My 1997 Legacy wagon 2.2 eng. will sometime not idle after turning engine off and restarting it. Then I can run it some more and it will idle fine. I drive it daily and it will do this about four times a month. Any ideals? I have changed the temp. sending unit already.

Off hand, avoid re-starting it? It's not a Windoze PC after all

I've seen this problem in older Legacys and Imprezas, it is usually the purge control solenoid sticking open and allowing too much gasoline vapor to be drawn in from the charcoal canister, causing a rich running condition (car doesn't want to idle, small amounts of black smoke, etc). It usually clears up after a minute or two of driving.

The fix is to replace the bad purge control solenoid, I believe this is the part number: 14774AA351

 

Hope this helps,

~NanoSoob

Nanosoob

I forgot to mention that I changed the purge control solenoid also. I had posted this problem here about eight months ago, and others said that could be the problem. Any other ideals? Could the idle air control cause this?

 

Setright, I use this car for my job (Postal Service) and we must turn engine off when we exit car for any reason.

I don't know for certain on the '97s, but on my '95 2.2 liter it has a seperate sending unit for the temp gauge versus the sending unit for the ECU (called the engine coolant temperature sensor).

You might try replacing the coolant temperature sensor if you changed the temp gauge sending unit before, but you might end up spending $25 for nothing.

 

I assume you haven't been having the "check engine" light come on? Have you noticed any dead spots or dirtiness in the TPS (throttle position sensor), possibly showing up in funky/weird takeoffs from a stop as you push on the accelerator pedal slowly?

Understooded!

 

Does it have the steering wheel on the "wrong" side?

 

 

I would go with the coolant temp sensor, too.

I think he means he replaced the temp sensor cause on that MY car the temp gauge sending unit and the temp sensor are one and the same sensor. IT's like that on my 96 so it should be the same on the 97 model.

No ck. engine light. Steering wheel on right. I think it only has the one temp. sending unit but not sure.