Hey there everyone!! Im a long time soob owner but new poster in need of some assistance. I have a 2002 Legacy wagon that got rear ended about 3 weeks ago. The physical damage is pretty minor but when I started the car to drive away from the accident scene I immediately noticed there was a driveability issue which has got progressively worse. When driving it now "stutters" and loses power. If you ease off on the gas and then press it again it goes back to normal. It also now has sudden wild tach fluctuations when it is running in idle/park. And it is getting worse to the point now where its not safe to drive. I initially thought perhaps some crud and varnish got knocked off the tank due to the collision so I changed the fuel filter but that hasnt changed anything. Even though its a zero fault accident the insurance people have refused to accept that this is due to the accident (and maybe it isnt but it wasnt like this before the collision) and claimed because of the age (2002) that its unrelated. I largely dont care about the cause but I need to fix this and I am poor so I cant afford to take it and spend $150 for a diagnostic that the local shop has pointed out might not pinpoint the problem. I am wondering if anyone else with this model (or any other) has experienced this problem and what you "guys" could suggest. I am wondering if the fuel pump/ sending unit in the rear tank, which is original/old has given up the ghost after the blow from the other car. Since a replacement pump here in Canada is $400 and the entire sending unit/pump is $600 I cant afford to swap it out to see if that fixes it. So does anyone have any thoughts about how to proceed? I dont care what the issue is (insurance wont pay anyway) but i need to see if i can come up with a fix on my own. This is my only vehicle and I have a family...we NEED this car. Any and all suggestions welcome. Many thanks!!

I doubt if it is a fuel pump problem but a used one from a wrecking yard shouldn't cost too much.

 

Don't know why I am suggesting this but check the battery connections. 

Thanks so much John. Im trying to get my hands on a wrecking yard one as we speak. They are hard to come by up here in Nova Scotia. At least I can eliminate that at hopefully not too much cost. My greatest fear is it is some electronic fuel control issue. I started thinking about O-2 sensors or PCV valves  and such but Im way over my head there. And I wasnt kidding about being desperate, my wife is seriously ill and i need the car to take her to hospital and our kid to school and silly little details like groceries and work. If I cant find a solution fast Im in deep s**t. I will also check my battery connections. I very much appreciate your advice. I havent had much good luck in the last year so I really appreciate you taking the time to write me back.

Look at the exhaust pipe. It may be as simple as a kink not letting it breathe properly.

If the engine light is on, most chain auto parts stores will read the codes for free.

get them, then post back up, we'll help all we can

Edited December 9, 201510 yr by crazyhorse001

Hey guys,

Thanks Crazyhorse. Your suggestion is just what im starting to think...but not a kink in the pipe. How about a plugged cat? So I have located an intake manifold leak and put a new gasket on it. However the issue is worse than ever.  I have noticed a rotten egg smell. And my understanding is that a plugged cat could blow out the intake gasket which would lead to the surging and stumbling ive seen. Now the gasket is replaced the surging is gone but it is just missfiring like crazy. It wont run at all. So I am going to crawl under the car (and it is cold as hell here in Nova Scotia) and try to drop out the 2 cat pipe just behind the Y-pipe coming off the engine to see if theres evidence of the cat gone bad. Before i try to get the crispy rusted hardware out on the freezing  ground what do you guys think? Am i crazy or could this be a likely/possible cause?

read the OBDII codes

is the AT light flashing 16 times at start up?

no dash lights?

 

was the emissions junk under the passengers side rear corner damaged?

 

post a picture

Yeah. Start with the basics. Check codes. 02 sensors and knock sensors etc. can cause the car to go buggy. mass air flow as well (Or MAP) in the case of the newer cars.

 

You can pull the exhaust/cats off and drive it (loudly) if you suspect blocked cat or kinked exhaust. If the problem goes away, you found your issue.

 

Cheap fuel pump motors are about $15 on ebay. Don't expect it to last as long as OEM but if it comes to trying the fuel pump it will at least be functional.

Stuttering sounds like a fuel starvation issue to me, so does losing power.  Maybe the "jolt" made the fuel filter partially clog up.

Possible the evap canister is damaged