LightBlueSoob Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 I just sold my '85 Subaru gl-10 wagon and it hasn't been more than 2 weeks, and the person who bought it just told me that it stopped running while they were driving it. This was on the freeway by the way....Now i have owned the car for over 3 years and never had this problem, so this seems weird to me...but i know things happen...so no surprise to me either. Does anyone know why it would just cut out while you were driving it??? The car starts up after you let it sit for a while...but it's a great inconvenience to the people who bought it. The battery isn't more than a year and a half old...the alternator is less than a year old....i did notice however that one of the wires coming from the plug on the back of the alternator is kind of fried now for some reason though. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what other than this might be the problem if that doesn't fix it. I also checked to see if there were any loose vacumm lines and there were none. Thanks for the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Bad coil will do that.. Ignition amplifier will as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightBlueSoob Posted March 1, 2004 Author Share Posted March 1, 2004 Would that cause the lights to dim out and the radio to kind of flicker as well?....if so you just saved me some time in trying to mess with alot of electrical stuff. Does the ecu throw a code for that kind of problem...i don't have my manual (gave that to the new owners) If so what would the code (flashes) be? I think i remember having one a while back. Something about the starter signal being off, or ignition switch being off something like that (think it was a code 22?) not sure on that so don't hold me to it. Thanks for the reply, i appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 I would have the Alt checked out. With a wire on the back that looks fried, something is going on. Also the ignitor module is known to have these symptoms, a disty replacement would be in order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightBlueSoob Posted March 1, 2004 Author Share Posted March 1, 2004 Thanks for the help calebz and turbone i have a good feeling it might be the alternator...just waiting for the people who bought it to tow it to their house so i can go over and really look at it...Lucky for me auto zone does free testing on the alternator:D , so that will be an easy diag. if there ever was one...and if it has to do with the ignition coil or ignitor thats not too difficult either since they have a few soobs in each pick and pull up here in Northern california. I hated to sell that car with the lcd dash and the trip computer though ...oh well such is life....Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 D'oh! wrong terminology. Thanks for the correction Rob. I meant ingnitor module.. you would think I would know better since I just had to replace mine a few months ago.. for similar problems to what you are describing.. but the addition of the oddly acting dash lights throws lots of suspicion to the alternator as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 will it start with a jump start? if it does, you know it runs, but if it doesnt, what about a BROKEN TIMING BELT an alternator will go bad, and the car will slowly die as the battery goes dead. but if the car DIES ALL AT ONCE i would say timing belts take off the distributor cap, and see if the rotor turns when you crank th motor. if its not turning, you have a broken belt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightBlueSoob Posted March 1, 2004 Author Share Posted March 1, 2004 Well, from what they told me the car has done it 2 times since i sold it to them....which is weird because like i said i have owned it for 3 years or so and never had that problem. The first time they just let it sit for a while and it started back up. The timing belts were just replaced about 1 year ago give or take a few months so i am pretty sure thats not the problem but will definitely check it out whenever they get the car towed back to their house. I just felt so bad about selling it to them (didn't want to let it go) after i had been through so much with it, but money is money and we all need more right:D . Now all of a sudden they have a problem with it and that makes me feel even worse because i promised them a very reliable car (only 108,000 miles original - with a swapped motor in it with way less than that) and here it breaks down on them. So again thanks for the info....as soon as i can actually get to touch the car again and take a look under the hood i will post back and look for some more help if i can't figure it out...Thanks alot guys. Oh MilesFox by the way....they said that the lights kind of flickered and then it just kind of puttered out??? Don't know if that might give you another thought as to what i could look for when i do get to check it out...but just a thought would help....Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 ok, then i guess we can rule out the timing belt, and focus on the alternator. the alternator has an internal voltage regulator, so replacing the alternator would be a good place to strart. can you get it to start with a jump? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Hey miles.. check out this magnificent quote from the original post The car starts up after you let it sit for a while.. Definitely not a timing belt issue. Do the dash lights stay on and flicker when the car is running?.. that would make me lean toward the alt.. When my ignition module in my disty died the lights would flash a little just before it stalled, soI am still leaning toward the ingnition module/coil idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted March 2, 2004 Share Posted March 2, 2004 Ha! That was me on Sunday:o 86 in a 70:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted March 2, 2004 Share Posted March 2, 2004 sunday indeed, nothing like the cops in WV, and zanny dook being arrested in ohio on the way home! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightBlueSoob Posted March 2, 2004 Author Share Posted March 2, 2004 Well, i finally got to take a look at the car and you would not believe how simple this was to fix!! The ground wire on the alt. had been fried (not sure how they managed that????) and was disonnected from the alt. Took me all of 5 minutes to find a connecter....splice the wire down....crimp on a new connecter and shrink wrap it. lol. From the way they made it sound i thought i was going to be replacing something (took all the fun out of it for me). Well...again thanks for the help and keep on roo'in...Haven't been on the board since it changed over (should have asked you guys if you had an extra transmission when i replaced mine...man was that hard to find). Does anyone remember someone with the hook "UltimateRX" or something to that effect???? Was just wondering how his last project was going...or doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted March 2, 2004 Share Posted March 2, 2004 UltimateRX is now DR RX.. he's alive and ... umm.. well( I suppose;) ) and very active on this board.. He sold the Ultimate RX to someone.. Its still a secret as to who acquired it.. I'm sure when it actually runs and is road worthy we will all be enlightened by the glory that is the ultimate RX. Congrats on an Easy fix. Those are the best kind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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