Markus

I have a 90 Legacy Auto - Hitachi ignition coil and ignitor and think the coil may be faulty. The coil's primary resistance is slightly over the .77 ohm spec. but the secondary is 14.5k cold and 15.6k warm. I wouldn't think this alone makes it bad. The car misses at idle and whenever it has a load. The ignitor seems to be ok as a test of the terminals 1 to 2 and 3 to 2 makes a test light flash with engine cranking. I understand the wasted spark works that the coil fires cylinder 3 & 4 at the same time but only one of them would be at compression thus being able to make use of the spark since the other is in exhaust. When I hook up a timing light to plug wires 1 or 3 the light flashes at twice the rate when hooked to plug wires 2 or 4. I would not think this is a by-product of the wasted spark thing and think it may point to a bad ignition coil. Is there someone that can confirm with a good running legacy if this is the case with timing light flash rate? I'm thinking that I am only getting half the cylinder fires that I need on cylinders 4 & 2 because of the light flash rate thing. It would be a great help in my situation.

I just tried the timing light trick as I've read on other threads. Cylinders 1 & 3 trigger the timing light at twice the rate of cylinders 2 & 4. Is this the wasted spark thing I've read of or signs of a bad coil? OZified: The crank pully actually slips on the key way? If this was messing with my timing wouldn't it run badly always? I can get it to run smooth in park above 1100 rpm. Also, while the engine warms up it runs pretty smoothly without a load. Probably cause it is above 1100 rpm during warm up. As soon as its warm it runs like crap.

Setright: These are the 2 threads related to my delema. 90 Legacy loping idle - HELP! Fuel Pressure Regulator

I re-threading my problem with my '90 Legacy. I'm running out of things to try. Any help would be appreciated. It runs rough at idle (drive and park) and pretty much most of the time. If in park I can rev the engine above 1000 rpm and it runs fine. I have no codes at this time but have replaced the knock sensor (due to code), adjusted the TPS, checked PVC, cleaned IAC, checked injectors for operation, tested fuel pressure (all fine- pump and FPR), new plugs, wires and fuel filter. All this seems to work ok. I am now looking at the ignition coil. I have a Hitachi (noted little logo on front) and the resistance in the connector from terminal 1 to 2 & 2 to 3 is 0.9 & 0.8 ohms (manual says 0.7 ohms with no tolerance?) and (plug wire terminals) 1 to 2 & 3 to 4 of 15.5K and 15.6K (manual says 13.8k with no tolerance?). Does anyone know if this measurement is too far from ideal? Also, I noticed that the "paint" on the bottom of the coil was falling off. I pulled it all and put electrical tape on it - but that didn't help rough running. Running in the dark and looking for sparks showed nothing. I REALLY don't want to give in but I am near the end of the rope. Any input would be great.

My '90 Legacy will do that sometimes if the tire pressures are not equal, thus making the tire/wheel combos not the same circumference and causing the bind. I had it added air and it was gone, may be coincidence.

I'm going by your text "fuel filter" not pump: Both my '81 & '83 4WD Wagons would start running real bad, sputtering and within the day could barely run, one left me stranded. Replaced the fuel filter and running great again.

Josh, I was pinching off the return line as outlined in the Haynes manual. What would the color of the spark from the coil pack look like? Should it be Blue or Orange?

From another thread of mine: I suspected the FPR so I installed a VDO in line pressure gage. At idle the the pressure is 30 psi. With the vacuum hose off the FPR the pressure is 38 psi. Both are in spec. So...I don't have low pressure. The Haynes book says "if you pressure is too low....do the pinch off test." I do this, even though my pressure is ok at idle, and my pressure jumps immediately to 70 psi for the short time I have it pinched. I need help interpreting the Haynes Manual. Does this 70 psi pinch off pressure mean the FPR is bad no matter what the idle pressure is OR should I just not have done this test because my idle pressure is ok? Also, Re-checking the coil pack and timing. The timing still seems to be on when it idles decently at all. But..I did notice that the strobe of the timing light stutters much like the engine. It does not have a perfectly uniform blink rate over a 5 second period. This seems to be on all cylinders (if using it an anything other than #1 is valid). The spark from the coil pack for each wire is an orange color. Is this ok or should it be blue? One more thing to this novel: I hear definite backfires in the exhaust and sometimes through the throttle body but it seems that the timing is OK. HELP!

I finally got the fuel pressure gage installed today. I got the chrome VDO but got the 100 psi cause I thought I read the pressure during testing would go up to 70 psi. The reason I got this was cause I suspected the FPR. At idle the the pressure is 30 psi. With the vacuum hose off the FPR the pressure is 38 psi. Both are in spec. So...I don't have low pressure. The Haynes book says "if you pressure is too low....do the pinch off test." I do this, even though my pressure is ok at idle, and my pressure jumps immediately to 70 psi for the short time I have it pinched. I need help interpreting the Haynes Manual. Does this 70 psi pinch off pressure mean the FPR is bad no matter what the idle pressure is OR should I just not have done this test because my idle pressure is ok? Any thoughts?

I was wondering if there was something like that available. Where did you buy it...at a chain auto store? Autozone has the test type that I really don't need.... but a permanent under hood would be cool. Gonna look around.

Your right Josh. I thought about it today and I would be a bit upset if my fpr was good and the fuel pump slowly dying. It sure would be nice if that was the fix.....looks easy to get to. I thought I had read some where that someone had pulled the vacuum hose and the rpms went way up. Gonna go out a buy a pressure gage and find out for sure.

If you read my other thread ('90 Legacy Loping Idle) my current issue is with a crappy idle. Well I have replaced plugs, wires, knock sensor, fuel filter; cleaned IAC; checked PVC valve, TPS, coil spark; listened to injectors clicking and pulled the fuel pump this afternoon thinking maybe there was some crap sucked onto the pickup screen.....no luck? It runs the same after re-installing the pump as the screen was clean. I think it is probably the fuel pressure regulator. At idle when I pull off the vacuum hose....no change in engine speed or sound at all, when I pull off at higher rpms (2000+) just the slightest change...maybe a little faster but very slight. There is vacuum on the line as it sucks my finger against to opening. Seems like a bad fuel pressure regulator? I'd rather just buy the part than a fuel pressure gage and then the part. What else could the problem be? Thanks for any input.

I put in STP fuel injector cleaner with a full tank. Let sit, run, let sit, run, lightly tap on fuel pressure regulator..... Idles very smoothly about 80% of time. Maybe a coincidence, will wait and see.

I put in a tank of mid grade gas with a bottle of STP injector cleaner. It seems to running the best it has in a couple of weeks. When I saw that it was about $100 for a new regulator....whoa...try $2 gas treatment first. I also tap VERY lightly on the exterior of the regulator to help free up any crud. It seemed to stumble as I did this and slowly got better as I went.

I was wondering what freon type was used. Older Subarus probably used the R12 and you can't get that anymore. I was wondering if it was converted to the R132....I think that is the number.

Thanks for the help. Add another project to list.....BUT it will be great to gain the use of the fourth door.

Information from another thread: anyone ever deal with the fuel regulator at the end of the rail for this type of problem?

I have a similar problem. The fuel regulator is at the end of the rail? you mean after each injector? What could this be doing to cause this kind of performance?

'90 Legacy Sedan with a drivers side rear door that has a broken lock so I can not open the door. The lock rocker lever just flops back and forth. I peered inside and could see the cast aluminum piece that is connected to the lock rod is broken. Does anyone have a good method for slim jim-ing the door latch so I can open it and repair the mechanisim? I have not been able to reach anything in the locking mechanisim to release the latch.

Whoa....you just described most of the problem I have ('90 Legacy Loping Idle Thread) without the known previous overheat and darker plugs. All my old plugs looked the same. I'll post any additional findings in my other thread. My shaking car rough idle started on a damp day just like a shorted sensor or something but I have done/checked a lot (listed in thread) but have not fixed it yet.

Update: I have replaced the Knock sensor and reset the ECU on a cold engine. It runs different....and maybe a bit better but still stumbles and stutters while accelerating. It still idles a bit rough but will run smooth for maybe 15 seconds and then stumbles. Removing the cylinder plug wire on #2 will effect idle as it did NOT before...so progress? So I have: checked TPS, cleaned IAC, replaced plugs, wires, fuel filter, knock sensor. Did screwdriver listening trick with injectors and they all sound to be firing and I can smell fuel in the cylinder when I remove the plug after cranking. Any ideas?

I also have a 90 LS AWD. My Air did not blow cold last year and I need to fill it (I assume) due to no cold air. When you filled it what was used? I'll have to check and see if my RPMs change when I turn my AC on.

Thanks for the input....it looks as though 1stsubaruparts.com is it! Markus

I'm looking for some sources for fair priced Subaru parts (1st gen Legacy). From another thread of mine it seems I need a knock sensor. My local (Northern Indiana) dealer wants $65. I heard you can get one for about $35. Any trusted sources that can be recommended. I can't get Liberty's website to work and my best price is www.1stsubaru.com Any others people trust? Markus

ejlain - purchased new plug wires. legacy777 - cylinders 2 & 3 per the Haynes manual and also there are little silver stickers on the injector wire harnesses. 2 would be driver side front and 3 would be passenger back. It seems I may have been tricked as now pulling 3 will make a performance difference BUT #2 plug wire pulled will not do a thing. Pulling wires 1 or 4 will instantly kill the engine. At my second reset I kinda of cheated and did it without the engine being cold - actually was warm - not hot - to the touch and I also forgot not to touch the pedal before turning off the engine. Maybe that screwed up the reset BUT the code 22 is still there and it runs real bad at all speeds now. While going 55+ it surges and sputters and yuck and still lopes at idle. i drove about 15 miles with no improvement. I used a screwdriver to listen to each injector and they all sounded the same. I guess I will have to crank the engine and make sure that fuel is in there. Being married with 4 daughters I tend to not spend the time I should with the soobie and let the code 22 go on to long BUT each spark plug I pulled looked fine - just worn, no evidence of dentonation. I'm going to have to think. Any thoughts would be great. Markus