Cougar

If there is voltage on the minus side of the coil while the lead from the distributor is tied to the coil and you still have no voltage inside the distributor then there is a breakin the wire.

If the rest of the things are working ok and you like the car it might be good to put another engine in it. If your not that hot on the car then it may be best to sell it as is and hope you can get 4 to 5 hundred for it and put that money towards another car.

Looking at the wiring diagram for an '88 model the fuse for the fuel gauge is #12. It also powers a lot of other things also.

When you state that power is not leaving the coil I assume you mean there is no voltage on the minus side of the coil. This would mean the coil is either open or the minus side is shorted to ground somehow. To check for a short you should remove the wires that are tied to the minus side and then take a voltage reading of the minus side. Hopefully you will now have voltage there. If so, ohm out the wires that were tied there and see which one shows the short. You will need to find out what is causing the problem.

Just a guess but they may make it so that it is reversable.

If the parking lights were on I think the current load would be more like 3 amps, rather than 300 milliamps.

Hi Paul, Welcome to the forum. Good to have someone from the other side of the pond here. Looking over your discharge readings you definately have a problem. I'm not sure what the spec is for your car but when there is a discharge of more than 80 milliamps on any system I want to see why that is so. To help locate the trouble area, pull fuses one at a time to see if you can find the trouble circuit area by watching the current meter. Be sure that nothing is on when you do this so you don't get sent down the wrong trail. The current will drop when you pull the right fuse. The alternator could also be the problem if there is a problem with an internal blocking diode. If you can't find the problem pulling the fuses check the alternator.

I doubt that there will be a problem electrically doing this.

Have the fuel pressure tested. That will tell you a lot about how the pump is doing.

I think you are still going to need a trailer for it in order to tow it though I may be wrong. Hopefully the ignition problem is due to moisture in the wrong areas still and there isn't a timing problem. Have you tried opening the hood and the distributor cap and let it air out for a few hours? Also check the plug holes for trapped water.

Welcome to the forum. You can purchase a scanner from a parts store or go to a place like Autozone that will check them for free.

I was suggesting that if the timing belt broke then the compression would be down. Depending how the cam ended up when the belt broke at least.

Here is a link you can use to order one. http://www.subaruparts.com/parts.php

You can check the compression on the passenger side to see if there is a problem.

Have you checked the fusible links for a problem there? Do you have a test light to check for voltage and not just a visual inspection?

If you can afford to get a '03 or newer Forester I would go for that. They made some good improvements to those models from what I understand.

Just call a local shop you trust and ask them what they can do for you. I'm sure they can fix you up with no problem. There is nothing special here. It may cost you more than the whole car is worth to get a remanufactured unit.

I think you are better off with the Forester considering your height. I think you will be a lot more comfortable in that than in an Outback. If you can afford it, I would get a '03 or newer. Go for a test drive in one and see what you think of it. The newer the model the less likely there will be a HG problem.

Just curious, why are you looking for the diode?

I think all you need is a replacement split boot and replace the grease. Make sure that the joint is clean inside before adding the new grease.

It should be under the dash near the steering column. Look for metal box with several plugs tied to one end of it. It is mounted on the firewall.

Why would you disconnect the CEL light? It is there to show you there is a problem somewhere. If you are trying to pass a vehicle inspection, that light must work in order to pass the inspection.

Once again it is the simple things in life. Glad your back on the road. Thanks for the feedback.

Phaedras, You need to see if voltage is getting to the solenoid on the small wire tied to it. This wire is suppossed to turn on the solenoid. If you have an automatic try starting it in the neutral position. If that works, then you need to check the neutral safety switch.

I don't think they will swap in. Someone here should have one available to sell you I would think.