jboymechanic Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 I have a '95 Legacy with 230,000 miles, just had the engine out to clean and do a head gasket and timing kit job. Everything went together fine, put the engine in and it fired right up. Jumped up to about 2,500 RPM after firing, as usual, and slowly came down and then dropped below 1,000 RPM and sputtered out. I restarted it about 10 times and it acted the same way. It was late and dark at this point, so I wasn't able to investigate, but it never acted like this before even with the blown head gasket. Any ideas? Things that currently need attention are that the battery is completely dead, I was jumping it but leaving the power connected, I'll take care of that tomorrow. The auto trans may not be full, but it doesn't stay running long enough to check and it was dark. I knon I did everything right, even flushed the radiator and cleaned the fins and replaced all the hoses and hose clamps and put everything back together properly. One last thing I can say is that the car was starting pretty hard just before I pulled the motor, it used to start right away (only a few cranks). Please help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLoyale Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Was thinking, I had something like this with my Legacy when I first got it. I replaced the Cam and Crank sensor and it was good. I wonder if this is something along those lines as these sensors tend to fail a lot. You are looking at $100 total for both from Carquest FYI. But your idea on the battery not providing enough currant to maintain the running systems does make sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzpile Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Well the deal of having a problem already then doing a whole buch of work to another area and then it won't start or run right. tsk tsk excepT EVERYBODY that works on their cars has done that:eek: And I've made that mistake over and over and there are reasons. What i've found is that now there are two problems (they may be joined) but now they are at opposite ends. Your confidence in your work is true. First you have to think again how ..ah crap U already did that So. Split between the ends of the two problems and go towards the one of least confidence then split that. That goes to the sputter and whether that was a fuel filter full of accumulated water, any electrical problems. stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 check all your vac lines, especially the large one on the under side of the plastic intake between the air filter and the throttle body. can you keep it running if you you give it gas?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jboymechanic Posted April 6, 2011 Author Share Posted April 6, 2011 Yes, if I keep the RPMs up it will run. I didn't want to last night as it was getting late and the exhaust is loud (broke after Y pipe). I'm gonna check it out in the daylight. I would think the crank and cam sensors are okay, they were fine before with removed the engine. Perhaps one came un-plugged or wasn't fully engaged? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 look for the large vac hose, size of your thumb, under the air intake ''tube''. it's a common miss when putting things back together, especially when you are excited about starting your ''new'' engine. and it will cause the symptom you describe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebugs Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 look for the large vac hose, size of your thumb, under the air intake ''tube''. it's a common miss when putting things back together, especially when you are excited about starting your ''new'' engine. and it will cause the symptom you describe. About a foot long and hidden - you've really gotta look for it and follow it to both ends. It's not "on top" but a bit hidden. Stand on the pass side and look at the airbox on the throttle body and look down. Like 1" diameter and about a foot long. First time it takes a long time to hunt down, second time it's the first place you look. It's also a pretty stiff (probably from heat) tube more than a rubber line I'd say but they may be soft when new. Odds are real, real good this is your problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 (edited) OMG I wish I took a picture of this... as many of times this has happened to me with that fat hose coming off the intake box I still had to happen at least 3 times to me it will die on it's own. i'm going to check my picture to see if I took any of that area.. Edited April 6, 2011 by 1-3-2-4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jboymechanic Posted April 6, 2011 Author Share Posted April 6, 2011 This is a very good possibility, I don't recall reconnecting that hose to the air box, gonna check that as soon as I get home. I know we never disconnected that from the intake side, so it was definitely removed from the air box. Tom, if you're still watching this thread, did you reconnect that hose at the air box? 100% sure now that I didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 it common for it to slip off if you lift the airbox up too high the rubber gets harder as it ages.. new rubber is soft and flexable. it's hard to disconnect it from the engine side because it's held on by a spring clip to the Idle air controller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebugs Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Also on the 95 there is the airbox blocking the view. A quick look and it looks like it's in its proper place and you think nothing more of it. That's why you gotta actually check the ends. And it is stiff to reconnect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Also on the 95 there is the airbox blocking the view. A quick look and it looks like it's in its proper place and you think nothing more of it. That's why you gotta actually check the ends. And it is stiff to reconnect. yep you can't feel it come off and when you close the airbox it moves like it's still on until you start it and it dies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLoyale Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Jon, that hose does not connect to the air box, it connects to and outlet on the mina air intake duct. And no, I did not connect any of that cause we were done for the day. I told you on the phone to check that big dooker of a hose. And yes, with that hose not connected, you have to keep giving it gas to run. But it'll run like a server vac leak, and you said it ran ok? This is why when I'm working on something, I prefer to do it all my self when it comes to putting it back together as I have taken both my Subarus apart enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jboymechanic Posted April 7, 2011 Author Share Posted April 7, 2011 That hose was the culprit, nice new screw clap on there now. Engine runs like a top now and goes down the road nicely. I did notice that the engine does run a bit on the high side. The fan does work and I even flushed the radiator and cleaned out the cooling fins before I reinstalled it. So...does the second fan only come on when the AC is on like in the old EA82 cars? If that's the case, I'm going to re-wire it to be on all the time. Thanks for the tips everybody! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebugs Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Simple after you know EXACTLY where to look. It's a crafty little bugger. Usually runnning warm isn't an issue so I'm a bit perplexed. Is it the original rad? Becaause repeated high temps cold have caused the HG's. I didn't see if you did the WP or not, I think you said idler kit. Is the thermostat OEM? That kinda stuff. Perhaps start another thread. Your original problem with the car immediately stopping running is solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLoyale Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Yes, timing kit and waterpump where put in by me. And I think both fans come on, mine do IIRC? Jon, Didn't I tell you about the Genuine Thermo which you so gladly ignored! You will learn. This isn't a 318 where you can slap any parthouse part in there, some things should be genuine. The temp gauge should be smack dab in the center when at Running temp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jboymechanic Posted April 7, 2011 Author Share Posted April 7, 2011 The temp gauge was right at center for the longest time, I had it idling while I topped of the trans, power steering, and engine oil and while all the oil burned off the exhaust headers/pipes. Then is went up to about 3/4 and hung there. The only thing that worries me is the condition of the radiator, when I was cleaning the fins with just spraying it with a hose, some of the fins did break out in some areas. Time for a new radiator? I'll start a new thread for that discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantlemaven Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Wow, am I glad I foud this post, just finished changing the timing belt (97 legacy outback), and it started up ran for a few seconds then sputtered out, just like mentioned above!! Thank you for posting this article it saved me a lot of time not takin the car apart again to chase rabbits. It happened exactly like they said, moving the air intake up and too far out of the way unplugged the hose. Thanks a thousand!! I owe you a beer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy.jet Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Thank you "SubaruMike!" from a new member . Had the same problem on my 96 2.5 Outback The picture of the hose location was just what I needed . Disconnected when I removed the air filter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 kudos to jimmy for searching first. welcome !! and happy motoring! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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