Cougar

Here is a file for a '88 model I copied from my manual. It should be close to yours. '88 Subaru Lighting.pdf Edit: I see that in the time it took me do this someone else got to it.

Try replacing the PCV valve and see if that helps clear up the smoke situation. It will be near the carburator. If you need help finding it, I would think a parts store would give you a hand.

It would be nice to know what the current is doing while the voltage is low. I tend to think that the trouble may be due to a shorted cell in the battery. This would cause a high current surge. If the voltage drops suddenly to 10 volts and then back up then that may be the case. Being an Optima though I wouldn't think that kind of problem would happen but I don't know for sure. Another possibility is a problem with a connection in the main buss wiring, like a fusible connection, as mentioned by Daeron. If it is a wire connection problem then I would think the voltage drop would vary, depending on the connection resistance.

No problem on the lack of knowledge. The TPS sensor is basically a variable resistor. The wiper part of the sensor is the piece that moves up and down the resistor. There is a reference voltage across the whole resistor and as the wiper moves up or down the resistor the voltage changes. The voltage changes are fed to the ECU to show the accelerator changes. Problems can happen when the wiper moves across a bad or dirty area of the connection.

Fuel pumps are one of the possible areas for this trouble. I would first check the throttle sensor for a bad spot on the wiper contact. One thing that could be done to rule out a dirty TPS sensor contact connection is to watch for voltage fluctuations on the wiper connection of the sensor using an analog meter.

Happy birthday Shawn! Thanks for letting the cat out of the bag Emily. We wouldn't have known otherwise.

There may be mouse at work here in your ducting system.

The switch is in series with the wire circuit to the solenoid so a break in the connection means no action.

If you can get at it to just adjust it slightly that will probably fix it up.

Wellll...it depends. Some systems do need a external resistor in the path to limit the current. Since the previous coil burned up I was thinking your system needed a resistor. After you tested the new coil and it felt cool it appears your system is designed to handle the full battery voltage. So you are good to go. Hopefully the ignition will be trouble free for a lot of years.

The igniton is fine. As far as the popping goes maybe the fuel mixture is a little lean.

To see how many volts are getting to the coil you need to place the probes between the positive side of the coil and ground. Your reading just shows there is very little voltage drop across the coil, which is as it should be. An open coil winding would have a lot of voltage across the contacts. The dollar bill trick is done by holding a bill against the exhaust while at idle. If there is a valve problem the bill will try to go back into the pipe due to the vacuum.

Well it sounds like your coil problems are over with. I don't understand the voltage reading you took for the coil unless you are reading across the plus and minus connections. Regardless, the coil isn't getting hot and the engine is working so you are good there. The poping you are hearing may be due to misfire in one of the cylinders or a exhaust valve mat be sticking. If a valve is sticking you could try the dollar bill trick at the exhaust pipe.

Thanks for the link Nipper. Looking at the timing marks to looks my advice about the marks being 180 out is incorrect. Am I thinking of the EA82 engine?

I think the cam marks on the two cams should face 180 degrees apart. Is yours that way?

If I am correct, what I think is going on is the intake valve isn't quite closed, due to the advanced disty gear position, when the ignition is firing. Since the valve isn't closed the backfire goes back through the intake. Moving the disty back on tooth position and then retiming the ignition will prove if we (the others that think the same thing) are correct about this.

You're welcome. Be sure to feel the coil temperature and see how hot it gets. The voltage at the coil will hopefully be around 10 volts while the engine is running. If it is at the battery voltage you will most likely need the limiting resistor.

I think for the most part the voltmeters in the dash are pretty accurate. They do tend to read about 1 volt lower than the actual battery voltage due to wire losses between the battery and the meter. By checking the actual battery voltage with a good meter and comparing it to the dash meter you can make your own mental note for an adjustment factor. Check to see if the coil is getting real hot after a drive. If it is then you will have to add a limiting resistor in the primary side. If the battery voltage is greater than 15 volts then there is a regulator problem.

I see what you are saying but that is the electrical timing. The mechanical timing still could be off and since you say it happens at higher rpm's it makes me think that the disty is really the trouble. I may be wrong though.

If the cap isn't hooked up then that eliminates it as a possible source of trouble for the coil damage. As far as the second wire goes it is really there. It is the metal case, that bonds to ground. The wire ties to the minus side of the coil.

Have you checked to see if this problem is caused by the vent doors having a problem?

I think the power for the passenger switch has to pass through the driver side switch first so that would point to it as the possible trouble. The driver's door panel can be pryed loose by using a small putty knife. There are some plastic retainers in the around panel edges You will feel them as you slide the blade around under the edge. Carefully pry them out as they can break through the panel if you are not careful. Once you get at the switches try spraying the contacts with some spray cleaner. If you try to take the switch apart be fore-warned there are small springs in the switch that will fly out if the switch is opened. I would take it apart in a plastic bag if you do that but if you can avoid taking it apart I would.

From the sounds of it, it seems to me you have some switch problems. Possibly also some wiring problems in the door jamb.

Learning, is what this site is mainly about. It is a great reference for us Soob owners. I have been watching the action on this thread and have noticed that the suggestion about the real problem could be with the disty position and not the carb hasn't been addressed as to yea or nea. I made a comment about it myself earlier. I hope you have made sure that this isn't the real problem and are wasting your time working on the carb. Though learning about carbs is a good thing at least.

As others hinted at, make sure the motor is bad before you condemn it. It doubt that it is bad but it could be jammed. Test it after it is freed up by connecting power directly to it.