Pat Gilbert Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 !988 Subaru DL, 5 speed N/A. My wife hit a huge mudpuddle(river) the other day, and the car died. She parked it and walked, we picked it up towing it, and whilst towing I pop-started her and she came alive, with the usual sputtering from driving through a river. I revved it up a bit to clear it out and succeded in clearing it, only to see all functions cease, no lights no pump, no ignition. No problem right? Just the fusible link, right? No, the link popped I replaced it, I have all functions except timing, and the tail lights. I have voltage at the coil, but I dont think it dumps correctly. Apparently the distributor must be replaced as a unit? I cant just buy the optical sensor? Or could it be the ignitor, the small device that tells the coil to dump, located just under the coil? I have a spare coil that works, and the Subaru coil works fine on my Falcon, so it must be one of the other two, or could it be the ECU? Timing is controlled by this model's ECU right? Any input would be helpful, and also the Subaru Graveyard nearest to me (Battle Creek MI), for parts. I love this car and cannot stand to let it sit. If you can assist let me know. I was also wondering if I can scrap the electronic disty for a good ol solid state unit? Thank You for your time....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Gilbert Posted September 17, 2008 Author Share Posted September 17, 2008 Sorry if I posted in the wrong section!! I wasnt thinking repair, I was thinking replace. While I was waitng for a reply I figured I would look around, and saw a post " How to repair a damaged ECU for EA82 (if the fuel pump doesnt run). I see a diagnoses that includes taking the ecu apart to visually inspect for damage. I have taken apart many a computer and do know the risks, but dont want to risk destruction of the unit. I know the pins and locations for the timing section of the ECU, but am unsure how to proceed. Will the defect be obvious if it is in the ECU? I smelled a burned something electrical smell in the car, not like wire insulation, more like an old HO train track shorting out. No visible wire damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zukiru Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 if you got a short you likely got the ecu or the module.... etc etc... start from the cheapest things and proceed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstaru Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 you don't always have to throw money at it. but i am sure that folks would be willing to help you out with parts around here.......paid for or not.most people just want to get rid of ************ because we are a bunch of hoarders cheers, brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Gilbert Posted September 19, 2008 Author Share Posted September 19, 2008 That's good to hear! I have considered a MSD SCI ignition, with a Hall's Effect distributor, but I haven't finished the diagnoses yet. Does anyone see a problem with that sort of setup? Can I use an optical with a MSD ignition? I may spend a few bucks, but I would have a great ignition if this old girl ever dies(LOL). I got fuel pressure, and the relays all come on so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Gilbert Posted September 20, 2008 Author Share Posted September 20, 2008 The ECU appears to be intact, so I will proceed to the dist, and check the optical sensor response. If I have a hitachi computer, will I have a Hitachi distributor? I see a ND one listed for this car as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 the disty is the crank angle sensor. the little transistor on the coil bracket is the ign amplifier. which takes a signal from the disty thru the ecu and amplifies it to break the coil fields. i would start at the disty, and to really start at the beginning of a troubleshoot, make sure the rotor is turning(broken timing belt). maybe the disty needs to air out. it wont hurt to take it apart and spray wd40 in there and let it air out. otherwise if you need to replace it, other spfi and mpfi models will work. if the plig on the wire is wrong, you can swap the whole pigtail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Gilbert Posted September 20, 2008 Author Share Posted September 20, 2008 I have checked voltage into the disty, all is well, 10v, 4v, 4v, ground. My flow chart reads to check the coil pole wires for alternating between 5v/0v while turning the engine over. It is always 10v either pole. ALLDATA says to replace the crank angle sensor at that point. Iwent to the parts store and they said I could buy a new dist/crank sensor for 200$ lifetime warranty. When I asked about the ignitor they said not servicable. I find that hard to believe seeings how I can remove it!!!! If I go ahead and trust ALLDATA, I will be looking for a used disty I reckon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Gilbert Posted September 20, 2008 Author Share Posted September 20, 2008 (edited) By the way the rotor turns, I've removed and replaced whole disty to pour the water out, inspect for damage, missing gear(LOL), see if I could remove the sensor(can't), so on. Believe me I wont have a problem with the timing belts, I got two in the trunk, and a quick release radiator!!!! I like the fact that the ECU is kicking out the right voltage though. Edited September 20, 2008 by Pat Gilbert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Gilbert Posted September 20, 2008 Author Share Posted September 20, 2008 (edited) http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SUBARU-XT-LOYALE-DISTRIBUTOR-1988-1994-USED-AUTO-PART_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247QQcategoryZ33690QQihZ007QQitemZ170238498251QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V Uh is this the one? Gear isnt even close to the same.Plug doesnt match, but you said it fox hook it on up eh? Edited September 20, 2008 by Pat Gilbert incomplete info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Gilbert Posted September 20, 2008 Author Share Posted September 20, 2008 My PN is DP4 86-03A 8204, but the plug on the bottom that comes out looks the same. That is what you mean 'swap plugs' right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Gilbert Posted September 20, 2008 Author Share Posted September 20, 2008 Well I have checked the signals with the disty hooked up and get the 5v/0v switch while cranking from both GY and BW wires. At this point ALLDATA says the control unit is bad(Idont know if they mean ECU or transistor). I think they mean ECU, but the name 'control unit is interchangable' with both parts. It would seem that signal back from disty to transistor means good computer? I am confused at this point, but not frustrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Gilbert Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share Posted September 21, 2008 I got a feeling its the ignitor/resistor, anyone gota line on 1 of those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 if you can find a junkyard nearby, any fuel injected subaru will have the ignitor unit. i place my bets on the disty itself(crank angle sensor) the 86 and 87 distys will have a round plug, and the 88 and up will have a square plug. the entire pigtail detaches from the bottom of the deisy housing, its held on by 2 screws. rule out the ecu is bad, there is no way. you got water in the distributor, narrow your troubleshoot to that alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Gilbert Posted September 25, 2008 Author Share Posted September 25, 2008 Well I bought a different dist. for an 1800 engine, exact duplicate except the number on the side, and the plug. Switched it out.....no spark! I suppose I'll need to locate an ignitor module thingy. That is the next step in the line, so to speak....... Anyone got an ignitor module for this vehicle? Please message me at aorqo@hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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