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new to subbies.....just did an engine swap


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we have an 89 rx that we just did an engine swap with.. the new engine seems fine, but we are still haven issues. the check engine light is still on and it dies soon after it starts... if it starts at all.

 

i'm sure the starting problem is the ignition coil. we took the center plug off the distributor and held it to the body and tried starting the car, no spark until we stopped starting, then i fired off ONE healthy looking spark.

 

i know it's getting fuel and air, the timing is fine WHEN it starts.

 

any suggestions, would be greatly accepted

 

 

rabbitt

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Look for the green connectors under the dash on the driver side. There will be two and they plug into each other. If you time the car, you also want to plug these in before you start it to time it, to help set the ECM to a base line or else it will do some very funky things.

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well i'm loosing my frigging mind on this damn thing.....

 

i changed the coil out and the issue is still the same..

 

we are getting NO spark from the coil until i stopping trying to turn the engine over then i get one nice spark at the end..

 

and when it does start it quits immediately, i had it at 3,000rpm's and it was trying to die the whole time, then it just stopped and would not start again for a LLOOOONNNGGGGG time. i'm out of ideas and basically giving up...it goes to the mechanic in the morning, and if he cant fix it then there will be a 88 rx for sale soon! piece of @$##$ S#@t

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4x4 welder has an excellent point, too. get a multimeter and check that you have proper power to the coil. make sure the hot wire is in good shape too, if you have poor 12V supply to the coil it will try to barely work.. and also, dont forget to plug the green connectors on the drivers side, under the hood right at the far back of the engine bay for checking the timing with a timing light. but if you say spark is bad, then spark is bad and i wouldnt bark up other trees until you get that straight.

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Thats what mine did. Check the resistor under the coil, mine was bad. But mine also ended up being a ignition control module. Those would be the next two things to check.

 

 

 

well i'm loosing my frigging mind on this damn thing.....

 

i changed the coil out and the issue is still the same..

 

we are getting NO spark from the coil until i stopping trying to turn the engine over then i get one nice spark at the end..

 

and when it does start it quits immediately, i had it at 3,000rpm's and it was trying to die the whole time, then it just stopped and would not start again for a LLOOOONNNGGGGG time. i'm out of ideas and basically giving up...it goes to the mechanic in the morning, and if he cant fix it then there will be a 88 rx for sale soon! piece of @$##$ S#@t

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what happened to the old engine?

 

how are the fusible links (by the battery)? pull them out, make sure the ends are all clean and none are broken. reinstall.

 

make sure the engine connectors are fully seated. it is very easy to plug them in but not have them fully seated where all pins are engaged. double check.

 

is the CEL giving any codes in the trunk (LED on the ECu will flash the code for you).

 

check the distributor plug connection. check the engine grounds. forget where they are on the EA82T exactly. front drivers side of engine on XT6, but EA82T could very well be different.

 

the FET is a small dime sized device under the coil. it needs to be grounded and in good condition for the car to start. it's attached to the coil bracket and has one wiring harness connection.

 

make sure the distributor and rotor are good. pull it off and look. i've had brand new ones self destruct internally (and still spark...but at the wrong time). you get no spark at the coil or plugs?

 

you didn't do any swapping of engine harness, distributor, body harness or ECU right? all that is identical? same year and model EA82T? all EA82T distributors do not interchange.

 

check this list and let us know what you find....sounds like alot but shouldn't take long at all.

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what happened to the old engine?

 

how are the fusible links (by the battery)? pull them out, make sure the ends are all clean and none are broken. reinstall.

 

make sure the engine connectors are fully seated. it is very easy to plug them in but not have them fully seated where all pins are engaged. double check.

 

is the CEL giving any codes in the trunk (LED on the ECu will flash the code for you).

 

check the distributor plug connection. check the engine grounds. forget where they are on the EA82T exactly. front drivers side of engine on XT6, but EA82T could very well be different.

 

the FET is a small dime sized device under the coil. it needs to be grounded and in good condition for the car to start. it's attached to the coil bracket and has one wiring harness connection.

 

make sure the distributor and rotor are good. pull it off and look. i've had brand new ones self destruct internally (and still spark...but at the wrong time). you get no spark at the coil or plugs?

 

you didn't do any swapping of engine harness, distributor, body harness or ECU right? all that is identical? same year and model EA82T? all EA82T distributors do not interchange.

 

check this list and let us know what you find....sounds like alot but shouldn't take long at all.

 

 

THANKYOU gary,

i still took i to a mechanic near me and when he hooked it to his computer the only thing it spat out was a bad ecu...so yeah now i have to find a good ecu at pick and pull... unless junkie has an extra he's willing to part with....?

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No extra here, and i doubt PnP will have any either. Theyre EA82 selection is slim, and you need to make sure you get the ECU from another MPFI EA82, dunno if it has to be turbo or not, but i'd suggest finding one. I dont think its your problem, and alot of mechanics in this area have no clue how to work on a subaru. believe me, ive schooled a couple mechanics in our area.

 

if you want to take it to a mechanic who knows his shiz, look up a guy named Barsotti, he has a shop up in Newcastle and all he works on is subaru's.

 

I'd suggest you listen to what the others here have said.

 

-Brian

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