crazylong127 Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 here is some backround. i bought an 87 subaru dl wagon 1.8L carbed about a month ago. everyhthing was good till 3 days ago. first the radio and blower/heater motor stoped working. then the next day the corner lights started to stay on all the time. so when i came out to the car the batt. was dead. had a friend jump me, got it started and began driving off. well it died on me before i reached the end of the parking lot. thought it was the alt, so i replaced that. same thing. then i replaced the batt. still, same thing. now i am thinking that i have a ground/short issue. has anyone ever had this happen to them? if so what did you do to fix it? or does anyone have an idea as to what could be wrong? i need the car running again so if you have any ideas please let me know. thank you for your time. -jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyrysc Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 Welcome to the USMB. First thing that I would do is check the fusible links and the fusebox. The fusible links are under a little black rectangle that is close to the battery. they look like 4 pieces of cloth covered wires. Make sure that you can get voltage on both sides of them. As far as your light staying on all the time, seems like something is shorting, possibly a fuse, but more probably a wire or the switch. I would check the fuse box to make sure that nothing crawled in, chewed on stuff and then died, but I would also check the switches and the wiring. I know this is alot of stuff to check, the good news is that from what you said that all was good 3 days ago, so unless you tried to wire something in or messed with any of the wires, it should be easy to troubleshoot. I am sure that some of the more experienced Soob owners will be around shortly to give you even more words of wisdom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazylong127 Posted October 27, 2007 Author Share Posted October 27, 2007 yeah i checked the links and the fuses, both are good. well for the links i only have 3 not 4. i have a spot for the fourth but it is not there. i am missing the one at the very front. it has been like that since i got it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 Might want to have your alternator checked out. Every Sube I have owned has had alternator issues. Run it by autozone or similar place and have them check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazylong127 Posted October 27, 2007 Author Share Posted October 27, 2007 already replaced it. still does the same thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 There is a switch on the top of the steering column. Flip it off. Its the switch to turn the running lights on with the key off. That should fix your drain/lights staying on problem. And don't feel bad, it happens to alot of people.. cars have been sold CHEAP over this "slow drain" issue. As for the radio and blower motor, that sounds more like a fuse or bad wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivantruckman Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 Dittoes on the parking swith on top of the steering collum, i chased wires for hours to only discover that subies have this handy switch , aaarrrrgggg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazylong127 Posted October 27, 2007 Author Share Posted October 27, 2007 i wonder why both the heater and the radio stoped working, they are on two different fuses and they are both good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 i wonder why both the heater and the radio stoped working, they are on two different fuses and they are both good. Possibly a bad common grounding point? Thats the tricky bit. Was I right on the switch being on, or did I make a complete rump roast of myself? :-p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 i wonder why both the heater and the radio stoped working, they are on two different fuses and they are both good. Take a look at the fuse panel. All the fuses shoulkd have a hot side. Check with a test light. Probe the hot side and ground somewhere under the dash. If you find some "dead" fuses then maybe the problem will be found on the backside of the fuse panel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazylong127 Posted October 27, 2007 Author Share Posted October 27, 2007 yeah it was the switch that was on. that was an easy fix. so i turned the switch off and looked over ALL of the fuses, pulled them all out. they were all good except one. the one called monitor engine, or engine moniter, keeps on blowing as soon as the motor starts. what could be causes of that? i know a bad ground could be one, so where does that ground to? also some things started working again. the heater motor, fuel gauge, and coolant temp gauge now works. clock and radio still don't work. any ideas? thanks everyone for there help so far!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottG Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 yeah it was the switch that was on. that was an easy fix. so i turned the switch off and looked over ALL of the fuses, pulled them all out. they were all good except one. the one called monitor engine, or engine moniter, keeps on blowing as soon as the motor starts. what could be causes of that? i know a bad ground could be one, so where does that ground to? also some things started working again. the heater motor, fuel gauge, and coolant temp gauge now works. clock and radio still don't work. any ideas? thanks everyone for there help so far!! I bought an '86 GL 2WD wagon that had been sitting for 4 years - lots of minor electrical glitches. I finally pulled all the fuses & sprayed them with electrical contact cleaner, then sprayed the fuse panel with the same stuff. Then I used 600 grit sandpaper to clean all the fuse blades and the receiving sections in the fuse panel. It's been right as rain ever since. Check every ground under the hood, under the carpet, & under the dash. Use sandpaper & electrical contact cleaner on each one. Trace that engine monitor wire from both sides of the fuse panel. The hot side may have grounded somewhere. 20 plus year old wiring can get some brittle covering under some conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 I recommend you get a test light probe to check for power. First make sure power is getting on both sides of the fusible links. If they are ok then check the power to the fuses by placing the probe tip in the little slots on top of the fuses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazylong127 Posted October 27, 2007 Author Share Posted October 27, 2007 i have a multimeter i can use that also correct? what should it read? 12-14 volts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 i have a multimeter i can use that also correct? what should it read? 12-14 volts? You can use the MM, a Digital one would be better. You should read battery voltage + - .5 volts when checking circuits. Take a reading of the battery first, then start checking wiring system. With engine running, you should be reading around 13 to 14 volts. A small brad or paper clip is very usefull for probing the connectors. A length of wire with aligator clips on both ends is also usefull for a ground wire on the (D)MM lead. Helps you get around the vehicle a bit easier. Pull the fusible link box from it's mounting and check the connections under it. I have found issues there due to corrosion on a couple vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill90Loyale Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 The "meter engine" fuse may be the airflow meter. See this thread. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=40871&highlight=fuse+blows Meanwhile, the ground for the radio/clock is under the carpet on the "hump" forward of the shifter. IIRC. Feel the carpet on top of the hump to see if you can feel the ground connection wire and screw. If yes, cut the carpet carefully with an exacto knife to access the ground (or remove the entire carpet, which I've done, and which is a PIA). Clean up the ground with a file and apply dielectric grease, reinstall and glue the carpet down neatly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 The engine should start and idle with the airflow meter unplugged. If you then don't blow that use, the problem lies within the airflow meter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazylong127 Posted October 28, 2007 Author Share Posted October 28, 2007 where is the airflow meter located? i assume it will be around the airfilter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill90Loyale Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 where is the airflow meter located? i assume it will be around the airfilter. It's the 2x2 inch (or so) little black box on top of your elephant trunk (air) at the air filter end of the trunk. Once you remove it, handle it carefully. The delicate sensor wires can be cleaned with carb cleaner (spray) or MAF spray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 you don't have a MAF sensor or an Air Flow Meter; your car is carbureted. I have no idea what fuse you are talking about, or what it might be; but chances are that thread linked with the fuse box cover pic is not the same as your car. What do your battery cables look like? I want you, with the car off, to check the voltage with the MM probes directly on the battery terminals themselves, not the cables.. then go inside and check the voltage at the fuse panel. The factory battery cables were NOT built well enough to last 20-25 years and still work happy, and the terminals bolted onto those cables were even worse. New cables would probably go a long way for ten bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill90Loyale Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 you don't have a MAF sensor or an Air Flow Meter; your car is carbureted. Ooops. Got too deep into the thread and forgot the car. My apolgies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazylong127 Posted October 29, 2007 Author Share Posted October 29, 2007 Ooops. Got too deep into the thread and forgot the car. My apolgies. so does anyone know what this fuse is for then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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