RMVR53

replaced the filter just as a matter of course after sitting for so long. BUT...unless the MAF has an electical signal that could upset the tach, its somewhere in the ignition circuit. At least that is my thinking since when it does this (spits/sputters/etc) the tach is bouncing wildly. CEL?...if you mean error code then no..it has yet to give any kind of code for this condition. I should add/say that it (dieing) is not always instant. Lets say you hold 2000 rpm. After about 10 seconds, it starts to spit/etc. At the same time, the tach needle is starting to bounce wildly up and down. I have noticed that the tach starts to bounce usually before it starts to spit/etc. This combination is what tells me its electrical and not mechanical since nothing mechanical would cause the tach to bounce. If it were mechanical, the tach would just follow the decline in rpm as it died.

it has spark...just dont touch the pedal and it will idle forever. Try and rev it up and it spits/kicks/sputters/dies. Yeah I cleaned the bracket/ground on the coil when I replaced it. No I have not tried replacing the ignition amp. Does it have to come from the same mid-year XT or can it come from another Ru?

familiar?...this is my 3rd Ru (and newest) timing belts?....this has got to be a warm up/electrical problem. Runs like a bat outta hell right up till it quits...every time!! But yes, TB's are dead on. Could this be a sensor or something else going bad? Say a low (or high) resistance ignition module (just a thought here) that was in the car, the fail happened quicker with the old dizzy. I swap the dizzy, new IM has a different resistance so it takes longer to "fail". I have a 85 Jag that drove me crazy for about a month with an ignition problem as well. Everything pointed to the brain failing. After the 4th brain swap, we started wholesale parts throwing at the thing. Got to the coil and no problems since. With that as a background, the coil is the first thing I swapped out (OEM replacement Hitachi) but to no avail. Bill

yes...cleaned contact prior to install plus added one (not a big one but a 4 gauge from under the alt to the body) Bill

I'm gonna scream!!! spent forever (OK almost 2 years) putting my 87 XT back together after an engine rebuild. Upon completion, it would start, run till it warmed up then loose all power and cut out with the depressing of the accelerator pedal (only idle - nothing more) and the tach would bounce erratically. Swapped out all kinds of stuff (coil, wires, plugs, etc) and finally swapped in a used distributor and it ran fine!!!... for 10 miles...then it started doin the same crap all over again. Did I replace one bad pickup in the dizzy for another that wasn't quite so bad but still failed? I had no such problems prior to the tear down and the dizzy has sat in the trunk during the entire time of the rebuild. I love this lil car but I can't for the life of me spend another $200 (ignition module in dizzy) on a part that I don't know if its going to fix it!!! point me in a direction guys!! thanks Bill

and you say I should first try and clean it (carb cleaner, etc on inside, etc) and check connection, etc...? Also, any idea what voltage should be on it cold? thanks ya'll Bill

Reply?...hey, I'm learnin here! Unfortunatly, Im a visual person and not real good with delving into technical books so a picture says more...lots more...than a thousand words!!! thanks guys Bill

The only problem with that line of thought is there would be an unused electrical connector in the vicinity and there is nothing. I got the car it had 90k on it 11 years ago and the PO didn't touch the car so I know they didn't do anything to remove a plug from the harness. I have had the engine out once myself and the heads off once and not seen anything "unusual" from an electrical standpoint. Well, other than notice that Subaru is one of the very few manufacturers I've ever seen that made wiring harness' specific to a car/model. Meaning if you got a base DL and wanted to add air or even XT6 driving lights, there is no "extra" wires in the harness to add such a feature!! Bill

I have no connectors on the thermostat neck...this is an MPFI not a SPFI

MPFI non turbo 1.8 Cold start problems. When cold, you can turn the key and it fires right up but but wont idle on its own for several minutes. Warm start it starts similarly but idles fine. In reading the archives, I can currently add that there are no codes, no loose vaccum lines, no ground problems, and no loose wires. Its only done this for about 10 years so its not like its a new thing...just getting tired of it. ideas? Bill

Local wrecking yard had a special on today...fill a wheel barrow for $100. 1 distributor, 3 starters, 2 fenders, a hood, a BUNCH of stuff for my bug and the MG later I got home. I stuffed the "new" dizzy's in the hole and the car runs fine. No miss/idle or run up problems so it must be something with the pickup. Thanks for all the help and directions/ideas. So...I have an extra distributor for sale......it came out of an 88 GL Wagon That I bought BEFORE I learned they were different from the 87. anyone need it before I toss it on ebay? BIll

well...this thread is actually pretty old...as is the problem I'm still having. The car starts great, idles great, drives great the first 5 minutes. As it warms up, it starts to miss, then the tach needle starts to jump wildly if not drop to the 0 and stay there for a few seconds, and it wants to die. BUT...if you can save it...it will idle just fine. Bit of a miss but it will sit there and idle fine. Course, you can't drive it anymore as you need more than idle to really do that with much efficiency and ANY revs over about 1200-1500 and it starts the now severe mis/backfire/startin to piss me off stuff. So far...: new wires, new coil (OEM Hitachi had to order it in), new rotor, friends cap from his running 88XT (that I still need to give back...but his car is running just fine on mine), new plugs (NGK), new fuel filter (we're reachin at straws now folks).... any other ideas?

my daughter works at the local Suby dealer - her cost on a new one is 66 to 120 depending on month of construction Bill

I was reading the posts on replacing the coil and I've come to the conclusion it may be my "miss" issue on my 87XT. The local Autozone had a coil but when installed it wouldn't even start the car. At the least the old one does that. AND...reading some of the posts it sounds like the Accell has a few problems. SO anyone found another "replacement" coil that works? Bill

ok...I'll go get one then.... thanks Bill

TPS cxhecks fine. Unplugged the O2 sensor and it still does the same thing so that rules that out next? Bill

How 'bout no power band. When warm, if you go off idle, it spits, backfires, major stumble to the point of no power/rev-up. Shut the car off and its fine for about a minute then it starts all over. Haven't tested the TPS switch yet. I'll do that today but my symptoms don't point just towards a faulty TPS me thinks... Bill

ok...heres where we're at. Tried reading codes today. 5 flashes...5 flashes...5 flashes... (O2 sensor light) thats either a 5 or a 55 but in either case my factory shop manual doesn't have either one. anyone with ideas? Oh... and I've narrowed it down to a warmed up problem. Cold it runs fine. Warm its like you unplugged the TPS but its running real rich. If this were a Jag I'd be doing a capacitor in the AFM harness trick right now.... Bill

As I said before, it doesn't matter if the green connector is hooked up or not. The timing jumps either way. It is evident with the timing light, AND on the tach inside the car. So far it has always beed iratic and only 20 degrees (from 20 BTDC to TDC) Also present is a significant hesitation to the point that if you leave you foot in it it will die. Bill

just got home and ...ok my bad... its not an MAF...its the "wire" as you said so that explains the later dist. Bill

weeel, its the same dist. thats been in the car for 156,000 miles. Has the 4 prong black plug on it. I didn't pull the star wheel so maybe there is a weight under that but the pickup thats in the diagram is totally different than what I have. Pick up is about 1/2 thick and about an inch long. There is no vacuum advance diaphram...I'll take a picture when I get home Bill

2 wires to the coil, 4 wires to the Dist.

Nope... just the star wheel and sensor inside. No weights, springs, or anything else... I went in there to see / clean the sensor or wheel. Bill

lets see if I can cover everyone timing is set at 20 BTDC with green connectors connected. Timing "jumps" weither they are connected or not. No vacuum diaphragm no mechanical advance - has the star wheel. BUT also has an MAF w/flapper...go figure. I'd really like to try and figure out how to read codes on this thing - someone want to tell me if it has that capability? Bill

sorry...thats with my timing light set at 20...reality is its set at 20 BTDC with a random firing at TDC Bill