1992 Subaru Loyale

130,000 miles

 

Hey all, I had the local shop check out my subaru to find out what is making the idle so rough at low RPM's (motor shakes).. They ran a computer check on the car and what they told me was that one of the valves did not have enough compression behind it. I asked them what my options were and they told me new motor, or just drive it till it dies (they said it could last me 2-3 years)

 

Ok, I have never went this far in depth with a car, so this is ALL new territory for me.. I started talking to others around work and was told that I could get a valve job done on it to correct the problem. I was wanting to throw the valve job question out to the USMB community and get some ideas on price or anything I can do to make the process cheaper (and if its even worth the money) So far I have about $1,300 dollars in the car total ...

 

BTW - I have replaced the wireset, vacuum lines, plugs, cap, rotor, O2, and fuel filter in hopes that the vibration would go away - no such luck, so I took it to the shop.

 

Thanks for input!

I'm pretty sure that your car has hydraulic lifters, and can therefore not be adjusted. Only solid lifters.

I THINK so.

The cost is minimal if you do it yourself, but you'll need some special tools like a valve spring compressor tool. I did mine because I was doing head gaskets. I'm sure a shop would charge you an arm and a leg to do. You'll have to pull the motor.:-\

 

 

1992 Subaru Loyale

130,000 miles

 

Hey all, I had the local shop check out my subaru to find out what is making the idle so rough at low RPM's (motor shakes).. They ran a computer check on the car and what they told me was that one of the valves did not have enough compression behind it. I asked them what my options were and they told me new motor, or just drive it till it dies (they said it could last me 2-3 years)

 

Ok, I have never went this far in depth with a car, so this is ALL new territory for me.. I started talking to others around work and was told that I could get a valve job done on it to correct the problem. I was wanting to throw the valve job question out to the USMB community and get some ideas on price or anything I can do to make the process cheaper (and if its even worth the money) So far I have about $1,300 dollars in the car total ...

 

BTW - I have replaced the wireset, vacuum lines, plugs, cap, rotor, O2, and fuel filter in hopes that the vibration would go away - no such luck, so I took it to the shop.

 

Thanks for input!

Try the old dollar bill test - start the car, and while it's idling, hold a dollar bill just behind the exhaust, partially covering the exhaust. If you cover the entire exhaust, this may not work.

 

The bill will flap around in the exhaust stream, but if you see it get sucked into the exhaust during the missing, then you've most likely got a burnt valve.

 

If it is a valve, and if you have the patience, some tools, and either skill or determination, you can pull the engine, remove the heads, take them in to a shop for a valve job - maybe 100 -150 bucks - then reinstall everything. Total cost - $250 or so. Be forewarned, though, that this type of project tends to grow much bigger than you plan.

I'm going to say that shop is wrong or looking to make money. Subaru's have VERY tough valves, and you have low mileage. There is almost no way you could have bad valves.

Your problem is most likely something to do with the fuel injection - idle air control, mass air sensor, or throttle position sensor come to mind, or some other sensor causing a rough idle.

 

GD

The check engine light does flash, and I have check the engine codes (in haynes book) to see what it means, it flashes a 55 - cant find anything in the haynes book that relates to 55.

 

 

I'm going to say that shop is wrong or looking to make money. Subaru's have VERY tough valves, and you have low mileage. There is almost no way you could have bad valves.

Your problem is most likely something to do with the fuel injection - idle air control, mass air sensor, or throttle position sensor come to mind, or some other sensor causing a rough idle.

 

GD

The check engine light does flash, and I have check the engine codes (in haynes book) to see what it means, it flashes a 55 - cant find anything in the haynes book that relates to 55.

Quote from Haynes page 6-15:

 

Code 55 - EGR gas temperature sensor circuit open or shorted (see Section 14)

 

That what most likely causes the rough idle!

 

Sam

GD is right, the shop is FOS. there is no way an EA82 engine ECU can give you any code that would lead to an immediate diagnosis of a bad valve.

 

first - look up info on this board about the EGR valve (NOTE - the EGR valve and valves in your engine are COMPLETELY different, so don't get confused). anyway, the EGR valve stuff is very easy to fix. do some searching on the board here and you'll find info on fixing, replacing or just removing it.

 

if you keep oil and coolant in that motor it will have no problems making it to 200,000+ miles without any major items except timing belts (required replacement every 60,000 miles).

Gonna check on that ASAP, I cant believe I missed that code in the haynes book .. I cant wait to get off work and get going on this - I like my subby and dont want it to die :-)

 

Thanks everyone - will post results once I get done with it all.