Hondasucks

So yesterday after work I decided to just unplug the CTS and see what it did.. In doing so, found the connector full of corrosion, so whether it's the culprit or not I'm going to have to replace it. With it unplugged it doesn't want to idle when it's cold (which makes sense, computer doesn't know it's cold so it's not going to give it enough fuel) but when I left work it ran like a raped ape, threw me back into the seat when I opened it up.. But once it warmed it up it started cutting out again :-\ This morning it ran worse when cold but did a little better on the freeway... I'm starting to wonder if in addition to the CTS if I don't have a bad knock sensor and a few other issues like a bad distributor cap or bad dizzy or bad plug wires :-| Guess I know what I'm tinkering with this weekend!

*grumble* that's what I was afraid of...

CTS definitely makes sense, I just ran down to the corner gas station to get a soda and the thing went like a bat out of hell (Still not as fast as I remember it, but didn't feel it bog down at all, and it pulled all the way to 4500 or so before I shifted), on the way back it started to bog down on me. This morning getting on SR500 it didn't want to go past like 3500RPM, but when I left my apartment it was fine. I'm getting a SLIGHT raw fuel smell when I first fire it up.. I'm gonna have to check all the hoses n crap when I get home... Any idea where the CTS is on an XT motor with a spider intake? And yeah, it needs an EJ20T lol

Decided to start driving my 87 Turbowagon agan (The one I got from Ed almost 10 years ago lol) since my wife's Corolla is on its last legs and I really don't want it to blow up on the freeway... Anyway it runs and drives ok but has almost NO power. Is fine off boost, seems to run a little better once it warms up. Will do freeway speeds (Drove it from Albany to Vancouver with no issues)but it's like the more boost builds the less power it has. I've checked fuel pressure and compression, all is in spec. Burnt off all the old gas and filled it with fresh gas. It feels like it's pulling timing, and I did get a knock sensor code ONCE several months ago, but since then nothing. Once or twice I've fired it up and it's been fine, and sometimes when I'm driving it the boost will build at higher RPM and it will go for a bit and then peter out. Check engine light came on once driving it around the block, pulled codes and got 34, 35, 42, and 51 but unfortunately since I don't work for Subaru anymore (I now do tech support lol) I don't have access to Subaru Net for repair guides, and I don't have my Subaru manuals up here. I did manage to find out what the codes meant, but no info on checking them. Car is an 87, engine is out of an 88 XT Turbo, I did find a couple of vacuum diagrams (Turbo light doesn't come on, trying to figure out the "correct" routing for the lines..) and in one of them, for the 87, it shows a "knock control unit" that isn't shown in the 88 diagram, so I'm wondering if it's just a wiring issue between the 87 car and 88 engine (I'm going to feel like a real tool if it's been a damn connector in the wrong spot this whole time..) but in my searching I stumbled across a thread on here about the knock control box, and someone mentioned that the wagons only had it up to 86, was only in 87 XTs. [And of course, my brain is now trying to remember if the XT the engine came out of was an 87 or 88... Engine has a spider intake and I seem to recall them being 88+ but it's been too long LOL I'm getting old...] Any help would be appreciated...

fixed it Also, she doesn't have a Subie yet (FWD Corolla ) but here's a pic of my girl workin on a Subie lol she's just doing plug wires but I'll have her doing timing belts in no time :-P Plus she did help me with the head gasket on her Corolla (I wanted to put a 4AGE in there with a turbo and a 5 speed but she wouldn't let me spend that much lol)

Yeah, 92 SVX LS-L, although lately I've been driving my girlfriend's 92 Corolla since it gets better mileage than my SVX and I drive more than she does, but it's in desperate need of a 5MT swap (Currently it's a front wheel drive 3 speed slushbox) Need to find a 4AGE, a suitable turbo, and a 5 speed...) I've also still got my 87 GL turbo wagon, but it's sitting in my storage unit/shop next to my 68 Polara waiting for some turbo coolant hoses and for my 90 Corolla and 86 Jetta to sell lol

I landed a job at wongleflute Hannah Subaru in Vancouver, I start next week but I'll be moving up there this weekend! I'm pretty excited, plus I'll be pretty dang close for the show this year, and I will be camping! (So yes, Mike, this means we get to have a Wizard Staff contest!) :banana::banana:

Does your power light flash on startup? I've done a lot of transfer solenoids, and every one of them required replacing the transfer clutch pack & drum due to grooving. (The "failsafe" mode of the transfer solenoid is full pressure to the clutches, driving around with it like that causes the clutches to wear grooves in the drum, which causes the plates to "Stick", causing torque bind) It will usually start out as kind of a "grab and slip" type feeling, like you will turn a corner and you will feel it bind but then it will release. Once the grooves get deep enough they won't release. Additives won't help, the problem is the clutches are engaged and doing their job (holding), the only way to make the bind go away with an additive would be to add something that would make the clutches not hold, which would also make the rest of the transmission not hold, which would not be a good thing. I would recommend replacing the clutch pack and drum (It's not that hard, can be done in the car, you'll need the clutch pack, drum, and extension housing gasket. If you are nervous about it, it should only cost $6-700 or so to have the dealership fix it, I think book time on it is ~4.0 hours. I would also recommend using the "ATF-HP" fluid (it's in the silver bottle, is the 5EAT fluid) it's a very high quality fluid, and actually improves the performance of the 4EAT.

Will definitely be easy for me this year cuz it's a really short drive from Vancouver! And I'll definitely be camping this year!!!:banana:

Is it a 5 speed by chance? There's a possibility that your problem lies in the neutral switch in the transmission, they go bad and then the computer thinks it's in neutral when it's really in gear, and tries to control the idle (Which it can't since it's in gear). Best way to catch those is to plug in the Select Monitor and set it to graph the neutral position switch and run it through the gears, you'll see it if it's bad. If that's not it, check all your vacuum lines, hoses, etc... make sure nothing is loose or broken, that will also cause an idle control fault.

Picked up a 2005 Legacy GT for my wife (it was "her turn" to get a car LOL, I'm next... I'm thinkin LGT Spec B...) Pics are here http://www.wilsonvilletoyota.com/used/Subaru/2005-Subaru-Legacy-b798ea797f000001004f0b5bcfd2a0d6.htm?useHistory=true I dunno how long they'll be there, if the link should break let me know and I will upload some pics of it to Photobucket.

You need a scanner that will GRAPH this as you might not catch it if it just shows on/off since sometimes they switch pretty quickly. (That's how I was able to catch this one on the car I worked on with this problem)

I've worked on a car with this exact problem, what they directed me to do was to connect the Select Monitor and GRAPH the neutral switch and run it through the gears, and sure enough it wouldn't always read correctly. Replaced the switch and the sealing ring and the problem went away. That's where I would start.

2007 should still be under warranty (3 yr 36,000 miles) The blower in my 90 Legacy quit, I took it out and sprayed some electric motor cleaner into it and reinstalled it and it worked again.. The fact that yours made a bunch of noise leads be to believe it's either got shot bearings, or something is in it. I'd pull it out (3 bolts, you'll need a stubby phillips or an 8mm socket to get them) and make sure it spins freely and there's nothing stuck in it. You might be able to get an older blower unit and swap the housing, they are very similar... My dealership is Subaru/Toyota and I've noticed quite a similarity between the two, I've never tried putting a Toyota blower in a Subaru though...

hmm so I really should source some injectors for my 90 Legacy... Or a complete intake... The IAC and MAF are correct, now, lol the IAC was the wrong one when I got the car...

Welcome to the forum I came on here about 9 years ago when I bought my first Subie, and I had no freakin clue how to work on it or anything, and look at me now I'm a Subaru mechanic These things have a tendency to grow on you!

Dagnabbit, if my check wasn't so freakin tiny this month I would mob the Dodge up there. Probably wouldn't get a tree, but it'd go farther in the woods than the SVX would, although by then hopefully I will have my snow tires... We'll see, if I can come up with like $200 in the next few days maybe we'll head up there Would be cool to see some of you guys again!

Is the fluid level ok in the master cylinder? You might be able to add some fluid and crack the bleeder screw on the slave cylinder and wait for the bubbles to stop coming out, then close it. That should get most of the air out of the system but you still might need to open-push and hold pedal-close a few times to get it all out. The crunching into reverse is because an air bubble wasn't letting the clutch disengage all the way. Check your system for leaks. Pull the boot back on the slave cylinder and see if there is fluid behind it (If the seals in the slave cylinder are bad, fluid will shoot out the end). If there isn't any there, check up under the dash where the rod comes through for the master cylinder, as that is the other spot they can leak, if it's not a leak in one of the lines.

Hmm I wonder if that's why my 90 Legacy has sporadic check engine lights and other anomalies. I think someone stuffed a AT engine into it (it's a 5 speed), it used to have the AT style idle control valve, but I finally swapped it out to the proper MT valve... I'm tempted to find a MT intake manifold and just swap everything and see if it runs better...

I *might* be able to cut one at my work if you fire me a PM with the code, I've gotten keys cut for my Legacies there by code, so hopefully we can cut the older stuff.

The computer in those is not very sophisticated, it won't pick up a sluggish o2 sensor (One that is slow to respond to changing air/fuel conditions, but is still producing an in-range voltage signal). The newer (96+ OBD2) cars have a much more robust oxygen sensor monitor that monitors the performance of the sensor, but the older ones just look at the voltage coming off of the sensor, and if it's within range it won't set a code.

Did you check the fuse box under the hood? One of the slow burning fuses (They're all marked "SBF") in the underhood box supplies all the stuff you're talking about. If the problem was the security system, it just wouldn't turn over, since the security module just disables the starter. As for disabling the alarm, IIRC you turn the key on, get in the car close the door, press the unlock button for 1 second and release, then open the door and immediately press the lock button and hold it until the horn chirps and it says "AL Off" on the odometer display. If that doesn't work, try it with the key off. I can't remember exactly, been a while since I've done a PDI but the procedure is in the owner's manual.

Most of the time at my work we will give the customer the option of replacing the sensors, since sometimes it is the sensor. What I will do is plug in the laptop and drive the car and watch the sensor readings, and if the rear sensor seems to be reading a bit sluggish, I will recommend replacing it. I've only had that happen on one car so far though, but it was almost a year ago and he hasn't come back for a cat yet! My dad's Outback had a P0420 and it has a brand new cat in it, but they are aftermarket and I think they're just not quite what the computer is expecting so it's throwing a code for it. It is important though that the shop/dealer plug in the scan tool and watch the data for both 02 sensors to make sure that the problem is in fact the cat, instead of throwing one in there.