Small problem :(

[PeterD]

So ive been helping my friend keep her 94 subaru legacy running. After a life of torture from an older cousin. First it was a blown out air strut so i replaced them all with springs and regular struts, then it was the alarm that went off and couldn't be stopped ( ended up pulling the alarm control unit and now its fine ) and finaly there is a small starting issue. This only happens in the summer time mostly and after driving around for quite some time. she would park the car and upon starting it again the car won't start, it won't crank over, nothing. Im stumped any pointers that could be giving. :-\

[porcupine73]

Do you at least here a click? Does it work if you hit the starter with a hammer? Sometimes the contacts go bad. Sometimes it's other issues like neutral/park/clutch switch etc.

[(goldfish)]

Small, old, weak batteries will give the no start in heat just like cold.

 

I assume it has a "park" starter lock out, worn shifter maybe?

[nipper]

Can be the contacts. Thats a not unusual sympton of a bad starter (contacts in a subaru), or a bad battery cable.

 

 

 

nipper

[PeterD]

the car worked fine when i drove it around the other day. i cleaned up the battery terminals, she hasn;t called yet about it. its strange because its so infrequent.

[nipper]

I would replace the starter contacts. They are cheap enough and easy to do. When you pull them out you may see that they need it anyway.

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=75175

 

nipper

[johnceggleston]

there was also a thread last year about a sensor that would keep a car from starting. the driver found a solution, a cup of water on the front top of the engine, and then had the sensor replaced. the sensor was intermittent when hot. can't remember more.

 

pretty strange, try the starter contacts .

[PeterD]

thanks for the ideas guys, i'll look into them when I get around to looking at her car again.

[ron917]

there was also a thread last year about a sensor that would keep a car from starting. the driver found a solution, a cup of water on the front top of the engine, and then had the sensor replaced. the sensor was intermittent when hot. can't remember more.

 

That would have been the crank or cam position sensor. Intermittant no start after a hot soak is a classic failure mode for that type of sensor (not just on Subarus). However, if that sensor is bad, it will not prevent the starter from turning the engine over - it spins, but won't start because the engine conrol system doesn't have a correct timing signal.