August 18, 200421 yr Hello all! This is my first time posting; it's so good to find a site that deals especially with Subaru's. I don't know too much about my car, so bear with me... I have a 1984 Subaru GL wagon, recieved as a gift from my grandfather. It had been used continually for a few years after he recieved it, but as time went on my little Chip sat in the garage for quite a few years. It has 120,000 miles on it and it is in very good external and internal condition. It has 4-wheel drive and a 4-speed manual transmission. We replaced the exhaust and the CV boots, but here comes the real trouble. When I drive it now, the engine seems to lurch after I get up to about 30 mph. On a good day I can get him up to 40, but usually he starts to lurch and sputter around 35. I don't know what's wrong with him! I talked to my uncle and he thinks that it may be the MAP sensor...can anyone tell me what this is and what it does, exactly? Apparently my grandfather had this trouble when it was newer, so it isn't from age. So here's what I want to know: What is a MAP sensor, and what does it do? Could this be another problem altogether? Thanks so much, I look forward to hearing back from people who know a heck of a lot more than I do about my Chip! Cheers, Christine
August 18, 200421 yr Hello Well for starters a MAP sensor is a Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor. Now the Good news, your Subaru dose not have one. From the symptons you discribed, it sounds like you have a clogged-up primary circuit in the carburetor.
August 18, 200421 yr Regarding what was said above... did you start it up on gas that was afew years old? Or did you drain the tank and replace it with fresh fuel first?? Running gas through that was a couple years old probably wouldn't have helped any dirt/scum buildup in the carb.
August 18, 200421 yr and your model would have had 2 fuel filters. the one under the hood, which is actually known as the vapor separator, and the primary filter which is in front of the passenger side rear wheel, unedrneath the wagon. this one is often neglected, or unknown. I would change out both filters first off...
August 18, 200421 yr Author Hello again all, thanks for the help. In regards to the MAP sensor, I kind of figured that my uncle had no idea what he was talking about, and now I have proof! Flow: I have been using fresh gasoline, and we had drained the tank of any old gas before we used it and cleaned it out. I have been using the car now for about 6 months or so. Can anyone give me a ballpark of how much it would cost to replace these two filters? (vapor separator and primary filter) Or the carburetor? Also, in doing some poking around under the hood earlier, I noticed that my radiator has holes in it! Could this be why my front end smokes at traffic lights? If so, I don't want to be pouring water in it each time I go out, so how much would a new one cost as well? Thanks again for all your help, I'd like to get this car up and running so I can get to my classes on time come September. Cheers, Christine
August 19, 200421 yr http://www.nationalcarburetor.com/cat-subaru.html Sounds like a good price to me for a stock replacement. http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/tayco/wizard.jsp?partner=tayco&clientid=alloem&baseurl=http://www.alloemautoparts.com/&cookieid=1B813E7PQ&year=1984&make=SU&model=BRT-4WD-002&category=E&part=Fuel+Filter http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/tayco/wizard.jsp?partner=tayco&clientid=alloem&baseurl=http://www.alloemautoparts.com/&cookieid=1B813E7PQ&year=1984&make=SU&model=BRT-4WD-002&category=E&part=Fuel+Separator http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/tayco/wizard.jsp?partner=tayco&clientid=alloem&baseurl=http://www.alloemautoparts.com/&cookieid=1B813P05O&year=1984&make=SU&model=BRT-4WD-002&category=G&part=Radiator If those 3 links don't work for you, just go to here, www.alloemautoparts.com and put in the info on your vehicle.
August 19, 200421 yr My vote is on the fuel filters too! (two) However, I'd do a basic tune-up as part of putting it back on the road. Good luck, Glenn 82 SubaruHummer 01 Forester
August 19, 200421 yr NAPA info: primary (under vehicle) - $3.49 - need to measure the size of the lines - part # 3021 for 5/16", # 3089 for 11/32" vapor diverter - $4.49 - part # 3201 hope that fixes what ails ya!
August 20, 200421 yr Author Thanks for all the help, you guys! (I would assume you are all guys, save for myself) Ima get right on that in the morning. Thanks again! Christine
August 20, 200421 yr Are you sure he didn't mean MAF sensor? Could this be a turbo wagon by chance? Just a thought.... GD
August 21, 200421 yr might want to check the radiator to make sure you have enough coolant if you suspect it may be leaking. and keep an eye on it for a while. be sure to check when it is cold though, so you dont get burned. you dont want to give yourself more problems than you already have... just a thought to avoid future problems.
August 21, 200421 yr Author might want to check the radiator to make sure you have enough coolant if you suspect it may be leaking. and keep an eye on it for a while. be sure to check when it is cold though, so you dont get burned. you dont want to give yourself more problems than you already have... just a thought to avoid future problems. I checked the radiator, and sure enough, there isn't any coolant at all! It's all leaked out. One more thing I've gotta replace...stupid holes >_< Christine
August 21, 200421 yr DOH! Me stupid. Turbo's didn't come with 4 speed's.... Anyway, what you describe is either severe fuel starvation (those filters), or *wince* a blown Head Gasket..... I only say that due to your note about it not having any coolant, and only wanting to go 30 MPH. That's about what would happen if you were running on 2 cylinders because of a blown head gasket on one side. It would also nicely explain the lack of coolant. Fill it will coolant, and crank the engine over with the radiator cap OFF. If coolant shoots out of the opening, you have a bad head gasket on one side. If it were bad on both, it wouldn't run at all, so at the most you are looking at a single head gasket failure. Likely if it was overheated to the point of taking the head gasket out, then your heads are also warped. If this is the case, replace BOTH head gaskets (the other is questionable if one failed), and check the heads for warpage - have them machined if they are out of spec GD
August 21, 200421 yr Author Okay, so here's the thing guys. My car doesnt HAVE fuel injectors. It has spark plugs. Christine
August 21, 200421 yr even if it DID have fuel injectors it'd still have spark plugs, gotta ignite that fuel somehow! I'd replace the fuel filters, and change the oil, plugs, plug wires, cap, and rotor. Get NGK plugs, they are what comes in them from the factory, and are the plugs I've had the most luck with. Bosch Platinums are nice, but the electrode is so small they foul really easily. Welcome to the board, and no we aren't all guys (The females that come to mind are Honda's 86 Brat, MiNoah's Pink Martini, Vickaroo, and BlueSoob.. I think there are more and if I left any of y'all of I apologize ) and GD a car WILL run with two blown head gaskets, if they are blown into the water channel. If they are both blown between the two cylinders, then no, it won't; run, BUT that won't cause water to shoot out of the radiator :-)
August 21, 200421 yr if you get the vapor seperator make sure it is the right one. there is one with 2 ports and one with three. I think a complete tune-up would do wonders and would be pretty cheap. Also I would take the stock carb off the car (mark all vacuum hoses cause there is a bunch) and clean as much as you can without taking it apart. I am not a fan of re-manufactured carbs they tend to be worse than the original you gave up. Oh and if you get it fixed tell your uncle it was the MAP sensor all along. No need educating the already educated.
August 21, 200421 yr MAF is mass air flow.Map is manifold absolute pessure.Your car doesn't have either one,but I agree tell Mr. Knowitall it was the MAP sensor.
August 21, 200421 yr Or you could tell him the MAP sensor was fine, but it was out of timing belt fluid and the clutch gasket was leaking and the muffler bearings were bad
August 23, 200421 yr Author Hello everyone! Thank you to everyone who shared their input, Chip is now up and running, and purring like a kitten! And the verdict is.... Fuel filter clog! Ding ding ding! The one in the front was fine, but when I checked the one behind the wheel it was almost COMPLETELY black with grime! No wonder I was chuggin'. From the looks of it, it looked like it hadn't been cleaned since it's purchase in '84. Thank goodness! Washed, waxed, and buffed old Chip to a shine, cleaned him out, and bought him a new antennae ball :-). It's a good day in Subaru Land. Thanks again everyone!!! PS- As for the radiator, I filled it with aluminum shavings and took him for a 15 mile spin around the "block" with the heat on high...that seemed to do the trick. Hooray! Cheers, Christine
August 23, 200421 yr Glad to hear you got it running. But just a little correction on your problem. It was the fuel filter that was clogged, right?
August 23, 200421 yr Author *Quickly edits* Right. Thats what I said. Christine Glad to hear you got it running. But just a little correction on your problem. It was the fuel filter that was clogged, right?
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