I have a friend woth a 96 OBW and she is having a weird problem. She can start the car just fine, but once it gets warm and she drives it and then shuts it off for a brief period, it doesn't want to start up again. She said it just turns over and acts like it is flooded. I'm thinking that there is a problem with the coolant temp sensor.

 

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

Mike

I think the ECTS is a most logical place to start. If it's still the original in the car, it's lived a long, full life! Would be worth the investment to me.

I had this problem in my '96 Outback. When I brought it to the forum it was suggested by a few that it's the crank sensor, they're prone to cracking and after a "hot soak" the crack can expand and the car won't start. The problem was intermittent and while I did change the crank sensor and the problem did stop happening, I never did know for sure if that was indeed the culprit.

+1^...Around these years the crank and cam sensor became such a problem subaru actually offered them as a kit to buy together...but yes from the sounds of it I would start by checking the crank/cam sensor...

plugged up cat converter

Pull the Temp sensor connector next time it won't start.

 

If it then starts right up......you know that the CTS is the problem

 

 

 

IMO I have never seen an intermittently failing crank or cam sensor. I've only ever seen one bad one, and it was dead always.

 

 

If the car will start predictable cold, but not warm it's 99.9% a CTS issue.

My 96 OBW had this problem in 2003. It was intermittent but only with warm engine. Got CEL P0335 which lead me to replace the crankshaft position sensor. That cured the problem.