Can anyone give me a clue...the car died and won't start, turns over but not starting. It made a popping noise, started popping and smells like burning/hot oil.

Help please college daughter's car and I'm not real close to her.

Thanks,

Steve

What have you narrowed down so far? Looked at the timing belts? Distributor moving? Can you hear the fuel pump cycling? Tried starting fluid? Lets see what else . . .?

I haven't done anything yet...car is 100+ miles away with my kid at college...it's getting towed back to her place. I will put more info up as soon as I can but right now I'm looking for a general direction.

Timing belt jumped some teeth would explain the popping. And the no start.

I see. Researching. I'm not real experienced here, but would tell you to first look at the timing belts. Peak through the plastic covers. Or pull the cap off the distributor (see if it is spinning when trying to start)(drivers side timing belt controls this). There are rubber plugs in the belt covers too, but with a 10mm wrench / screwdriver it's not hard to peek in there. The starting fluid in the intake could tell you if there is a fuel delivery issue? And keep searching. Lots of similar threads of what others have gone though (with EA-82 not wanting to start). Hope this helps.

Update - I talked to my daughter and she said it sounded like backfiring and then the deceleration/loss of power...ugh, I hope it's not the timing belts - I just had those done a couple of months ago...anyone else have some ideas (I won't get to look at it until Saturday.)

Thanks everyone!

check the rotor to make sure it's still got it's set screw in there, if it backs out it can cause trouble.

Is it carburetor'd ?

 

I have an 86' and the only thing that has left me is timing belts and fuel pump.

 

Fuel, spark and time and it should run.

 

If your rotor turns try a shot of starter fluid. If nothing check for spark. If you have spark, and starter fluid yields nothing then its back to timing belts I would think.

Not carb'd - it's a 1988 SPFI, 5 speed, 4wd GL wagon...

Not carb'd - it's a 1988 SPFI, 5 speed, 4wd GL wagon...

 

I loved my 88 wagon... as above posts... probable timing belt, set screw on rotor etc.. etc... just wanted to say... something about those 88 wagons, spfi... they just love to go!

 

Let us know what you find...

YOU ALL ROCK!!!

Car is fixed - after less than 10 minutes! Pulled off disty cap...whoa, behold a screw just layin' in there and the rotor spins around freely...got a screwdriver, a little tape to hold set screw to 'driver, and, voila! Fixed! Runs like a top again...I love simple easy fixes! On top of it all, I found a parts car with alloy wheels and some other stuff to spiff up her car...its been a good day! Thanks again for all the help - you all make owning an older subie worth the occasional pain and suffering. Now I just need to plan swapping my WRX motor and tranny into the 87 GL 4wd hatch...dreams are awesome.