Randall

Nipper Finally got a chance to pull the instrument cluster out. It was simple enough. Drop the adjustable steering wheel console all the way. Two upper screws and two kinda hard to get to press down clips on the bezel, three screws to hold the cluster in, and then kinda tough to unplug three connectors (better if you have little hands). I took all three connector connections and cleaned them and then gently folded the cluster connectors out to change the connection points. Plugged it all back in and voila; speedo now works fine. Took maybe twenty minutes. Thanks, all! Randall

Thanks! I will try this out and post my results. Randall

Nipper What does clean the "head" look like? I am not sure what the "head" is, either. You don't mean the cylinder head right? So what am I doing when I take the cluster apart? Do you have to remove the steering wheel ot access the cluster? I know on my 87 VW Fox I had to, but it was easy to do. Virgin switch? Is that like sending me to the hardware store for a "long weight"? Thanks! Randall

Nipper First thanks for taking the time to help me out. How tough is it to pull the back of the speedo off? Can I reach it without taking a bunch of trim off? What does clean the head look like? I am not sure what the "head" is, either. Yopu dont mean the cylinder head right? :-\ I see from the wiring diagram that there is a block connector feeding the speedo/tach/an indicator light. So I have that much I understand. Randall

It's a digital meter and the signal was steady at all forward speeds, no signal in reverse. Randall

Subbies 1998 Subbie Forester SE. Speedo says 40mph all the time. I have measured the voltage at the connector just up from the speed senor 2 at above 12 mph (took some nifty doing to get the wires into the cabin where I could read the voltage). no volts AC. (at 200V on the meter) .113 volts DC (at 20VDC on the meter) Sensor measures .419 Ohms at 2K on the meter According to my shop manual, if there is less than 5v (AC range) at the connector I should replace the sensor. Do you agree? Or should I clean the sensor (if it can be done) first? Next thing would be how is the sensor held in? I can't see it very good. Is it threaded in or...? Randall

Things are looking good. No more stumble after five days. I cleaned the MAF sensor with Brakleen, cleaned the MAF sensor connection with electric contact cleaner and lubed with dielectric grease; cleaned the coil to plug wire connections with electric contact cleaner and lubed with dielectric grease; cleaned the TPS connection with electric contact cleaner and lubed with dielectric grease. Seems to have fixed it. Randall

Thanks, I'll try that, too. Did you use Brakleen or electric contact cleaner or....? Randall

Resetting the CPU didn't do it. On to the next..... Randall

So I checked all the plug wires and they seemed fine. Replaced the fuel filter, still no joy. Still having the problem. It happens in every gear, one time and then doesn't again for as long as that drive lasts. Based on other posts I have read, I will try the following: Remove and inspect plugs Remove and clean TPS (have a procedure) Test the TPS (have a procedure) Clean contacts to TPS (electric contact cleaner and dielectric grease) Check connections on knock sensor. Reset CPU (do I just disconnect the battery for X time?) Randall

Picked it up on ebay. I love ebay! Randall

No I haven't, but I did rinse the motor area the other day and since then...:-\ Last night I did the "what have a I changed" scenario in my head. The rinse! So I cleaned all the plug wire connections and a couple key grounds and it seems to have stopped stumbling. I'll know more today after my wife drives it all day. We'll see if that was it. Maybe just a bit of moisture in the electron highway. Randall

Yeah, it happens when it is warm. I can get it to do the stumble everytime I start it, warm or cold, even moments after shutting it off when warm or cold. lightly Randall

I just drive off! Hell, yes! Did you have this same trouble when the car was warm, too? Seems strange to me that warming it a bit would keep this from happening when the car is already warm. What swaps did you try? Thanks. Randall

1998 Forester S, 5 spd, 102 K Data: Engine has serious stumble after the first time I turn it on and drive away in first or after upshift to second gear. Stumble feels like running out of gas. Gas tank full; also happened as tank ran down to under five gallons onboard. Recovers/stumble ends when reved in neutral to above 4K a few times. Never occurs after first occurance. Once it has sumbled and recovered the stumble does not return for duration of drive. Does not matter if engine is hot or cold; does act slightly different when the engine is cold--seems to do for shorter time and less severe. Engine starts perfect with no throttle pedal needed. When warm, the engine spims at 1200 rpm, then drops to 800 (or so, I haven't got a secondary tach to check exact engine speed). My first thought was the fuel filter but it doesn't show during any other time. Now I think it is somehow choke related, but....? Any ideas out there why this may be happening? Randall

1998 Forester S, 5 spd, 102 K My speedo jumps top 40 mph and stays there, pretty much regardless of the speed. It never goes over 40. I suspect speedo the innards are the problem. Could it be the cable? This is day 4 with the car and I am new to Subarus. Any ideas or have any of you seen this before? Randall

1998 Forester S, 5 spd, 102 K I need a service manual. I hate haynes manual, so is there anything better out there you could recommend? On the mechanics scale of 1-10, 1 being can't tell what a spark plug is and 10 being could replace anything and knows what it does, I am a 9, so keep that in mind. Thanks, Randall