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Hello Guys , 

I am new to the Form I have been working on cars for a long time and I have finally found something that I am stumped on and cant figure it out I have a 1995 Subaru Legacy L AWD wagon Automatic only has 110,000 ,the issue I am having is randomly it is will give me a no crank it will just click I have replaced the starter tried 2 new ones New battery new alternator I have also tried starting it in neutral , with no luck for example this morning took my daughter to school started right up no issues can back home a hour later went to leave for work no start just clicks, it has progressively seems to be getting little more frequently if I keep trying and letting it click is will all of a sudden start cranking and the car will start like normal ,I was wondering if someone can help me with this and point me in the right direction or has a similar problem that they have solved 

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you can text this by running jumper cables (use just one side, the red clamps), or a huge test wire.  touch one end to the + battery terminal and the other end to the starter + feed, then crank the car.  it'll probably fire right up which means...

wiring/connectivity issue.  clean and tighten battery posts and terminals that connect to the posts.  leave no corrosion. 

run a new power wire from the battery to the starter + feed.  or just buy a new starter cable from battery to starter.  half the time aftermarket cables aren't that great so making them yourself is better. 

same with ground - improve grounds.  run new ground wire to a good chassis point and engine point. 

 

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My daughter's 95 Legacy had a problem that was solved by adding another Ground Cable from the Transmission to the engine block. Apparently the ground cable from the battery connects to the transmission. It seems there was some corrosion between the transmission and the engine block that impeded conductivity intermittently. So an additional cable from the Transmission to the engine block solved this problem. 

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You've got a bad connection somewhere. I've seen it a few times. My XT6 was a loose bolt between battery cable and terminal, Loyale was a melted connector at the ignition switch, old Legacy someone didn't put the main ground wire back on when replacing the starter.

 

Check the main battery cables (positive to the starter, ground to the starter bolt). Make sure they're in good condition. Wiggle them around and see if they feel too soft or too hard (I've seen moisture get inside the insulation and corrode the copper from the inside). If those look good, you can buy a high-amp relay, and install it between the battery and starter solenoid to isolate any issue with the ignition switch/wiring/connectors inside the car.

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I am going to put it on the lift this weekend and check the following you guys had pointed out and give those a try if you guys think anything else to look for Just let me know I appreciate all your guys help I will follow up after I also had another question even since I purchased this car it only had 84,000 it has always had a poor idle always at about 500 rpm just idling and will never idle where it is supposed too I have cleaned the erg several times and I have also noticed that when its damp or rains it idles rough and then clears up I have changed the wires and plugs with NGK replacement also replaced coil and swapt out the igniter I have another 95 Subaru identical to the one I have no and been using as a donor for parts the struts finally came through in the rear at 250,000, it ran better then the one I have now please let me know you thoughts on this also thank guys I appreciate all you help 

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Try swapping the Mass Air Flow Sensor. It can cause a lot of weird engine idle and power problems and never set a code.

Idle Air Control Valve "may" need to be cleaned.

To control the dampness, get a tube of Silicon Dielectric Grease and coat the inside and outside of the boots at the spark plugs and the inside of the boots and the posts of the coil. The grease is nonconductive.

First thing I would try for the starter problem is get a wire 14 or16 gauge long enough to go from the starter to the battery and put a 1/4 inch flat female spade connector on one end. On the starter solenoid is a wire that plugs in on the back side. Unplug it and connect your wire to the solenoid. Touch the other end of the wire to the battery + post. Do this several times. If it cranks every time then the grounds and battery cables are fine. If it does not crank every time then check out the cables and grounds connectors and IGN SW.

The power for the starter solenoid starts at the Ignition switch start position contact and goes through a connector below it, then out to a 12 pin connector on top of the bellhousing. In on pin 12 to the inhibitor switch on the transmission and out on pin 11 to the starter solenoid. It the car has Security then the power goes through a normally closed relay.

I bypassed all that by adding a push button switch for the starter.

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Numbchec and Rampage have the right idea.  I also have a 95 subaru.  This is an old problem well known and discussed years ago on the subaru forums for the 90's subaru's.  To summerize the previous posts, buy a high voltage solenoid [I got mine from advanced auto], mount it on the firewall near the starter, use the energize wire from the starter to energize the solenoid, and run a new wire from the battery/ to the solenoid/ then to the starter.  It fixes the problem forever.  The power wire and grounds to the starter don't need to be changed.

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idle issues: before we start guessing (that’s a long list), lets get some data:

Check air filter

any check engine lights in recent months?
 

has the engine ever been removed or throttle body removed/worked on?

describe the symptoms - is it only low idle or anything else?  Does it ever stall or stumble or act different warm or cold or coasting or accelerating?

hows the gas mileage?

Lazy Engine coolant sensor, or oxygen sensor, or MAF, or idle control, are my first suspicions.  

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Afternoon Guys was wondering if this looks right to you (mikec03I hooked up a high voltage solenoid going to give it a try and see if I have the same issues usually happens once a week so I will keep posted as for the codes its throwing (idosubaru) I have attached pictures below any input would be great let me know if you thing its the Cadliac Converter and if you know of a reasonable place online to get them I am going to get the knock sensor that may explain why the car is sluggish a bit and poor gas mileage also I am dealing with the good old Subaru oil leak onto the exhaust looking to be coming from in between the transmission and the motor any idea on how to fix that would be great also, let me know you guys and again I appreciate the help 

resize 2.jpg

resized.jpg

p0325.jpg

p0500.jpg

p0420.thumb.jpg.16ed16155acc78511f5f149733339714.jpg

Edited by nbdxbigshow
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Fix the knock sensor first.  OEM is best long term but I’ve had used plenty of $8 eBay ones without issues yet.  

0420 ensure there are no leaks and good maintenance - plugs, wires, air filter, new PCV valve

The new PCV valve is cheap and easy and may also reduce oil leaks (but don’t get your hopes up) 

oil leak - post pics.  Lots of leaks can end up in that same general area.  Rear separator plate is most likely for that specific area and engine, but usually people misdiagnose that as the source rather than the destination which is what it usually is, so it’s hard to say without seeing it myself.  

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on a tank of gas i probably get 250 miles  I think that  is not very good at all does that sound right to you ? I will put it up on the lift in the next few days and take some pictures where the oil leak is it looks to by what you are saying the rear separate plate that seems to be common problem I heard is there any way to fix that without all the work ? the car only has a 110,000 on it and is in very good shape with no rust so I would like to fix it and make it run right I also have replaced  plugs, wires, air filter, new PVC valve no luck could it be a plugged converter I will going to replace those was not defiantly sure how to tell if there are really bad or not any way to check them ?

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sorry to say that if it is the rear separator plate leaking, the only way to fix that is pull the motor and re-seal. and if you do that, you may as well do a few other things while it is out.. full timing update (at 110k if it hasn't been done, it needs it - not to mention the age thing), reseal oil pump, new cam cover seals, etc. just easier to do all these things with the motor out and fully accessible.

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When it happens measure voltage to confirm you have 0 voltage on the thin black wire with spade connector that connects to the starter.  I have chased this issue for a few years.   I see you added the workaround.  That will fix it for good.   What is the part number of that solenoid?  Any chance you could describe on that pic what connects to what.  I get around 280 miles per tank. 97 2.2 with 260k miles in a 98 OBW

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Ok that seems about right for the milage I think my gas gauge is not reading correctly , I just get a smell of raw fuel sometime when I start it and it goes away but  I feel like the car is kind of sluggish lately I just recieved in the beck arnley knock sensor I will put that in over the weekend see if that helps anything , as for the work around on the solenoid the #Part No: 24106-BX I ran a wire directly from the battery to the right side of the solenoid and the single wire going to the starter up to the new center post on the solenoid which I believe is the energizer wire then the left side of the solenoid goes back down to stater engenizer wire, seems ok I haven't had a problem with it for a few days now hope this fixes it for good, let me know if you think the catolica converters need to be changed cause of that P0420 code 

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