I'm considering buying an older Soob sight unseen, which is a bad idea, but it's for pennies, so all I have to lose is a headache and a car that doesn't run. The guy says the wagon--a 90 Legacy--has been sitting parked for four or five years. He says it ran fine when it was parked, but now doesn't run because of a fuel pump problem.

 

What's the odds of there being any merit to that? I've never heard of a fuel pump going bad from sitting, but then again there's a lot I never heard of...

 

Thoghts?

It's possible I suppose but of course there are any number of other problems that could prevent a vehicle from running after being parked for 4 or 5 years. Of course getting all fluids and filters changed out would be a good idea, engine oil and filter maybe before even trying to crank it over. There could be a small squirrel family up in the air filter box or something too.

"Thoghts?

 

Well,

he could be guessing.

 

My guess is stale gas.

 

It may have plugged the fuel filter.

Or the pick up sock on the pump.

 

The pump is in the tank and very hard to hear running

if all the covers and carpet are in place.

 

Remember, it only runs for a couple seconds

when the key is turned on.

 

Good luck hope this helps.

Bought a Honda Civic once that sat for over a year. The guy said it ran fine when parked, but after a year it wouldn't start? When I got it home and pulled the panel to get access to the fuel pump, it had a huge field mouse nest right on top of it. The mice urine had rusted out the wire contact to the pump. Soldered on a new terminal and was good to go. Not saying this is your problem but storing this car did make the fuel pump go bad.

Sitting for 5 years, stale gas, clogged fuel line, corroded connection, fouled plugs. Not to mention Rooted tires, rusted rotors, bad engine cracked belts. Mice.

 

 

The list goes on.

 

I wouldnt buy a car that has been sitting for 5 years site unseen, unless it was a classic.

 

 

nipper

Sitting for 5 years, stale gas, clogged fuel line, corroded connection, fouled plugs. Not to mention Rooted tires, rusted rotors, bad engine cracked belts. Mice.

 

 

The list goes on.

 

I wouldnt buy a car that has been sitting for 5 years site unseen, unless it was a classic.

 

 

nipper

 

 

Yeah--my common sense tells me not to buy anything unseen. (I have seen pics) But, it's two franklins, body looks decent, and I figure it might be worth the gamble. I'm still thinking...

 

My love for junk gets me in trouble at times.

My love for junk gets me in trouble at times.

haha I hear you man! I don't know; if the vehicle isn't running and you're buying sight unseen I'd probably offer only salvage value or a little more, maybe 1/2 a franklin, i.e. what a junkyard would pay. Unless it happens to be a turbo?

scrap is up around here

 

let the DBug boy tell ya

 

with the cat it might bring 2 c-notes

 

 

I'm a consummate putz, I like these types of challenges.

Well--would the auto transmission from a '90 2.2 Legacy work with a 95 Legacy? It is an AWD car, but were the trans pretty different between those generations? I thought if anything it could provide a spare trans to have on hand. The car has less than 150k on it. Regardless, I've kinda been wanting to pick up a cheap 2.2 to eventually tear apart and try to do a rebuild of for fun, so if I can't get this thing to run for a reasonable time and cash investment, I'll get the cherry picker rolled out...

I think it is a different gear ratio. SO your going to have to swap the rear diff as well.

Well--would the auto transmission from a '90 2.2 Legacy work with a 95 Legacy? It is an AWD car, but were the trans pretty different between those generations?

 

the trans are very similar, same generation, both phase 1, both have similar TZ102Zxxxx part numbers. but when you read up on 4eat in the endwrench articles, it talks about changes that were made in the design/operation of the 4eat trans as they produced them. i don't know what the changes were or when they occured, but generally for a 95 you'll need a 95 - 98 phase 1 4eat with a part number similar to the one above. if the trans part number starts with TZ1A2Z... then it's phase 2.

 

a quick test might be to try the tcu from the 95 in the 90 or vice versa. but i'm not even sure if that would be safe / smart to do.