hello, i am searching for a mechanic in the nyc area who really knows their way around subarus. i recently purchased an 89 xt coupe gl(manual) and am having a real problem with delayed (5-10 seconds) acceleration out 1st/2nd/3rd gears. highway driving poses no problem. fuel delivery problem has been ruled out, no clutch slip occurs, complete tune-up has been done. i suspect a sensor problem, but my mechanic has been unable to get any negative readings off his diagnostic. any thoughts or mechanic recomendations would be greatly appreciated. thanks! kwarn

if your car has a MAF (the hot wire type), then remove it and have a look at it. (it only takes a couple 10mm bolts to remove on the XT6, the XT can't be terrribly different). remove the sensor and hold it up to some good lighting. look very closely for the wires passing through the MAF sensor, they are very very fine wires, like looking for a thin hair. should be 4 or 6 of them, can't remember, doesn't matter you're looking for just one that is broken and shriveled up. a broken wire in the MAF will cause exactly the problems you are indicating. likely wouldn't be intermittent though, would probably be all the time.

 

check your water temperatur sensor. it SHOULD show an engine code, but i have seen them cause problems (including no start) without showing any engine codes. the water temperature sensor can be a very annoying issue and installing a new sensor lasts only a few months because the contacts remain dirty and corroded. i did a permanent fix on my XT6 and have never dealt with it again. here's what i did:

http://www.xt6.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7341#7341

 

if that doesn't work, then in these circumstances it is best to pop the hood with the engine running and methodically go through the TPS and MAF wiring harnesses. the sensor may be fine but a short in the harness will cause issues. start at the sensor and gradually bend the wires (nothing severe, just enough to move them around and show any internal defects). start at the sensor and work your way back as far as you can. i've found 2 defective wires this way (both on XT6's).

i would suspect the throttle position sensor, its a variable risestor that can get dirty and has an idle and WOT position. tou can clock it one way or the other, ot if you are careful you can take it apart and clean it. its located on the siode of the throttle body

thanks for your suggestions. i'm not qualified to do this on my own, but will print your advice and take it to a new place i'm going to this week that deals only with subarus. greatly appreciated! kwarn

thanks very much for your advice - i will pass it on to the new mechanic i'm taking it to. kwarn