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Thread ID: 102503 2009-08-21 07:10:00 Subaru Legacy auto problems Cuchulain (15188) PC World Chat
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803206 2009-08-21 07:10:00 If anybody has a solution to this problem I would be most grateful. I own a 1991 Subaru Legacy Turbo Auto, which is experiencing intermitent loss of power under load? Sometimes cuts out at low revs, but easily starts again. The problem is not regular enough for my mechanic to easily diagnose the problem. It seems to have started just after I had a oil and filter replacement, which may have no bearing on the matter or not? Cuchulain (15188)
803207 2009-08-21 08:33:00 Welcome to PressF1, you did notice the "Computer" theme going on here right?

Anyway need more info, what kinda power loss? like it just dies? sounds like it could be an electrical thing which youd have to get looked at by an auto sparky. Check leads and plugs and go from there
hueybot3000 (3646)
803208 2009-08-21 10:31:00 First thing to do is check all your turbo related plumbing for air leaks. If it's doing it under load the turbo is pressurising the inlet system & any leak will give you that symptom. If it's got the standard intercooler on it, check the concertina hoses for splits. You may even have to remove the intercooler & make new gaskets for the aluminium hose connectors to intercooler joints. Do all these as they are the most common turbo faults. After that the diagnostics get too tricky to diagnose remotely Phil B (648)
803209 2009-08-21 10:35:00 I would clean out the throttle body and change oxygen sensor. prefect (6291)
803210 2009-08-21 10:46:00 You only spend money on components after doing the basics first. Oxygen sensors very rarely cause a car to cut out. Notable exception for some reason VW Phil B (648)
803211 2009-08-21 10:56:00 First thing to check would be air leaks on intake side especially the (big) hose from the aircleaner housing to the throttle body, the concertina-ed hose can split underneath (out of sight) when it gets hard after a lot of years and cause your airflow not to be measured correctly, check also hoses on intercooler (if its the one that's mounted on the engine), the hoses can get misfitted and/or split if the intercooler's been moved (hose is a neat fit by turbo end) and breather and vacuum hoses.
Also check your cooling system is up to scratch, no leaks/is full/antifreeze fitted, can get an airlock in block if not refilled correctly when drained (best way is to remove top hose at radiator end and refill block from there until coolant runs from rad neck. Check coolant temperature sensor is operating correctly as well as thermostat (this will affect cold/hot starting as well as fuel consumption).
If I remember right, those engines (EJ20?) have a crank angle sensor (by the crank pulley) and a cam angle sensor by the LH cam sprocket, make sure these are ok; another problem that's related to this is the crank pulley can often come loose with consequential damage to the crankshaft/keyway/crank sprocket (and the reluctor mounted on the sprocket) and will cause the valve/ignition/injector timing to move about causing intermittent lack of power and stalling (take a look at the pulley while it's running, if it's wobbling even slightly, it's loose).
Hope this helps.
feersumendjinn (64)
803212 2009-08-21 10:57:00 Yeah you are right phil probably best to do plug it into a diagnostic machine and do a compression check first. prefect (6291)
803213 2009-08-21 11:20:00 This may or may not fix the problem.

I remember driving a Holden V8 that would stop from time to time.

Fault was traced to a carburettor float which had a hole which allowed the float to sink and thus cutting off the fuel.
Sweep (90)
803214 2009-08-21 11:40:00 The soobaroo would be injection I think. prefect (6291)
803215 2009-08-21 12:44:00 This may or may not fix the problem.

I remember driving a Holden V8 that would stop from time to time.

Fault was traced to a carburettor float which had a hole which allowed the float to sink and thus cutting off the fuel.

i cant even imagine how itd get a hole in it, maybe you fed it too much gravel
hueybot3000 (3646)
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