EA82 SPFI Idle Issue

[wagoneer86]

Hello, 

 

Just last week I started my 1987 gl wagon which has the spfi engine. It idled fine for a few seconds then sounded terrible then died. The engine has 145k miles.

 

I've started it once since then and it now just sounds terrible and idles super rough/ out of timing. 

 

I took a video and here is the link: 

 

I don't know if the video is made available, but if you search 1987 Subaru EFI Engine Problem youtube it will show up.

 

My dad wants to just scarp the car, but I'm trying to not have that happen.

 

Any help is much appreciated. 

 

Thanks

Val

Edited March 5, 2017 by wagoneer86

[DaveT]

If it happened suddenly, out of the blue, 1st 2 things to check:  IAC valve and CTS

 

Any other typical maintenance stuff, like plugs, wires, vacuum leaks, should be checked also, if they have been ignored for a long time.

[Dee2]

Is this a new problem?  Was it running well before ?   Is there a CEL display on ?

 

 

Could be a fuel problem.  Did you add gas recently before the problem started ?

 

Knowing more about the history and recent events will help diagnose the problem.

 

If you have a vacuum gauge, it would be good to do a simple vacuum test on the engine.

 

Also, there are inspection ports for the timing belts, check to see if the belts are damaged.

 

If you have a timing light, check the timing.

[Naked Buell]

DaveT, can you help me with the acroynms so I can follow. Thx

[DaveT]

Idle Air Control

Coolant Temperature Sensor

[kmpdx]

Check the plugs and wires. Disconnect 1 at a time to see if you can isolate the problem. CTS can be pulled and tested independently using a thermometer and a multimeter. Should be around 300 Ohms at operating temp and like 10x that(?) cold

[wagoneer86]

Thanks for the replies. It will be a few days before I can check the above listed items. The car has always been the "extra" vehicle in our family. So sometimes it is daily driven for a month and sometimes it runs maybe 4 times a month. I was driving it for the last 2 weeks daily and was having no issues. The engine has always felt tired, but it has never not worked for us. It was squealing/ whistling on and off like a bearing was failing if may have to do with any of this? 

I honestly don't know if we have ever given it a tune up.

No display lights were on. 

Like I said, when I get the chance I'll probably start with checking the timing, then check out the spark plugs and wires, and so on.

I'll give updates when I get things done.

Val

[DaveT]

There is usually an idler on the v belts that has a small bearing that can go bad.

There are 3 on the timing belt system.

 

Once you have it running again, find the source of the squealing. Bad bearing noises don't make it run bad, but you're on borrowed time before they fail and stop you.

[Dee2]

There is usually an idler on the v belts that has a small bearing that can go bad.

There are 3 on the timing belt system.

 

Once you have it running again, find the source of the squealing. Bad bearing noises don't make it run bad, but you're on borrowed time before they fail and stop you.

+1