96 Subaru Legacy cranks but won't start. Battery is a bit low but fine. When I spray starting fluid in the throttle body it starts up for a bit then runs out of starting fluid and stops. So I'm thinking this is a problem with my fuel line somewhere. I'm not sure it's not my fuel filter but I replaced it last November. I really have no idea how to trouble shoot this. Is it an electricity problem? Or a fuel problem? Anybody got ideas for me?

Check for fuel pressure. Disconnect the line from the filter to the fuel rail and run it to a bucket. Cycle the key and check for fuel flow. Should be quite a bit of fuel from that line.

 

GD

Check for fuel pressure. Disconnect the line from the filter to the fuel rail and run it to a bucket. Cycle the key and check for fuel flow. Should be quite a bit of fuel from that line.

GD

I disconnected the line from the fuel filter to the engine like you said and almost nothing came out. I also listened inside the fuel tank while the gas cap was open and I'm not sure if I heard anything. I don't know if the pump is very audible while the car is starting. I could have heard nothing as well. The nose I heard was really faint. Would I be able to hear the fuel pump from the open gas lid?

It could be the Fuel Pump or the relay that sends voltage to the fuel pump.

 

If you have a self serve yard, pull a used Subaru Fuel Pump and get the connector side wiring from the car.  With a couple of feet of wiring you can supply your old pump with battery voltage.  If the car runs with the battery voltage, most likely the fuel pump relay is bad.  You can also grab the relay from the yard.  It's up in the drivers side kick panel or dash lower panel.

 

Pumps are pretty easy to change, just stick with Subaru.  Use PB Blaster on the fuel pump access panel nuts and WD-40 on the fuel lines to help slide them off.

Fuel pump failures on 90's subarus seem to be quite common.  I've changed two on my own cars [2 our of 4 cars].  So I would just go and get a used assembly and swap them. Aside from the smell of gas, it's easy and and there are diy's .  One tip, take the gas cap off before pulling the pump to avoid pressure in the tank.

It's probably the pump but you should check for power at the pump connector under the access panel behind the rear seat. Disconnect the pump connector and use an incandescent test light at the pins containing the largest two wires. You should have power there at key-on for two seconds and then only when cranking. Do not use a DMM or an LED test light. They can give you false readings if the problem is a burnt or corroded connection.

 

GD

Test Fuel pump really also.

 

Far up in the drivers side corner of the dash.  Way far.

 

It's on a bracket next to the larger 6 wire ignition relay.

is that the same for a 91 legacy wagon. the p.o. suposedly put in a new pump  but it still doesn't start so i will try to squirt gas into the air intake. where is the gas filter. 

So I put a used pump in from pick n pull and she started up just fine but there is a check engine light on. The code is p0180. Which is a fuel temperature sensor malfunction. Anybody know how to fix this? And is my car dangerous to drive? What are the consequences of not fixing it?

It is not dangerous but you will have to swap the sensor over from your old pump assembly. 

 

GD

It is not dangerous but you will have to swap the sensor over from your old pump assembly.

 

GD

I basically did that and now my car works. Here are some pictures for any body who has the same problem as me. The pump I salvaged didn't have a fuel temperature sensor and so was missing a wire in the connection that attaches the fuel temperature sensor plug to the assembly plug. So what I did was swap the pump from the new assembly to the old one. If you end up salvaging a part, look very carefully for differences. That's the lesson I learned. I thought I was in the clear because I got my new pump off almost exactly the same 96 Subaru Legacy but it was the model that had the Ej25 engine while my Subie has the ej22. Now that I know it makes perfect sense.

 

Old one:

See the little metal cylinder at the bottom of the assembly? That's the fuel temp sensor. See how there are 4 wires in the plug?

 

 

New one:

See the difference at the bottom? No fuel sensor and only 3 wires (it looks like 2 in the picture but the third one is hiding)

 

 

I hope this helps someone.

Edited June 13, 20178 yr by Wizard

Hey thanks for the pics. Good job on correcting that issue. You did exactly what you needed to do. It's rare that we get people on here that actually listen. Nice work. 

 

GD

I didn't actually get your post until after I did it but it was fairly obvious what needed to happen once I took a close look at the two assemblies next to each other. I'm pretty new to mechanics so fixing this on my car by my self was a huge boost in confidence. Thanks for all your help everyone!

Just want to say a big Thank You for this thread.  My son's '98 Outback fuel pump died Friday so, with the valuable info in this thread, he ran to a Pull n' Pay Saturday and got a used one.  It was obviously a replacement, shiny & clean.  Paid $36!  Put it in Sunday and works like a charm.

 

Today, just for the hellofit, he called a dealership and priced a new pump:  $520 plus estimated $220 for installation!  (My son thanks you too!)

We use the Deatschwerks pumps on pretty much everything - even have one in my Trans Am and put one in a friend's Vette. They run about $95 shipped to your door with install kit. Sure it's more than junk yard but it's new and it depends on how much you value your time to search the JY. I can't justify going myself anymore.

 

GD

Just want to say a big Thank You for this thread.  My son's '98 Outback fuel pump died Friday so, with the valuable info in this thread, he ran to a Pull n' Pay Saturday and got a used one.  It was obviously a replacement, shiny & clean.  Paid $36!  Put it in Sunday and works like a charm.

 

Today, just for the hellofit, he called a dealership and priced a new pump:  $520 plus estimated $220 for installation!  (My son thanks you too!)

Awesome! So glad to hear it helped out! I was hoping it would help someone!