Howdy all,

 

I have a 96 Outback (2.2l, 5 spd) that is hesitating or surging on anything more than a mild accelerations. Are there any easy things I can do (plugs, fuel filter, air filter) that will probably take care of this or is it due for some more expert adjustments at 158k? Its in great shape other than the past week of hesitating when asked to zoom! thanks in advance!

 

badjer

ooops.. accelerations. I hate looking illiterate!

 

 

badjer

Question: Did it used to run fine, then just suddenly just begin to act up?

it had hesitated a couple of times when cold in the past (below freezing), but ran fine warm. Now its warm and the hesitation got noticeably worse.

 

badjer

Howdy all,

Are there any easy things I can do (plugs, fuel filter, air filter) that will probably take care of this

badjer

Those things helped mine with that problem considerably. I was told when I got mine that they were just slugs. Don't expect a zippy car at all. That hesitation and lack of power was just normal. "What do you expect from a 4-cylinder wagon," they'd say. After about a year and a half of ownership, I decided I'd get a tuneup. Hadn't had one and didn't know the previous owner's maintenance record. New plugs and plug wires, etc. Major difference.

 

THEN:

 

That was followed by an injection of Techron. Even more imporovement. Then, new fuel filter. Even MORE improvement. New knock sensor (at behest of CEL) helped as well. New air filter capped it off. My former slug is now zippy zippy zippy.

it had hesitated a couple of times when cold in the past (below freezing), but ran fine warm. Now its warm and the hesitation got noticeably worse.

I gotta concur with hawksoob, if it's been a while since any of the scheduled maintenance has been done, start with that. Have a look at the plugs, and if in doubt... just change 'em, check that the plug wires or the coil pack aren't arcing, throw-in a new fuel filter. If that doesn't take care of it, move on to some finer points.