Noobie questions on my Subaru

[rabbit_39]

It's a 1988 DL wagon, EA82 SPFI, 5 speed dual range swapped in (Richie did it, excellent job!). This is my first Subaru, and I love the dual range and 25mpg. I am missing the 35mpg my old toyota corolla used to get me though (and my Jeep Cherokee's capabilities on the trail), but this Subaru is a good all around vehicle.

While there is no check engine light, if I look at the LED light (on the computer I think?) it's flashing 55. I checked the vacuum lines going to the EGR valve and the solenoid and they're clear of obstruction. Is this something I should worry about.

 

What effect, if any, plugging/removing the EGR has on the engine? I searched the forum (took me a few tries since EGR is a 3 letter word, hint for others search for "emission removal" and its derivatives ie emissions, remove, removing) and all I can find is that no effect to remove the EGR on a carbed EA82, but what about spfi?

 

Third, if it has positive effects, what's a good way to plug the EGR and where to route the vacuum lines? Just plug it?

 

Thanks a bunch,

 

Andre S

[bajavwnsoobnut]

well if it's the EGR solenoid then might just get a replacement from u-pull it or any of your favorite JY's around here so that your DEQ happy cause I havn't gone through yet but by the sounds of things they do a visual check on things on anything newer than 79 so might leave the EGR alone and try the solenoid first and if need be stop by richies shop and talk to him even

 

oh yeah where at in P-town are ya? I'm in Milwaukie myself and you might have seen me runnin around ya never know

 

and another thing Welcome to the Board

[calebz]

There aren't really any benefits to doing away with the EGR system on an SPFI system. In fact, it would probably do more harm than good. Confuse the computer, raise combustion temps.

 

Personally I have never seen a code 55 on an SPFI car ( I had to go look it up) and without consulting my FSM, I don't have a quick fix recommendation for you. Standard troubles are the 34 and 35 EGRS and PCS

 

What I would probably do to begin with is find the sensor in question and make sure the contacts are well maintained. That seems to be one of the biggest sensor issues on these old cars. I would follow that up by resetting the ECU and seeing if the code reappears.

 

If I get some time later I will see if there is a more specific recommendation in the FSM.

[rabbit_39]

Thank you both for the help. I'm not sure how to check whether it's the EGR valve itself or not. I was thinking about swapping the solenoid with the purge valve to see if the code 55 would disappear. I'll look for the sensor, someone said they thought it's the temp sensor for the intake. Not sure what else to do.

 

I do have a little bit of problem with the performance (not sure whether it's normal or not). When going up long hills, the Soob would slow down by quite a bit (even if I was in the right gear, it has happened in second gear on a pavement hill). When starting from a stop, I'd have very little power (ie needs a lot of gas) for about a second or so. Does this mean I have some kind of problem?

 

I'm in SW Portland, near Tigard/PCC Sylvania. Thanks again, and any help would be appreciated. I'm not a horsepower monger (drove around a few early 1960s Scout, Geo Prizm, Toyota pickups w/22R, etc), but it seems that low end power is lacking on the sub (at least once in a while). Unless it's normal for an EA82 w/5 speed.

 

Thanks,

 

Andre S