Starts and wants to stall but will rev high

[tjxtreme]

Hello all, I have a 99 with a 2.5l and 111000miles. I live about 10 miles from pavement via a dirt/sand road. Recently, I hit a pocket of soft sand, and my front hit sand and sprayed it up everywhere. Everything ran normally after that, I made two 15 minute trips and checked under the hood and all seemed normal. I took out the air cleaner and knocked all the dust out of it too. Today (three days later) I tried to start it up. It started fine, idled for about two seconds then stalled. I tried again, this time giving it some gas and it revved up to about 4 and I could hold it there running, but the second I let off, it immediately stalled. Not sure if this is relevant, but I could also hear a click or small knock after it stalled (sounds like a pencil hitting plastic).

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am currently semi-stranded.

 

Thanks,

Andrew

[cookie]

There is an air cleaner hose that can be left off or falls off that can do that. I'd check that first.

[tjxtreme]

Thanks- you were right. I suppose this attests both to the durability of the Subaru (can take a nose dive in sand at 40 mph with no problem) and my presumptuous tendencies!

[cookie]

And it also attests to the stupidity of those of us who have left this hose off and had the same symptoms.

[97OBW]

And it also attests to the stupidity of those of us who have left this hose off and had the same symptoms.

 

ME!, it was the day after i brought it home after some hardcore offroading so i thought i messed it up