Subarutex Posted July 19, 2004 Share Posted July 19, 2004 Yesterday drove the RX down to the RallyX to spectate. Almost got all the way there. Car needed to be AAA'd home. Preface: Had some idling issues (see past thread), but those were fixed by installing the AAV. Had some doggy, laggy problems, turned the boost up and those problems were all but gone. The car had been ticking like mad the last couple of days, so the night before the RallyX I changed the oil, it was low. Put in some 10w30 (same as what i've used on this new motor) only this was Mobil One synthetic. Along with a PureOne oil filter. Yesterday: Driving down to the RallyX, car drove normally. Had plenty of power. The oil pressure was pegged at 85 just about the whole time. Unusual... I thought. While coasting around a cloverleaf interchange, the engine (at idle) died. Couldn't get it restarted for about 10 minutes. Not sure why. Drove the rest of the way to the raceway park, at the stop sign in front of it, I wasn't able to keep the car alive. It died, wouldn't restart. Pushed it off to the side of the road and walked into the RallyX to spectate. After awhile, we got a ride back to the car to look at it. Noticed the Disty Cap was loose, one screw was practically all the way out. Tightened that, still no start... got real close a couple times. When cranking this time, the oil pressure gauge read below the bottom line. It didn't move at all. After the RallyX, we AAA'd it home with a pretty weird tow truck driver. What could the problem be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik litchy Posted July 19, 2004 Share Posted July 19, 2004 what did the rotor look like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subarutex Posted July 19, 2004 Author Share Posted July 19, 2004 Haven't taken the cap off to look yet... I'll be sure to check tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJM Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Dude....I think there are some serious wiring/vac line problems. I woudl star with this....restore to stock fuel system...and go thru and re vac it. As for the oil pres....i think wiring has something to do with it. I personally liek the idea of the fuel system you've got....but I would personally go back to stock and work with it....it seems lie a fine system to begin with. Sounds very electrical and vac'ish to me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garner Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 I could image that if the cap was loose, the rotor could have gotten totally smacked up or vice versa and once you tightened it down it couldn't convey the spark? A loose cap could, perhaps, (it's a long shot but maybe) have been the cause of your other tuning woes. It certainly wouldn't help. Megajolt! I doubt it's related but just out of curiosity, did your ticking HLA's (I assume thats what was ticking) quite down after the oil change? garner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xforxlifex Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Obviously my rx isnt as heavily modded like yours but i had this issue before. turned out it was the mass air flow sensor. swapped it with a junk yard one and ran fine. But who knows could be anything i guess. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJM Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Ive got one you can have.....for $20 shipped. its known good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subi81 Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Ya Check your cap and rotor, somehow the little spring pin in the top of my cap came out, this caused some sevier arcing inside the disty, well it totaly ruined my coil wire. Point is my car started really missing at idle and at crusing, fine under power, or boost, then finally just barely got me home. If your cap was loose you might have had a little air gap in your disty that could create a little heat and in my case melted my cap. bty this is the 86 in my Sig Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Do It Sidewayz Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 We've actually had a car do this once. Turned out the computer totally fried itself. Seemed we plugged in a new one and it fired to life again Ya Check your cap and rotor, somehow the little spring pin in the top of my cap came out, this caused some sevier arcing inside the disty, well it totaly ruined my coil wire. Point is my car started really missing at idle and at crusing, fine under power, or boost, then finally just barely got me home. If your cap was loose you might have had a little air gap in your disty that could create a little heat and in my case melted my cap. bty this is the 86 in my Sig Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subarutex Posted July 20, 2004 Author Share Posted July 20, 2004 Stock Coil... don't trust accel's. Tested with a known working one, same thing. Messed with the disty a bit, back and forth while cranking. Got it to fire, wouldn't really idle though, but it did run. Cap and rotor look really really bad (worn) so I'll get new ones tomorrow. Fuel pressure is right on, seem to be getting spark to all cylinders. If new cap and rotor don't do it, i'll check the spark plugs. If cap and the rotor fix the problem... this is one more good reason to run MS w/ EDIS. Problem probably wouldn't have ever happened. Oil level is good and clean. Found out from local subaru only shop, that the oil pressure on synthetic is generally higher right after a change from dino. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 check your plugs too, if there was no/low spark, they might be all wet and nasty? what about that uh, thingy that grounds off of the coil, about the size of a half roll of dimes? i've heard it's prone to problems, and while you're at it, remind me what it's called Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rallyruss Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 check your plugs too, if there was no/low spark, they might be all wet and nasty? what about that uh, thingy that grounds off of the coil, about the size of a half roll of dimes? i've heard it's prone to problems, and while you're at it, remind me what it's called its a transistor. or in sube terms an igniton amplifier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJM Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 if the ECU is fried...ive got one of those too. Definatly work on that cap/rotor first... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subarutex Posted July 21, 2004 Author Share Posted July 21, 2004 Update: Put new cap and rotor in. Instant improvement. Started up on first try. Doesn't idle. Will run though. Plugs are decent... not perfect, obvious signs of running a tad bit rich in the cylinder. I don't understand what is going on. Tried checking trouble codes, but couldn't figure out how with my FSM. Light on the ECU just blinks. No code, just a blink. Tried timing it... but not being able to keep it close to idle makes it a bitch, so that really didn't happen. Basically, the car is F***ED. I'm very pissed off at it. I've clearly gotten the car to a point where I am not capable of diagnosing and fixing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 hey hey hey http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/80s/specs/ecucodes.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 didja check your spark plug/coil wires too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subarutex Posted July 21, 2004 Author Share Posted July 21, 2004 yes, plug wires are all good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJM Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 Take the dizzy and max the timing out. See if it runs. unhook any sort of aftermarket fuel controller....and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garner Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 hey tex, any luck? garner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subarutex Posted July 22, 2004 Author Share Posted July 22, 2004 Last night took the timing belt covers off. Timing belts were a touch on the loose side, so we took them off and redid them. Now, the cam timing is perfect, the disty is set at 20deg. It fires and runs... still no idle. I have developed a leak at the uppipe, right below the turbo. Perhaps the turbo (since its only spinning a tiny bit at idle because of the leak) is acting as an obstruction to the air path. But... who knows. Going to pick up another set of plugs I guess, and some new turbo exhaust gaskets. Haven't driven it yet again, afraid of it breaking on me. Messed with the fuel pressure, at 0 its at a perfect 36psi. Normally reads about 28 or so while i'm trying to keep the engine alive in the 1000-1500rpm range. rawr! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subarutex Posted July 23, 2004 Author Share Posted July 23, 2004 Any ideas anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garner Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 Some ideas, some really bone head, not trying to insult yer intelligence, but I know how easy it is to overlook things (I do it all the time ) You are checking/ setting timing with the vac advance and knock control connector disconnected? Are you taking into account the mechanical advance when timing above the recommended 700 rpm=/-100. You have advances curve maps in your FSM? I can't remember what I set on mine but I found that at 1000rpm the mechanical advance is a few degrees advanced so I took that into account and set my timing to where it should be advanced to (22.5-23 degrees if I remember correctly. FSM says 25 btdc. Your vacuum advance unit works? You aux air valve works? There are no vacuum leaks or intake leaks? You've checked and have good spark, nice crisp blue? Your turbo uppipe leak idea is a pretty good one, replace gasket/or tighten the nuts down. Mine came loose from heat cycling in just a few hours. You might check the turbo out itself just to make sure it is turning freely. A bad turbo is unlikely but it would make for a really restricted intake. Have you gotten the ECU to give you any codes, could be really helpfull to know what it has to say. It might be worth a trip to the dealer or someone to check stored codes... man, I feel for you. Hang in there, it will be fixed and it will be worth while. Maybe now's the time to start working on MS and MJ:brow: It's hard to do but sometimes stepping away from it for a couple days can help. good luck garner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJM Posted July 24, 2004 Share Posted July 24, 2004 No idle.....spray carb cleaner ot brake clean around the intake gaskets....and in general, spray on and around anything that could be leaking on the intake track...before and after turbo. Make sure the EGR valve isnt hung open too. Sounds to me like a big leak somewhere. The turbo leak woudl not have anything to do with idle...believe me, I know...had a header crack so bad the turbo wouldnt spool...but it idled fine and steady at 1000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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