gdudik

Oil looking like milkshake usually means coolant in the oil.

For the cooling fans cycling on and off and other problems, check to make sure that the green "test mode" connectors under the dash are unplugged. Should be under the dash on the driver's side. Car will do all kinds of bizarre things with them plugged in.

Here's what I learned when I had a 95. The fuel gauge was incredibly pessimistic. I had more or less the same experience you are with the fuel level. BUT The fuel light was right on the money. It's a separate sensor that turns the fuel light on when the fuel level uncovers the sensor. It came on at two gallons left like clockwork. Something to consider.

Just a WAG-- Doesn't the flywheel have to have a step in it on EA engines? Was that done properly?

I'll scan it. I'm in the PNW. PM me.

CO is in spec, less than 1.0. HC limit is 220 , and I'm in the 6-700 range, depending on which test were talking about. NoX does not get tested. They test me at idle only. If I fail on the first idle, I get to run it at 2500 for 20 or so secs and then test again. Numbers are usually a bit lower after run up, but not much. The front cat isn't in pieces inside, but the honeycomb has separated from the housing.

Ordered a cat. Coming soon. Jono, I have tested the full intake manifold setup with a homemade smoke machine. It occurred to me in the shower that a smoke machine won't show a weak pcv. I'm reasonably sure that the EGR isn't stuck open, but I haven't checked. >>Anybody know how to test to see if the misfire is confined to one cylinder rather than being multiple cyls? I would love a scope but don't have one. It's an intermittent misfire; pulling spark plugs to various cylinders won't tell me anything.

Thanks! I've really been thinking on the fuel management side of things because my vacuum gauge more or less behaves itself hooked up to that motor.

Intake setup is stock. Fuel pressure reading is 26psi from filter, that's only place I checked. TPS checks good including idle switch. Throttle stop screw still has its glob of paint in the right spot. Timing 20 deg btdc set with warm engine and green plugs connected. Engine condition is good. Have had heads off on this motor and compression was 135+ on all cyls. I think I have O2 sensor out of the stream and it doesn't respond too well. I was under the impression that the computer ignored the o2s at idle because it knows it's a 1 - wire. But talk to me about a heated sensor! I'm being tested only at idle. If you don't pass at the first time, you get to run it up to 2500 for 15-20 secs and then try again at idle.

Ok built a good disty out of a couple of old ones, and the idle's much better but not perfect. I even put a gallon and a half of alcohol in it with it on E, and it still won't pass emissions. I've ordered a new cat and Y-pipe, since the old one's an aftermarket anyway and the honeycomb is loose. Also I think where I mounted the O2 sensor is too far out of the stream--it never reports anything over .2 volts, even at 2500 rpm, so I think it's dumping fuel in all the time at cruise. But that doesn't explain my idle misfire. This car is making me tear my hair out. Any ideas?

Thank you for that. I'll check them out

Opened up the dusty and found that the little disc with the slots for the optical sensor was loose on shaft. Distributor is in pieces on my workbench now. Have been unlucky finding an optical sensor from parts places that includes the disc, so I'm stuck with a reman or junkyard disty. Reman distributors are $$$ even with my commercial acct. Anybody know where I can come up with one in the Portland, OR area?

I like aviation form-a-gasket on the cork ones.

Well I got ahold of a loyale (mother in law's) that she said I could pull some parts off temporarily to check on the GL. Tried coil, no luck. Tried ignition amp, no luck. Changed whole disty--bingo! Timing light flashes steady with no missed flashes and idle is noticeably better. I still get the occasional pop out the exhaust, but it seems to get worse if I get too far away from 19, which is where I have it set. Petersubaru, do you remember whether you had to advance the timing further or back it off from 20 in order to make it run right? I will set the timing with a vacuum gauge if it doesn't pass again, but the idle is sooo much better.

Coil resistance checks out in spec, but I know the ohms don't always tell the whole story. I have an extra ground cable going direct from battery neg to the LH strut tower so it all should be good because I cleaned all the grounds when I installed coil and ignition amplifier.

I've got an 86 GL wagon with the 3at that I've successfully converted to SPFI from the hitachi carb, thanks to the help from this forum. Here's what I've got going on: At hot idle, it will idle at about 800, but it mifires pretty regularly. You can hear pops out the exhaust and the engine will shake slightly. Drives well enough. Motor has been completely resealed with head gaskets, OEM intake man gaskets, cam towers sealed properly with OEM o-rings, etc. Timing set at 20 with green plugs plugged. NO VACUUM LEAKS (tested with my homebrew smoke machine) New: Plugs Wires Cap Rotor Coolant temp sensor for computer Timing Belts tensioned properly If I unplug the MAF, it idles perfectly. I'm assuming that's because it forces it rich to compensate for the lack of info from the MAF. If I hook up a timing light, I don't get a perfect pattern of flashes. It will drop out from time to time, and that's when the engine stalls. I don't know if this is a symptom or a cause of the underlying problem. I smogged the car in OR (which is where it needs to be registered) and I'm assuming it failed because of the miss at idle. I got 600s for HC (limit 220), but I'm at .7 (limit 1.0) on CO. I'm leaning towards a weak coil (since a lean mixture is harder to ignite), but possibly a bad CAS. I need to get this thing smogged by the end of January, since that's when the current WA tags expire. Any thoughts?

Thanks very much folks, this was exactly the kind of info I needed

But nobody's had any trouble with any particular brand making lots of noise causing trouble, as long as I don't buy cheap parts?

Handheld propane torch (unlit!) like one you'd use to do plumbing soldering or thaw a lock.

Wife's 99 Forester (EJ251) needs front brakes soon. First set of brakes I've put on a Soob (but done many many other sets of brakes). In later model Hondas (07 Odyssey in particular) I have had very poor luck with noise and howling with anything but dealer pads and rotors. I put NAPA ultra premium rotors on the car and Raybestos Professional pads on it. Are Subarus the same? Should I go see the dealer for replacement pads and rotors? Or will a good aftermarket like NAPA ultra premium or something like that work? Any recommended aftermarket brands?

Yup not mine. I just liked that car! Thanks anyway.

Slightly OT, but I'm going to ask a small favor. In Jan 2013, on my wedding night, I had a 95 Legacy wagon stolen from the hotel room parking lot. It also had a 5 speed with a lot of slop in it. The vehicle was never recovered. I know it's very unlikely that it's the same car, but I'm from the Portland, OR area, and I was wondering if it might have made it down to where you are. If you just purchased it, did you do any kind of carfax or something like that to see if the VIN came up stolen? Mine was dark red. I proposed to my wife on the beach in that car. I still hold out faint hope it will come back. Thank you! --Graham

20 psi seems awful low to me. My Chilton's says 36-50psi with engine running.

I believe it's part of the latch assy itself inside the tailgate.