Outback: missing cylinder problem

[vtdaug]

My 2000 Outback started running rough about 6 months ago. The CEL would only come on when I was climbing a hill here in Vermont and would eventually go out. The diagnostic was sometimes P0301, 303 or 304. Since it drove OK, I didn't do anything for about 5 months. Recently the CEL came on solid with an occasional blink. The code was now P0301 so I replaced the 88K mile coil with a used 37K coil at the suggestion of my local garage. The CEL code is still P0301 and he says I have either a blocked injector or 'bad cylinder' and he doesn't want to touch it. Should I believe him and get fleeced at my local Subaru dealer or just get a better mechanic?

 

It runs smoother with the new coil but still doesn't have the power or mileage that it had when I bought it at 50K.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Dickensheets]

I would start with the cheap stuff:

 

Fuel/air filter

pcv valve

inspect/clean EGR

plugs and wires

coolant temp sending unit

 

If that doesn't work move onto the money items:

 

injector cleaning

front o2 sensor

fuel pressure regulator

 

These are just some general ideas. Others may have some more.

 

rd

 

ps - invest in a Hayne's manual and do many of these items in your spare time.

[vtdaug]

Thanks. I'll try the cheap stuff first.

 

I would love to invest in Outback manuals, but the Haynes Outback book stop at '98 and Chilton stops at '96. I guess they didn't want to compete with the POS PDFs that I downloaded from techinfo.subaru.com.

[porcupine73]

Does it idle roughly? Is it MT or AT? P030(n) is cylinder (n) misfire detected. Procedure I think roughly involves checking wiring between ECU and injectors, checking resistance of fuel injector (replace if not between 5&20 ohms), check if camshaft and/or crankshaft position sensors are loosely installed, check camshaft sprockets for brkn/missing teeth, check condition of timing belt, make sure you're not low on fuel (duh), check ignitor, check spark plug condition, check spark plug wire condition, possible skipped timing belt teeth, etc :-\

 

Actually I think Haynes just recently did come out with a manual for newer Subaru's (there was a post on here about it somewhere), but I've found such outright errors in Haynes before that I'm not sure I want to bother. Sometimes it is a good reference tho to see how they recommend doing something without using the fancy Subaru special tools. I like techinfo.subaru.com, but sometimes the access rates seemed steep. Tho I see you can get the whole service manual on CD rom for not too crazy a price, probably well worth it if you plan to do all service on your own vehicle. I got the OE printed manuals off ebay for a little less than the CD OE price.

[tcspeer]

When mine had a cyclinder misfire, it turned out to be the E.C.U. this is very easy to check with a cheap set of noid lights which can be had for around 20.00 dollars at most auto stores. Just unplug the pigtail and hook it to the light, if it dont flash when car is running you are not getting a signal from the E.C.U.

My 2000 Outback started running rough about 6 months ago. The CEL would only come on when I was climbing a hill here in Vermont and would eventually go out. The diagnostic was sometimes P0301, 303 or 304. Since it drove OK, I didn't do anything for about 5 months. Recently the CEL came on solid with an occasional blink. The code was now P0301 so I replaced the 88K mile coil with a used 37K coil at the suggestion of my local garage. The CEL code is still P0301 and he says I have either a blocked injector or 'bad cylinder' and he doesn't want to touch it. Should I believe him and get fleeced at my local Subaru dealer or just get a better mechanic?

 

It runs smoother with the new coil but still doesn't have the power or mileage that it had when I bought it at 50K.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[vtdaug]

Porcupine:

It's an MT that does idle roughly (even on a full tank). I've replaced the plugs and was about to check the wires. I'll check fuel injector resistance, camshaft/crankshaft position sensors, camshaft sprockets, timing belt and ignitor at your suggestion. The new/used coil I just put in could also be a problem. I've heard that cylinder misfire is a common(?) problem with the 2.5L engine and that even a new NAPA coil is not as good as a new Subaru coil. Also, could the hotter weather be making the misfires worse?

 

Last year I bought 72 hours on techinfo and thought that I downloaded a full set but I seem to be missing some things so I guess I'll try ebay. It looks like I can get the techinfo PDFs on CD for $24.50 or the full OE printed set for $69.99. The printed manuals would probably be a better investment. The comment about the POS PDFs from techinfo was a frustration with their pricing policies, not the quality of the documentation.

 

tcspeer:

I'll get a set of noid lights and test the ECU. A new tool!

[tcspeer]

Its always good to find an excuse to get new tools, I have got two this week for under 10.00 dollars for both. One was a set of rubber plugs to put in the end of the caliper hose to keep it from leaking when changing the caliper, and the other was a set of hose pinchers to pinch fuel and rubber brake lines.

Porcupine:

It's an MT that does idle roughly (even on a full tank). I've replaced the plugs and was about to check the wires. I'll check fuel injector resistance, camshaft/crankshaft position sensors, camshaft sprockets, timing belt and ignitor at your suggestion. The new/used coil I just put in could also be a problem. I've heard that cylinder misfire is a common(?) problem with the 2.5L engine and that even a new NAPA coil is not as good as a new Subaru coil. Also, could the hotter weather be making the misfires worse?

 

Last year I bought 72 hours on techinfo and thought that I downloaded a full set but I seem to be missing some things so I guess I'll try ebay. It looks like I can get the techinfo PDFs on CD for $24.50 or the full OE printed set for $69.99. The printed manuals would probably be a better investment. The comment about the POS PDFs from techinfo was a frustration with their pricing policies, not the quality of the documentation.

 

tcspeer:

I'll get a set of noid lights and test the ECU. A new tool!

[WANTONSOUPGUY]

I know you probly got it all fixed up by now, but for any future readers, I would definately get a new mechanic. A simple compression test which takes 20 minutes per cylinder, if that, would determine if the cylinder has a bad valve or broken ring/piston. Ditch him.

[211]

Please be sure to post a reply once you've found out what the cause and fix is.

 

I just recently bought an '00 OBW and sometimes I feel like it's mis-firing or sputtering but again, I'm still getting used to the 5-speed manual transmission- convincing myself it's just poor driving habits.