. Any other ideas? Thanks, Nick

Nah carbie! I drove it about 15km last night, and after a while idle speed dropped to "normal". This morning again it was high on the way to work. Will have another look tonight - could it be fuel system? Thanks again, N.

Checked all vacuum hoses - all fine. My muffler is pretty severely worn out, could that be the cause? Also, the sucking noise I refered to in the first post is coming from the temperature switch on the air intake (the thing that changes from hot to cold air intake once the car has warmed up). If muffler worn, would lack of back pressure be the problem? Thanks again, Nick

Thanks Ross, Will have a look at it tonight after work and let you know how I go. The hose may only be half off since I am only losing vacuum at higher revs... Thanks again for the quick reply. Nick

Hi All, Long time since I have made a post - had forgotten my old details so had to recreate account (think it was deleted on change over to new server??). Anyway, I still have the '92 L series wagon. Has just passed its 10,000km service mark, and is idling very high (don't have tacho so not sure exactly) and I am experiencing a real lack of power - it burbles heavily above about 2500 rpm. Nearly didn't make it up the hill yesterday. Checked oil, a little low so topped up. Seems to be breathing ok. Some kind of sucking noise when I give it some throttle in neutral but can't find it. It probably just needs the service, but can't afford it until at least next week. Any help / tips would be GREAT Thanks, Nick