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1997 Impreza WRX STI runs on 2 cylinders!

Featured Replies

  • Author
4 hours ago, 1 Lucky Texan said:

 

oh, yeah. Well, if it works like I think, it's easy to try. But, everything now is pointing more to a bad ECU or maybe some odd issue with cam/crank sensor....say, any idea if the engine has had cam or crank sprockets changed? Differences in those from year-to-year can cause problems because the ECU is expecting certain signal 'trains' from cam and crank sprockets. That is, ECU and cam/crank signals must match.

Tomorrow I'm going to try unplugging the MAF and testing the coil and all the spark related stuff. The car is mapped making 350hp, I don't know whats been done to the car, other than the previous owner telling me the horsepower number. 

seems like the car has NEVER work normally for you?

I'm suspicious some parts swapping was done, and then the car 'abandoned'.

  • Author
1 minute ago, 1 Lucky Texan said:

seems like the car has NEVER work normally for you?

I'm suspicious some parts swapping was done, and then the car 'abandoned'.

Bought it like it is now, I trust the seller though. He hadn't driven it for 2 years because he had kids and didn't have time to use it. 

maybe try quizzing him some more about what has been done to the car - swapped engines/heads/cams/etc. Even a broken tab on the rear of the crank sprocket can cause ignition problems.

 

or maybe a swapped ECU from an incompatible model???

 

I dunno, but the fact it was purchased in this condition makes it very unlikely it was running 'correctly' when it was parked.....Or, maybe God is trying to tell you to buy a Tesla.

Edited by 1 Lucky Texan

  • Author

Update:

I did some tests around the coil, igniter and the wiring. And when checking continuity, I had connection from the coil to the igniter with the red wire and the yellow wire, so all checks out there. However the blue wire going from the coil to the igniter had no connection what so ever. So before I start tearing down the wiring harness, I want someone to confirm thats not how it's supposed to be, right? The test was done when the car was off, with no key in the ignition.

Hope my description was understandable:)

Picture below is the plug for the igniter, I forgot to take a picture of the plug for the coil.

vlimitedignitor.jpg

  • Author

Ok, so I put a wire between the ignitor and the coil to replace the blue wire and the car fired right up on all four cylinders. Thanks for all the help guys!

Tomorrow I will find where the blue wire is broken and fix it.

Cool, I erased my reply to have you do just that.

Usually a break in a wire is near the connector, but I have found them other places.

Awesome! Glad you got it sorted! 

No other issues now? 

Cheers 

Bennie

  • Author
1 hour ago, el_freddo said:

Awesome! Glad you got it sorted! 

No other issues now? 

Cheers 

Bennie

No other issues yet, haven't driven it yet because there is 10 inches of snow outside and the car is on summer tires :/

that red wire is going to give you problems in the near future as well.. has damaged insulation that is pretty obvious in the picture.

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