Hey just bought a subaru loyale from a crack head and he said the issue with the car was head gaskets. Ofc those are probably bad too but a more interesting issue the car has is during start up. When turning the key on (not crank) i can hear the fuel pump turn on, then off. It will continue to do this for ever. Pump for about a second and a half then turn off. In about 5 second intervals. 

When cranking the car it will start, rev up to 2k rpms then slowly fade out till it stops running. Is this car not getting enough fuel to sustain the engine? Is it the fuel pump relay?

The test mode (D-Check) connectors are plugged in causing the relay to cycle for testing purposes. 

It has nothing to do with the idle speed or the running behavior. Once the engine is running, even in D-Check, the relay will not cycle. 

GD

I wasn't implying that the running behavior was the cause of the pulsating fuel pump. Quite the opposite, i believe the pulsating fuel pump was that cause of my running problems.

I disconnected the bright green connectors and there's no change in the fuel pump operation. 

Pretty sure the problem is actually an air sensor being disconnected under the hood. PO has the thing half taken apart, i just want to get it in my garage.

The only way I've ever seen or read about the fuel pump cycling on off is the diagnostic connectors being connected.  Note - there are a few green connectors, are you sure you found the right ones?

 

no, i'm not sure.

That one i disconnected was under the steering wheel. But now i'm reading that it's under the hood near the wiper motor. whoops.

yep, that's what I was thinking about.   There should be a green set and a white set of single pin connectors for diagnostics and reset.   they should be near each other.  Leave them disconnected for now.  Read the blinks on the LED under the steering column for codes.

1 hour ago, Derek aka Derek said:

I wasn't implying that the running behavior was the cause of the pulsating fuel pump. Quite the opposite, i believe the pulsating fuel pump was that cause of my running problems.

I disconnected the bright green connectors and there's no change in the fuel pump operation. 

Pretty sure the problem is actually an air sensor being disconnected under the hood. PO has the thing half taken apart, i just want to get it in my garage.

If by air sensor you mean the MAF sensor attached to the air cleaner, then yes it could cause stalling, engine starts-revs-to-2000-then-dies, bucking while driving. My 87 is doing that right now.  Waiting on a reman MAF sensor as I've already done or checked everything else. MAF was original - 32 yrs.

It may have been pure coincidence but disconnecting that green connector under the hood 100% solved the problem. Was able to drive it out of the woods and work on it now.