my wife has a '96 subaru legacy 2.2 liter 4 cyl. and she wants to get a tune up cos the car sometimes seems to want to shut off while driving, and we had trouble w/ it a while ago when it rained so much. so the moisture seems to affect it. problem is, i know nothing about this car, what the ignition system is like... im pretty sure its EFI, but what would have to be done in a tune-up? it has newer wires and plugs. what would i ask for from a mechanic to make sure im not getting raped?

make sure they are OEM Subaru wires. that can cause problems similar to what you are describing. the newer EJ22 (your 2.2 liter) and EJ25 motors are not very forgiving and don't work well without OEM wires.

 

NGK plugs should also be used.

 

the ignition coil pack would also be a good thing to look at. but a used one for a couple dollars and swap it in.

I too like Gary's suggestion about the ignition pack. The 1st gen legacies had the same issue when wet. As the coil pack aged it would crack then water would sneak in. Find a used one and plug and play. Defiantely NGK plugs, not so sure about the wires though.

I too like Gary's suggestion about the ignition pack. The 1st gen legacies had the same issue when wet. As the coil pack aged it would crack then water would sneak in. Find a used one and plug and play. Defiantely NGK plugs, not so sure about the wires though.

 

 

 

thank you very much guys, i appreciate it! is the 1996 legacy part of that 1st generation?

also, is there a fuel injector clean-out that would help?

thank you very much guys, i appreciate it! is the 1996 legacy part of that 1st generation?

 

No but its VERY similar engine wise. No clue if Subaru ever addressed it or not.

I too like Gary's suggestion about the ignition pack. The 1st gen legacies had the same issue when wet. As the coil pack aged it would crack then water would sneak in. Find a used one and plug and play. Defiantely NGK plugs, not so sure about the wires though.

 

 

so this is pretty easy to do? will i recognize the coil pack on top of the engine if i buy a used one to swap it out? or is it obscured by other stuff or on the bottom of the engine?

It's right on top of the engine - just follow the plug wires and you'l find it bolted right on top of the intake manifold in the center. It's just a black flat looking thing. I hear they are rather expensive new, so get a used one from the junk yard and give it a whirl - if nothing else just to make sure that is your problem.

 

GD

argh...

prices on EVERYTHING are going up...

so this is pretty easy to do? will i recognize the coil pack on top of the engine if i buy a used one to swap it out? or is it obscured by other stuff or on the bottom of the engine?

 

Just follow the wires from the plug to this flat electrical thing. If you're a VW man, you'll be amazed at the ease of working on a Subaru. It is put together much simpler and you don't have tons of cheap plastic covers to break the clips on to get to much of the stuff. Boy did I hate working on my wife's old Jetta! All that non-sense stuff like 3 plastic covers to remove to change a light bulb that went out annually just drove me crazy... She's now in a Subie mostly for that reason! Best of luck man, definately get a used one, if you have a pull-a-part locally you should be able to get one for $10 or so.

my wife has a '96 subaru legacy 2.2 liter 4 cyl. and she wants to get a tune up cos the car sometimes seems to want to shut off while driving, and we had trouble w/ it a while ago when it rained so much. so the moisture seems to affect it. problem is, i know nothing about this car, what the ignition system is like... im pretty sure its EFI, but what would have to be done in a tune-up? it has newer wires and plugs. what would i ask for from a mechanic to make sure im not getting raped?

 

WHile the car is running, spray the engine with water, especially the ignition wires and coil. Look for sparks, that will tell you if you have a bad coil pack or bad wires. Do it at dusk or at night, as it makes it far easier to see any voltage leaks. Don't go out and buy a coil pack when you might not need one, it may just be wires.

Do buy wires from subaru.

 

nipper