william.ford Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 After doing head gaskets which included a valve job am having difficulty when starting out from an idle. This is an automatic transmission. Car starts right up and idles without missing. No changes when put into drive. However, when you push the accelerator down it feels like spinning the tires, once rpm's reach approximately 2000 the engine and car accelerate properly. This occurs at a stop, and when going up a steep hill. After the rpm's reach 2000 everything seems to be working properly. Going down the highway is not a problem with normal acceleration. I have replaced the throttle position sensor her, idle air control sensor, front and rear oxygen sensor, and cam sensor. I have replaced the spark plugs, and the spark plug wires with genuine Subaru wires. Occasionally everything works normally. The car has been into 2 different shops, a lot of money, and the problem remains. The second shop replaced the battery cable end and the car ran perfectly for 2 days. This is driving me crazy. Any suggestions? There are no engine code. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 What is the output voltage of the alt? I'd double check the Alternator connections and make sure all of the grounds have been hooked up. Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william.ford Posted May 2, 2012 Author Share Posted May 2, 2012 I also switched battery and alternator from anther 99 I am working on, no difference, I also replaced MAF sensor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william.ford Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 I checked alternator output =14.4 volts, I don't know what the output is supposed to be. I also have checked for ground issues and can't find any loose or frayed connections, any other ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 14.4 volts is good. Sounds like you covered the electrical items, but since its random and intermittent I'd still be looking for electrical problems. This did not happen before the engine work correct? Sure all of the vaccum lines are good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william.ford Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 I bought this car with head gasket problems, I only drove it for a short distance but no it seemed to be fine prior to doing the head gaskets, other than overheating. I have visually inspected vacuum lines and sprayed them with carb cleaner without change in RPM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivans imports Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 did they pull moter to do heads ? damage to trans imput shaft or tourque converter or timing belt tooth out \ starting in second Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william.ford Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 I pulled the heads with motor in place, I have not tried to start in any gear except park. The shop that replaced battery cable end, which corrected problem for several days,said voltages to sensors was not normal with increasing RPM until alternator revved up. Never heard of that before but it did correct problem for a short while. It seems like timing but I and 2 other shops have checked timing, this moringafter the car warmed up to normal seemd like it had a little more snap at stat off from a dead stop. But it did not like a hill climb on the way to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Check www.brighterideas.com If you checked the voltage with no load your meter could lie to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william.ford Posted May 7, 2012 Author Share Posted May 7, 2012 Is there any other way to check voltage under a load, because I still think this is an electrical problem. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricearu Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 when you checked the timing, did you use the arrow on the front of the crankshaft gear or the tick mark on the rear crank trigger spot? also, did you remove part of your airbox and add a performance filter when you were in there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william.ford Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 It has a standard airfilter, the crank gear was set with the tick mark on the gear directly below the aligning mark on the front of the engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricearu Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 and on the cams did you use the arrows or ticks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william.ford Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 On the cams the ticks marked with white paint, I used the arrows to adjust valves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william.ford Posted May 17, 2012 Author Share Posted May 17, 2012 Next chapter Yesterday I began a vigorous search for any loose connections and ground faults. I happened to look down at the passenger side CV axle and noted that it was connected but, the axle stub was extending out of the tranfer case about 2 inches. After disassembly and replacing the axle stub(?), back into the transmission I took the car for ride, guess what the car drove perfectly. So far so good. I have 3 questions 1. How did this happen? 2. Why did this affect how the car drove? 3. Why did the car even drive at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kharl Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Next chapter Yesterday I began a vigorous search for any loose connections and ground faults. I happened to look down at the passenger side CV axle and noted that it was connected but, the axle stub was extending out of the tranfer case about 2 inches. After disassembly and replacing the axle stub(?), back into the transmission I took the car for ride, guess what the car drove perfectly. So far so good. I have 3 questions 1. How did this happen? 2. Why did this affect how the car drove? 3. Why did the car even drive at all? Hi William! i have almost the same syptoms you had.. and what catched my attentions of this post is what you mention about the cv axles, in my case yesterday i noted that both CV axles have a little play, an di want to know if thats normal, mines are not so separated from the case like 2 inches, mines are fitted well (i think so) but are not thight i can move them with my hands and i wonder is can someone tell me if should have little movement or should be able to shake it at all wiht my hands (little background; last week i sent the car to the shop because was leaking oil and they suggested me to remplace all the seals (the kid with all the engine seals) which i found ok, the give me the car back with no leak but have some issues like that roughness when acceleratin, a little lack of power, a huuuuuuu noise comming from the timming belt and there is a missing bolt that connect the engine with the transmission... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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