LanceGillette Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 The fuel supply for my 98 Forestor appears fine. Apparently the ignitor/ignition pack could be the problem. I've tested the spark and I did not find a problem for as long as we cranked the car. But usually the car runs for 15-30 seconds before dying and I understand this could be normal for an ignitor that is dying. The ignitor isn't cheap. If it were $20 I'd just go ahead and replace it. The car has 129,000 miles on it. Is this a part that one would normally expect to replace sometime or something that normally does not fail? If it is a part that I'd probably need to replace then I'll just go ahead and replace it now. I welcome any advice in this matter. Any way to test it to make sure it is the ignitor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 The fuel supply for my 98 Forestor appears fine. Apparently the ignitor/ignition pack could be the problem. I've tested the spark and I did not find a problem for as long as we cranked the car. But usually the car runs for 15-30 seconds before dying and I understand this could be normal for an ignitor that is dying. The ignitor isn't cheap. If it were $20 I'd just go ahead and replace it. The car has 129,000 miles on it. Is this a part that one would normally expect to replace sometime or something that normally does not fail? If it is a part that I'd probably need to replace then I'll just go ahead and replace it now. I welcome any advice in this matter. Any way to test it to make sure it is the ignitor? not without a scope. If the car dies and stays dead, check for spark, no spark, then can be the ignitor. Go to a junkyard and pull an ingnitor and swap it, see what hapens? nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcspeer Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 You can also check it with a volt meter, if you dont have one take it to Auto Zone they will check it for free. The fuel supply for my 98 Forestor appears fine. Apparently the ignitor/ignition pack could be the problem. I've tested the spark and I did not find a problem for as long as we cranked the car. But usually the car runs for 15-30 seconds before dying and I understand this could be normal for an ignitor that is dying. The ignitor isn't cheap. If it were $20 I'd just go ahead and replace it. The car has 129,000 miles on it. Is this a part that one would normally expect to replace sometime or something that normally does not fail? If it is a part that I'd probably need to replace then I'll just go ahead and replace it now. I welcome any advice in this matter. Any way to test it to make sure it is the ignitor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 ignitors can be finiky, they are fine when cold, but as they heat up they fail. some sooner then others. They can also degrade with heat, so that test really wont show anything since the car does start initially. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanceGillette Posted April 19, 2006 Author Share Posted April 19, 2006 I've put in a known good ignitor/Ignition Pack and it did not solve the problem. The car starts up and runs smoothly then begins to act like it is starved for fuel and dies. If I pump the gas pedal and keep the rpm up above 2000 then I can get it to run longer. Any suggestions on what else it could be? I'm ready to have it towed to a shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcspeer Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 Check and make sure that big vacum hose is on good that is hooked between the air filter and the black box thing at the back of engine. It is on the bottom of the thing that connects these two. It is about 3/4 of an in. in dia. I've put in a known good ignitor/Ignition Pack and it did not solve the problem. The car starts up and runs smoothly then begins to act like it is starved for fuel and dies. If I pump the gas pedal and keep the rpm up above 2000 then I can get it to run longer. Any suggestions on what else it could be? I'm ready to have it towed to a shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcspeer Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 Nipper, you are right about this most of the time they give problem when they are hot. ignitors can be finiky, they are fine when cold, but as they heat up they fail. some sooner then others. They can also degrade with heat, so that test really wont show anything since the car does start initially. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanceGillette Posted April 19, 2006 Author Share Posted April 19, 2006 I found I hadn't reconnected that vacuum hose you are talking about. There is much improvement as I can get the engine to run without dying. I was able to drive up the mountain a ways but I need to run it at a higher rpm (2000-3000) to compensate for the frequent loss of power. Also, it will idle now without dying but not very smoothly. There is no CEL illuminated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanceGillette Posted April 19, 2006 Author Share Posted April 19, 2006 This morning it would barely run again until the engine was warmed up. I managed to drive it to a shop but along the way I seriously thought I might have to call a tow truck. The car would run reasonably well for a couple miles and then I'd have to pull over for a few minutes until the engine improved. By the time I got there it really improved greatly--almost normal, but still some missing. CEL came on during the trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 This is sounding more like bad wires. i really should assume nothing before i start posting, my bad. How old are the ignition wires? Do you park the car outside at night? i cant really ask you to do things to diagnose since its in the shop. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanceGillette Posted April 19, 2006 Author Share Posted April 19, 2006 This is sounding more like bad wires. i really should assume nothing before i start posting, my bad. How old are the ignition wires? Do you park the car outside at night? i cant really ask you to do things to diagnose since its in the shop. nipper The wires and plugs are new. I replaced them when the engine started running rough. The car is always parked outside. We have a relatively dry climate. Our snow is typically a very dry powdery snow and we have lots of warm/hot dry weather in the summers. So moisture is not likely a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanceGillette Posted April 20, 2006 Author Share Posted April 20, 2006 The Diagnosis is a Bad Airflow Meter. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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