d_sube90 Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 (edited) Hey sorry if this is a dupe post but I had a buddy point me here that's used this site and said I should post my problem. I have a gremlin under the hood and it's driving me into the poor house, it's a 1990 Subaru Legacy wagon w/125,XXX miles w/2.2L automatic transmission, first let me explain what it's doing: ONLY when it's wet out, if it's dry out it's just fine: it surges/hesitates, doesn't matter what speed, if in town, 50% of the time it'll die at stop lights, you can watch the tach surge (loss) anywhere up to 1100rpms, it'll spit and sputter then stop doing it and run fine for a minute then happen so the problem is very intermitten, sometimes violent enough to shake the front of the car when it starts doing it What I've done so far: timing belt was replaced when I bought it replaced plugs/wires air filter O-ring in airbox (done by reputable shop) replaced tranny computer (by shop) checked injectors - all fine ran 2 cans of seafoam, one through oil one through full tank of gas checked all electrical connection points I can find + alternator(fine) + hoses are fine took airbox off and cleaned with carb cleaner everywhere I could get a tooth brush I've had it to the shop 5 times so far and they haven't been able to get it to do it let alone fix it completely and I'm at my wits end with this thing Edited June 6, 2009 by d_sube90 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericem Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Sounds most definitely like a spark plug wire issue. Did you use OEM wires? It is very important that you do and they are not expensive like $30? Also what is the airbox oring you speak off. Only other thing I would suggest after verifying the wires, is to dump a bit of seafoam via the IAC tube and just hold the throttle open so the engine doesn't die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 "Only when wet". Get another coil pack from a local wrecking yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Are you getting a check engine light? If so, pull the codes and let us know what they are. If above post doesn't fix issue then my thought is a bad mass air flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log1call Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Might pay to check the wiring running down to the O2 sensor isn't getting shorted by the water. The water can splash up there easily if there are puddles and it could cause it. If you don't think water would be splashing up there, or, squirting water up there doesn't do it, it could be HT related as suggested previously. Again, get a hose under the bonnet with just a trickle coming out and wet one thing at a time to try and find the place the water is getting in. Run it over the HT system first then any engine connectors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_sube90 Posted June 6, 2009 Author Share Posted June 6, 2009 Thanks for all your suggestions that's awesome to answer in order: 1) yeah I replaced plugs n wires first thing, I paid out like $45 for the OEM plug wires w/split fire plugs 2) I had thought it could be the coil myself 3) I am getting the check engine light but the shop I take it to said it spits out 4 to 5 random codes most of which don't have any relation to the problem which leads me to believe it's a bad computer 5) I'm not entirely sure which O ring the shop replaced in the airbox to be honest and I had done the Seafoam trick in just about every opening it recommended 6) My suspicion is that it is the MAF since it makes sense that moisture would trip that up and not dry weather I had read somewhere on this forum that the knock sensor could also be to blame would this hold true in my case? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 MAF. Sounds exactly the same as the problems I had with my 1990 Leggy w/auto. and replacing the MAF fixed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OB99W Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 3) I am getting the check engine light but the shop I take it to said it spits out 4 to 5 random codes most of which don't have any relation to the problem which leads me to believe it's a bad computer ECUs fail, but not too frequently. It could be very helpful to know what those ''random'' codes are. Try to get them and let us know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_sube90 Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 ECUs fail, but not too frequently. It could be very helpful to know what those ''random'' codes are. Try to get them and let us know. Will do sorry I didn't have them before, the car goes into the shop on Thursday so I'll have them then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_sube90 Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 MAF. Sounds exactly the same as the problems I had with my 1990 Leggy w/auto. and replacing the MAF fixed it. awesome, that was my next stop I think since that's been my assumption from day one, thanks for the tip my friend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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