I need advanced help, and checked the obvious

[plodder]

This is SJR Scott's Co-worker (Dann). Thanks Abe, Yes is is a 96 leagacy (post 6/95 production date) outback, stick,2.2. It started and ran fine ever since superdave sold me a tranny for it over a year ago (cheap&thanks ). This is what happened: I started it up no problem, it's about 24 deg F, i let it warm up for only bout 2 min, My wife needed to go somewhere right.. in a rush, well I had a lightweight shed ready to pull, so kill 2 birds one stone right? So I take up the slack of the strap.start to put some pressure and it stalls. I didn't feel it should have, but I assume it is the cold, ok, I try to start, nothing but a cranking motor!! Now my wife believes I broke her car, is that possible???

 

Ok here we go: Timing belt intact

1: No Spark (as I assumed)

2: i checked fuse box and replaced ignition fuse,even though

one in there looked good.

3:fusable link looked good (though if that is bad nothing works?)

4:all the fuses in engine above driver side wheel well ok.

5:I was wondering about the ignition module by the firewall?

6: I am hoping it is not the cam or crankshaft sensor, I have done a crankshaft sensor in an Oldsmobile and it was a pain. The symptoms are the same.

7:I am on a very limited income.I have no credit cards.So i cannot just buy parts and hope they work

8: I am in Ferndale, the whatcom county area/bellingham area.

Thanks Dann

[94Loyale]

Check for codes first and see what it says. If it's no spark and you've been cranking it, it should come up with something. And if it is a crank sensor, it's the easiest one you'll ever do.

[zacyork]

check power at coil pack if there is power to the coil pack you could have a bad one. just another thing to check.

[idosubaru]

if you lived around here i'd let you borrow or have an ignition coil to try it out. with all the NW folks i'm sure one of them can help.

 

have you checked for OBDII codes? i'd do that first before making any guesses.

 

i've been known to ship folks a box of parts to help them diagnose. i might do that with abe since i know him if he wants to help you out.

[capn_r]

Thanks Gary we will see what happens. We are trying a long distance thing, Dann is a couple of hundred miles north of me and I don't have any FSM's for his generation vehicle to do trouble shooting procedures from. It sounds like he doesn't have power to the coil, does that help sort out what he might be dealing with? Are the OBD II coils the way I remember the earlier one's where the center terminal on the connector to the coil should have battery voltage when the key is on? Thanks for your responses. Abe

[idosubaru]

Not sure about power to the coil abe but the igniter (if that's what the newer gen's call it) is center on the fire wall roughly. Those can fail to and knock out your spark. That may be more likely if you got nothing at all 4 locations. Someone else will chime in and elaborate better.

[plodder]

I have no power "to" the coil igniter (yes that is what they call it,and it is on the firewall as you said.) or to any of my sensors. Is there a senario where the key ignition can prevent ignition and still allow the starter to crank? is there an inline link between the key ign, and the cpu? Thanks Dann

[OB99W]

Do you have 12 volts at pin #2 (yellow wire) of the ignition coil pack connector when the ignition key is ON?

[94Loyale]

How about the CE light. Does it come on with the key in the run position. If it worked before, and it's not on now. Then we don't have power to the ECU.

[idosubaru]

nothing yet, i talked to him, something fell through and he's still scratching his head i believe. i think he said he doesn't have internet.

[plodder]

No power to anything, and my son checked for the engine light (I am 20 min. away to use internet), and there is no check engine light, and I think there was one before. So....Where do I check on the ecu for power out, and power in. A local guy has a ecu from a 97 2.2 he'll sell me.

Edited November 28, 2010 by plodder

[nipper]

No power to anything, and my son checked for the engine light (I am 20 min. away to use internet), and there is no check engine light, and I think there was one before. So....Where do I check on the ecu for power out, and power in. A local guy has a ecu from a 97 2.2 he'll sell me.

 

Lest check fuses first.

 

Someone will chime in with the pin callout otherwise I will look it up later this evening.

[plodder]

DUHH:headbang:? I need advanced help, and checked the obvious.......

UNLESS.......There are fuses I know not of..... driver side wheel well engine compartment, and the in car fuse box by hood release. Had power at fuse for ignition.

I won't be here later. :-\

Edited November 28, 2010 by plodder

[nipper]

DUHH:headbang:? I need advanced help, and checked the obvious.......

UNLESS.......There are fuses I know not of..... driver side wheel well engine compartment, and the in car fuse box by hood release. Had power at fuse for ignition.

I won't be here later. :-\

 

 

Ok Check to make sure there is a power feed through the fuse boxes.

[plodder]

Got an obd2 scanner. It doesn't read anything. It's like theirs no connection. The plug in looks good, but nothings happening. thanks for anyhelp. Dan

 

If you have any other igsight feel free to let me know.

[plodder]

Yes I do have power to the coil pack at the yellow wire, 12 V.

[nipper]

i meant at the ECU and its fuse. The coil gets fired by being switched by the ECU to ground. One of three things will keep this from happening. A bad crank sensor or a dead ECU. or a power/wiring issue (unless i am forgetting something).

[Fairtax4me]

Based on your responses here and in your other thread, I'm gonna say the ECU is not getting proper power, or it's dead.

 

Open the fuse box under the hood and double check slow blow fuse number 2. Pull it out and check it with a multimeter (set to Ω) for continuity across the blades. Also check the connectors in the fuse box for corrosion. That fuse delivers power to the ECU, diagnostic plug, the fuel pump relay, and the main relay. With that fuse removed, check for 12v at the terminals in the box (ground your meter to the battery - ). One of the terminals for that fuse should be hot at all times since it comes straight from the battery.

[OB99W]

If you don't find the problem by doing what Fairtax4me suggested (checking SBF-2, etc.) in the previous post:

 

Check for 12 volts to ground at the OBD2 connector, pin #1 -- it's in the upper row, first contact at the left. (You might need a fine meter probe tip to make the connection.) Let us know what you read there.

[94Loyale]

Since you have no CE light, there is no power to the ECU. That's also why your scanner can not connect to the car. It's odd that the ecu died, not very common in my experience, although it's a possibility. These do still have an ignition relay though, should be brown in color, and about 1in by 1in big. It's either hidden up under the dash to the left, near where all your round metal relays are. Or in the passenger side kick panel. That would def be my next move, as I have seen that fail a few times. It's the same unit they used in the loyales and gl's. Look around for that, cause it will give you this exact problem. If all your fuses are good, and still no power at the ecu, try and find that relay.

[plodder]

Since you have no CE light, there is no power to the ECU. That's also why your scanner can not connect to the car. It's odd that the ecu died, not very common in my experience, although it's a possibility. These do still have an ignition relay though, should be brown in color, and about 1in by 1in big. It's either hidden up under the dash to the left, near where all your round metal relays are. Or in the passenger side kick panel. That would def be my next move, as I have seen that fail a few times. It's the same unit they used in the loyales and gl's. Look around for that, cause it will give you this exact problem. If all your fuses are good, and still no power at the ecu, try and find that relay.

 

Thanks, that is what I was looking for.

 

Scooby wagon Charlie and Captr Abe helped me quite a bit.

 

It s fixed, it was the red "always on" wire to the ecu. The connector was loose. crimped it, then vrooom!!! it runs again. I still do not have an engine light onwhen I turn the key"on" without cranking, or power to my diagnostic plug spot, but my wife's car now runs, Thanks all you guys!!

I also now have a 2.5 ecu I found looking for parts to sell or trade, what is it worth??? Thanks Danno