I have a 96 Legacy with an ej22 engine that I purchased from a friend, he has has owned and driven the car for a while.  He sold it to me because the tranny failed and so I removed the engine and tranny together to do the swap. While the engine was out and since it had 240,000 miles on it I replaced the water pump and removed the oil pump. The oil pump had some screws on the back of it that needed tightening again, I've experienced this with other 2.2's so have learned to remove and seal these oil pumps as a result of other cars throwing a rod. I put it back together with the old timing belt and equipment since they were only 40,000 old. Immediately upon restart the car skipped timing on the left cam. I reset the timing again and it ran fine for about 500 miles and then skipped timing on the right cam. I put a known good used timing belt and tensioner on the car and she ran great for about another 1000 miles. This morning when I went out to my car it started fine and when I let the clutch go (possibly a little to fast, she stalled) the car jumped and then quit. Another timing failure. All three times I did the reset I compressed the hydraulic tensioner slowly with a C-clamp and double confirmed everything when set. I am going to replace with a brand new kit this time however in the dozen or more 2.2L Subaru engines I've worked on this random timing skip is completely new to me. Hell I've put worn out belts and other tensioner parts on these engines before and had them run for ever. I've even seen a 94 ej22 driven for thousands of miles without a tensioner, couldn't believe it when I saw it myself.

This constant skip has never happened with the engine by the previous owner so seems to be quite unique.  Has anyone else ever experienced a consistent timing skip before?

Does this engine have the little guide that goes over the crank sprocket?

 

O.

No, this is new one to me. I'm  thinking that  the "guide was used from 2000 up on 2.5 mt tranny cars... could be wrong.  I would suspect the tensioner, try swapping a new one in.

Edited December 30, 20169 yr by montana tom

Did you check the condition of the idler bearings--especially the cogged one?

Thanks guys, after removing the timing cover I found it has not skipped. I believe I have lost spark but not due to timing misalignment. I tried swapping ignition coils and this is not the problem either. I wish I had my code reader handy to see if there is a msg but a friend out of town borrowed her and gone for the weekend.

Check and make sure your crank sensor and cam sensors are plugged in all the way.

I replaced both cam and crank senors with other sensors I had around. Even tried swapping the Ignition Control Module/Ignitor as well as the alternator. Don't know why an alternator would create a no start but the battery wasn't charging well. Also charged the battery again since it went dead making start attempts.

I replaced both cam and crank senors with other sensors I had around. Even tried swapping the Ignition Control Module/Ignitor as well as the alternator. Don't know why an alternator would create a no start but the battery wasn't charging well. Also charged the battery again since it went dead making start attempts.

check the hose from the IACV is still connected under the intake tubing?

Thanks Lucky, it seems to be a no spark issue not an air/fuel problem. I will try swapping out the mass airflow sensor later today.

Did you take your fuel lines going to the intake manifold off? Check and make sure you put them back in the correct order. I didn't put them back in the right order and flooded my intake/exhaust/engine with gas. once i finally realized what I did and fixed it. she started no problem. The cat converter is clogged a little now. nothing that cant be cleaned though.

I hadn't removed any fuel lines for the past 2000 miles it been driven. Ran fine earlier that morning, I started her up and while pulling forward she stalled and would not restart. Once again fuel lines will not create a "NO SPARK" issue. Guys, when I say no spark I really am being honest with you. I understand the difference I promise.

Next I would check the large connectors on the bell housing. Make sure they're plugged in tight. Then check the yellow wire at the coil and see if you're getting 12v to the coil.

 

If you're not getting 12v at the coil then you probably won't have voltage going to the ECU or the fuel pump relay. The same fuse in the box under the hood supplies power to all 3 IIRC.

I checked power to the coil and was getting constant 12v but I do not remember the color wire.  I will double check this tomorrow. 

If you have voltage on the center wire to the coil then it's just not being told when to fire. ECU commands the igniter, and the igniter grounds the coil to make it spark.

 

Igniter has already been swapped? Used part? Did it come from another running vehicle that you could try your igniter in?

 

Coils don't fail often but you could try swapping in a spare if you have one.

 

Check any and all fuses for the ECU. Then check grounds for the ECU.

 

The ECU grounds to the intake manifold on the engine, either right on top of the manifold next to the coil, or off on the back bottom corner of the #4 runner right on the flange where it meets the cylinder head. Hard to see, but check that make sure it's tight.

 

The large connectors on the bellhousing, there are 4 ground wires on the bottom row of the largest connector. Make sure the pins inside that connector are all clean and the connector halves are clicked together all the way.

sure you used the right timing mark - the dash on the tab at the back of the crank sprocket? not the triangle?

Thanks Fairtax, this is useful info! Yes Lucky, the timing is correct I'm positive.

Fairtax, your the MAN! Thanks a bunch, I double checked the fuses and tested power to the coil. No 12v on the center wire. Then I checked your suggestion on the harness plug and squeezed them all tight. I think one was kind of loose, she started right up after that. :-)

Glad you got it fixed, and that it was something simple! Those connectors can be a bear to get clicked all the way. I usually squirt some dielectric grease in there and put some on the little weather seal that's on there too. Helps it squeeze back together easier and prevents corrosion later.