I have a 85 Wagon that runs but if you try to go over 30-35 MPH then it starts to choke. It will sputter like it is going to die but it does keep going very slowly. Everything runs good until you get up to that speed. I think it may be the fuel pump, but someone suggested that it may be the Overflow Waste Gate Valve. Does anyone have suggestions as to what to check first. Thanks

I have a 85 Wagon that runs but if you try to go over 30-35 MPH then it starts to choke. It will sputter like it is going to die but it does keep going very slowly. Everything runs good until you get up to that speed. I think it may be the fuel pump, but someone suggested that it may be the Overflow Waste Gate Valve. Does anyone have suggestions as to what to check first. Thanks

I had a 85 sedan with the same problem; I changed my filter and pump first, Then decided the carb needed rebuilt. This fixed it.

 

I tired to do it myself but the car caught on fire.... So I let the mechanic handle that one....

Could also be the catalytic convertor.

I think my car is Fuel Injected. So ruling out the Carb, any other thoughts. Thanks

Okay, not to many replies on this thread. I am going to add some info to see if it revives. First off when I first got the car a couple of months back the owners were saying that it had developed a high pitch whine that was coming from an undetermined location. The noise would go away after driving it for a minute or to. Also about a week later I heard this squelling coming from somewhere under the hood while I was driving. I got worried as I spent every last penny on this car hoping it would get us through the winter. So the squelling went away and was intermittent for a couple of weeks. Then one day I heard the horrible squell again, only this time it was more pronounced, and smelt something like burnt rubber. After that the car has ran very poorly. It wont go over 35 miles per hour. It will idle okay but has no power. There was one night the car actually ran fine but that only lasted for about twenty minutes. So I am open to any suggestions to try. I will look at the pump and the Filter first. Then I will look into the tank for rust. This car is Fuel Injected? Any ideas? Thanks

My question is..Is it AT or Standard? I had a very similar problem in one of my cars...wasnt a Soob though..it was my 66 Mustang. It was a problem with the AT. I didnt dig into it further because I was swapping it to a 5 speed. But it was very bizaar.

Check your belts first.

 

Nothing in the fuel system will squeel and smell like burnt rubber.

Is your car a turbo?? If not, it should be carbed. Rebuild the carb and check for free float movement, and needle and seat operation.

Sreg, you need to look at the engine

more closely.

 

1985 wagons were offered in a turbo version

this is the only model that had fuel injection

 

all others were carbed.

 

You could very well have a cat that has plugged

up for some reason. The smell may have been the cat overheating and melting a surronding component.

 

A carbed car will have TWO (2) fuel filters

 

One under the hood above the master cyl (has three(3) lines to it - it is called a vapor separator

 

The PRIMARY filter (and one most neglected) is under the car at the fuel pump.

 

It may be clogged to the point of only letting enough fuel through to cause the above problem.

 

Start simple and cheap - IF the engine has a large blue metal cover with three (3) wing nuts in the center of the engine

it is a carbed car ==> change the rear fuel filter

 

hope this helps

Some info regarding the '85's. They were the only year that the non-turbo MPFI was offered in anything but the XT. I have seen it in a GL10 2wd sedan w/ auto trans and a couple of cars in the JY. I believe Skip is correct about the wagon though. The 4wd s/b a carb.

 

I would also agree with either the timing belts(possible tensioner causing the squeel) or a plugging cat. Fuel filters would/should do it all the time and would eventually allow the vehicle up to speed if driven on a flat surface. The filters will indeed cause similar issues but will start out as a bucking sensation when applying load. They will progressively get worse from that point on.

My first thought was a timeing belt issue. The tensioner could be the squeal, and if it locked up it would have a burned rubber smell. the belt could have slipped, the tortioner unstuck and now the timeing is off a cog or two. All this is theory of course, but something to look at. Do you know when the belts were last changed?? Tim

I beg to differ with Skip... I *own* a 1985 GL10 wagon (2wd, AT, non turbo), and it's MPFI. I'll send pics if you like. :-p

 

It's got one fuel filter, under the hood on the driver's side, and an external (not in-tank) fuel pump. See my other posts for notes on that little gem.

sorry guys

 

Thanks for the correction

 

I didn't know that many non turbo units existed.

There are quite a few. However, I don't believe any were 4WD.

Interesting, i will have to look again because I have been working on three Subaru's at once and I might be confused. I am not positive that it is a GL. I mainly said GL becasue it does have 4WD and Options. I say it is Fuel Injected becasue under the hood directly in front of the spare is a the Air Filter. This is usually where I find the Carb, but on this car there is what looks very much like fuel injection. The other problem is that I cant find the Filter. I have owned many different Sub's. For some reason I cant find the Filter in the usual place. Tonight I will confirm the Model and Options. It is a manual transmission and it is not Turbo. Unless the rust has covered up the Turbo Logo or it was not labeled turbo. I

I had a 85 sedan with the same problem; I changed my filter and pump first, Then decided the carb needed rebuilt. This fixed it.

 

I tired to do it myself but the car caught on fire.... So I let the mechanic handle that one....

... That will happen...

Could also check for a bad spark plug wire. I lost one and was just BARELY able to hold 55 mph in 4th gear and on flat terrain.

Okay, sorry for the confusion. it does have a Carb. It is an 85 GL, manual transmission. I have owned this car about two months, and it ran for about two weeks. So I dont know about the timing belt. Tonigh,t when I started it, it could barely hold an idle. It was sputtering just to stay alive. So it is already pretty cold here in Wyo. I am going to replace the terminal on the positive battery cable. It was looking a little rough. The terminal was tightened to the max and it would slide right of battery. So aside from that, I still have not been able to locate the Fuel Filter(s). But one interesting thing is that there is something major missing under the hood. If you are standing at the front looking under the hood. On the Passenger side, below the spare tire, near the ground. There is this muffler looking thing that has a hole on the top with a hose clamp. Looks a hose was once there, because the hose clamp is still there. Looks like part of the exhaust system, and the hole is about 3". Anyway there is no hose and the hole has been plugged. Almost looks like a metal plate was stuck down in there. I dont know if this is just an option that was not needed, or if a non OEM mod was done. Do you guys think that it is the Catylitic Convertor? So thanks for all of you Folks input.

On the Passenger side, below the spare tire, near the ground. There is this muffler looking thing that has a hole on the top with a hose clamp. Looks a hose was once there, because the hose clamp is still there.

It's just a hot air re-circulation hose, its not important.

 

After you do filters, check yer carb! Also, these other fellas may know better, but I'm pretty sure my 85 carbed only had one filter, back by the pump. Don't have that car anymore, so I'm not sure.

 

Did I mention you should check yer carb?

take the top of the air cleaner off, start the car, verify that the choke is working.. if its not, its not gonna run... ya might even prop it open somehow and go drive it after the engine is normal temperature..

 

if that choke sticks shut especially when driving its not going to run well at all..

I'd find a rubber hammer and tap on your catalytic converter. If you hear any rattling when you hit the converter, then the honeycomb has broken up and is most likely your problem.

 

My GL was doing something similar about a year ago. Had no power, couldn't get over about 40 (unless going downhill), and a very distinct squeeling noise from the front somewhere (especially if I revved it up).

 

Turns out the catalytic converter honeycomb thing came loose and was blocking the exhaust.

 

I fixed my problem by taking out that portion of the exhaust, cutting the converter box open, and removing the honeycomb. Just had to weld it shut again and put it back in.

 

good luck

Have you given it a tune up lately? Tried fuel cleaner stuff? Any vacuum hoses leaking?

So if his choke's stuck would WD-40 help get it unstuck? Or is it more complicated than that?

I am thinking it is the Carb. The clutch is currently out on this ride so anyhow. Thanks