my legacy wagon has an issue with starting after its sat overnight. it does not happen every time id say that it has probly happened like 3 or 4 times since i got the car just about a month ago now. i start the car and sometimes it just lacks power ill hit the gas it just wont respond i hear the engine bogging out and what sounds like backfiring from the intake if i floor it it will slowly build speed while backfiring through the intake or at least that's what i think the sound sounds like untill it gets to around 2500 rpm and the power starts to return in bursts for a second before it jumps into life and runs normal it wont do this again for a few days after it happens. other times it will feel like it is actually misfiring but wont through a code i will floor it and instead of just lacking power it will feel like its missing on a cylinder and will miss until i floor it and let the rpms get to that sweet spot where it clicks and everything goes to normal. what could be causing these symptoms? the car runs so great for days then randomly will run like tihs only for a dead cold start up until i floor it and let it run up to speed.

do the poor running episodes correspond with dew/rain.fog type weather? Might be old plug wires or coil shorting-out.

 

Could also be oil getting on the plug wire boots.

 

has the car been maintained well? any recent work done or wrecks before this problem began?

 

how many miles and was the timing belt changed on schedule?

the last time it happened it was a wet morning but the other times it was dry. the plugs are new the wires and coil are the same that were on it when i got it they appeared in good condition. i wiggled the wires around last time it had the missing issue and did not get shocked and yielded no results. the wires were clean so its most likely not oil getting on the wires i do not think the car was maintained well by the previous owner. it has 192,000 miles i looked at the timing belt it looked in good condition and i put the cover back on. it was in a wreck before i bought it unsure what they hit but the bumper was fine. the hood and radiator support took the impact. oddly enough the radiator and ac radiator dont leak they sure took some hit as both of them are now bowed into a half moon like shape. i bent the front end back into shape. this is how it sat when i purchased it i spent a lot of time with a mini sledge hammer on the front end to get the hood to close and line up properly again

 

Edited November 27, 201411 yr by sirtokesalot

you need to do a lot more investigation into the timing belt. From what I have read, the belt rarely breaks - but one or 2 idlers will explode, or possibly the tensioner will fail. When I did mine, 2 idlers were very worn and one was a little loose and 'dry' sounding. Plus, the tensioner was weak - only 52K miles!

 

It should be done every 105,000 miles , OR 105 months, whichever comes first. If someone did a quick belt-swap without replacing the idlers - and maybe the tensioner and water pump - it's a time bomb waiting to bend the valves.

What year is the car?

 

+1 to what Lucky Tex said.  The "looks" of the timing belt and plug wires mean nothing--get in there and replace them.  Replace idlers and re-seal the front end.  Do a tune-up.

 

If it's a '95 or '96 EJ22 you won't bend valves . . . but you'll still be stranded!

Unmetered air leak.

 

Check all the IAC, and PCV hoses for any cracks.  Look for any other vac leaks.

 

Spark plugs and wires too can cause trouble like this but ussually that you will have to get out of the throttle to make the bucking stop.

Unmetered air leak.

 

Check all the IAC, and PCV hoses for any cracks.  Look for any other vac leaks.

 

Spark plugs and wires too can cause trouble like this but ussually that you will have to get out of the throttle to make the bucking stop.

 

 

Too add to what he said, air leaks, especially vacuum tend to be worse cold.  Also, the will effect the engine more before the O2S warm up, as the ecu has to guess what it needs.  Once the O2S warms up, it can see it's running lean, and adjust for it.  Spark plug wires are possible, but it is usually worse under a load.  Timing belt is probably not your issue, but 1 Lucky Texan is right, I've seen a few pulleys "explode" on these.  Wouldn't be a bad idea to check them, but I don't think that's your issue.

What year is the car?

 

+1 to what Lucky Tex said.  The "looks" of the timing belt and plug wires mean nothing--get in there and replace them.  Replace idlers and re-seal the front end.  Do a tune-up.

 

If it's a '95 or '96 EJ22 you won't bend valves . . . but you'll still be stranded!

it is a 1995 and has the ej22

 

 

Unmetered air leak.

 

Check all the IAC, and PCV hoses for any cracks.  Look for any other vac leaks.

 

Spark plugs and wires too can cause trouble like this but ussually that you will have to get out of the throttle to make the bucking stop.

 

  i checked over the vac lines i could see and did not see any cracked or disconnected lines.

 

 

 

 

 i might go to the junk yard tomarrow for some rear sway bar links and i need some of those clips that hold the rear hatch panels on. should i grab any sensors while im there?

grab MAF and a coil pak.

 

My 95 had some misfiring issues that turned out to be the coil pak arcing externally - there is a short video of it around here somewhere...symptoms were similar to what you are describing...

 

on the vacuum lines - if they are hard (cant easily squeeze them) they should be replaced. they may look ok, but more than likely arent sealing on their fittings very well anymore

ah, 2.2 - the worst that would do is leave you stranded if the belt was thrown.

Fuel and air filters new?

Get a new Subaru PCV valve.

 

Check all of the hoses that attach to the intake tube. Make sure all the clamps are tight. Make sure the other ends of the hoses are properly attached at the valve covers, and the ends are not split.

at this moment its gotten dark. after getting out of work at 1 i went to the yard and got the sway bar links maf coil some clips for the rear door one of those roof map light things for the roof and i grabbed the passenger side wind deflector thing only one subaru had them and the drivers one was broke. it was on an outback limited it seemed like stock quality. if anyone has the drivers side one let me know i would like to buy it.( im talking about the things that go over the window so u can have the window cracked open when its raining and not have water come in) i have not yet had the chance to put the new coil and maf on it got dark. the old sway links fought me the whole way they dident want to come off.

Edited November 29, 201411 yr by sirtokesalot

it ran poor when i went to leave this morning i put the new maf on and left home again it ran fine. ill have to wait a few days to find out if it fixed it or not.

it happened again this morning. i started it it idled fine put it in drive and pressed the gas the engine did not rev it just seemed like it lost a little idle started popping missing and what seemed like backfiring again i held it floored it kept doing this for about 10 seconds before it got enough speed and then it cleared up and drove fine all day.

Just a thought off the top of my head, but you may have a leaking injector. It would cause the engine to flood when it aits for a long time. When you open up the throttle, and brings the revs up, you'd be clearing out the extra fuel. Usually, when the car is running, they don't leak bad enough to cause noticeable performance issues.

again i held it floored

No cold engine is gonna respond well to to WOT immediately after starting.

How long are you letting the engine idle before taking off?

These don't respond well to cold jack-rabbit starts.

 

The two main issues I can think of are either a vacuum leak, or the ECT sensor is going bad. I'm leaning towards vacuum leak.