No start 98 Legacy

[Chris Helsley]

I am experiencing a problem with a 2.5 engine that will not start.I have good compression and good fire but it sounds like it is out of time.I pulled the front covers to double check timing and it looks like it is all correctly aligned.I was experiencing poor engine performance and had the engine scanned and the only code that came up was cam position sensor and I have replaced that.

When checking spark with a tester that I purchased after making the mistake of checking coil by shorting to a screwdriver,I have a spark about 1/2 inch long but it isn't a real hot blue spark but kind of pink looking.I am wondering if I have messed up the control module.

Any help would be appreciated.

[ballitch]

is it throwing any codes now? you might have fried the ignitor by arcing it to a screwdriver.

 

 

~Josh~

[Chris Helsley]

I don't have a way to access codes without being able to drive it.I liked the old subies with ability to display codes without a special reader.

What are the symptoms of a bad igniter?Is it likely to cause spark timing issues?

By the way ,I really appreciate the access to a whole lot of supportive Subaru fans.

[OB99W]

  Chris Helsley said:

I am experiencing a problem with a 2.5 engine that will not start. [...]

If you haven't seen these already, they might be useful:

http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/IgnitionCoil.pdf

http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/DirectIgnition.pdf

http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/IgnitionCoilSum04.pdf

 

An exact sequence of what you checked/replaced relative to when the no-start problem began might help with diagnosis.

 

Do you have spark on cylinders 1 & 2 and 3 & 4? A hot spark requires things be right on the primary side; is the battery in good shape, are connections clean? How's the cranking speed?

 

You mentioned compression and spark; assuming air is getting there, is fuel?