98 legacy obw died, no spark

[wayneb]

Hi All;

Car died on side of road, no spark. I checked and voltage to coil ok, but no switching on side terminals. checked crank and cam sensors and they checked ok for resistance and ac pulse.

 

How do I check the ignitor? anything else to check?

 

Thanks in advance;

 

Wayneb

[idosubaru]

coil pack could be shot.

 

remember - we are trying to help over the internet. we can't touch it, see it, hear it, or even look at it. that makes it tough, but we are still DANG good. the more relevant information you can give us the better.

 

what's the mileage on the vehicle?

what is the state of the tune-up items?

plugs, wires?

when was the timing belt replaced?

you checked the cam/crank sensors - are they pulsing when cranking, that would indicate the timing belt is fine.

is the check engine light or or has it come on anytime recently?

any recent work done to the vehicle - brake work, etc?

[idosubaru]

coil pack could be shot.

 

remember - we are trying to help over the internet. we can't touch it, see it, hear it, or even look at it. that makes it tough, but we are still DANG good. the more relevant information you can give us the better.

 

what's the mileage on the vehicle?

what is the state of the tune-up items?

plugs, wires?

when was the timing belt replaced? you could have a broken timing belt.

you checked the cam/crank sensors - are they pulsing when cranking, that would indicate the timing belt is fine.

is the check engine light or or has it come on anytime recently?

any recent work done to the vehicle - brake work, etc?

 

my home is Westminster, MD - never heard of Port tobacco but sounds like eastern shore country?

[wayneb]

Hi Grossgary;

 

205,000 miles, I did head gaskets/valve job/water pump/idler/belt at 185,000. No major work recently, just oil changes and tune ups as necessary. Wife's car she was driving home from baltimore,stopped for gas and car died 5 minutes later. I first thought was fuel issue but pump working replaced filter and plenty of pressure. then checked for spark with timing light on all 4 wires with no spark. No check engine light when died but of course it won't start now so can't check. I checked the voltage to coil pack and good to center terminal but obtained no switching pulse to ground from either outer terminal. I checked crank and cam sensors for resistance and pulse and were ok.

 

My feeling now is coil not getting signal but don't quite know how to diagnose ignitor.

 

Port Tobacco is in Charles County west of La Plata, tornado capital of MD

 

Wayne

[idosubaru]

10 year old, 205,000 miles and it was probably overheating (bad headgaskets) at one point. sounds like enough to send a coil to it's demise. i have a bunch lying around so i don't know the proper way to test beyond just swapping in a good one. i believe they are the same on most 1990's (and some 2000+) subaru's, so it should be easy to find a replacement for dirt cheap.

[idosubaru]

here's a thread with some coil testing information:

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=60957&page=2&highlight=coil

 

i found that using the search button up top, just searched New Generation forum for "coil" under a "title search only".

[wayneb]

Hi Grossgary;

 

My sub has an ignitor module separate from the coil pack and since the coil pack is not getting a switching signal, I kinda think the problem is not the coil but the coil is not getting the signal to discharge.

 

Have you experienced issues with coil packs that lead you to belive it has failed? Or just more likely to fail with age and miles than ignitor?

 

I will test coil pack when I get home this evening for resistance of winding and windings to ground.

 

Wayne

[Cougar]

It would be good to see if there are any trouble codes stored as they may be a clue to the problem.

 

You may be able to check the ignitor using the diode function of a meter and test it like a transistor.

[idosubaru]

Have you experienced issues with coil packs that lead you to belive it has failed?

no, i'm not suggesting anything right now. i agree it could be the ignitor but don't know how to test them. others should be able to help, you gave some good info so far.

[wayneb]

Hi All

 

I feel stupid!!!

Incorrectly checked signal to coil pack! checked side terminals to ground instead of to positive. Coil ok, ignitor ok. Also incorrectly checked cam sensors! Probably cause they were hard to get to and I was tired. No signal from cam sensors so guess what? pulled cam cover and was a broken timing belt! Hope I didn't damage engine by cranking! Belt failed due to seized lower idler. Hopefully can get parts tommorrow and didn't bend valves from all that cranking! Unfortunately car is in driveway and can't get in garage calling for rain next few days so may be weekend till get back together.

 

Thanks for all the help;

 

Wayneb

[idosubaru]

pulled cam cover and was a broken timing belt!

you could have a broken timing belt.

that sucks. a 98 OBW should have the EJ25 which is an interference engine. it is most likely that you have at the very least - minor valve damage. probably more likely that it's significant damage. of course i hope i'm wrong. mental note, at that kind of mileage and age it's good to replace or repack all the timing pulleys. the toothed idlers are the ones that seem to fail first.

[wayneb]

Hi Grossgary;

 

I replaced the cam belt idlers when I did head gasket work. Kinda suprised that this one failed, I suspect seal failure on bearing.

 

What are the symptoms of valve damage? rough running and possible backfires? I'm hoping that this will be minimal, I know form head job that valves seemed recessed in seat a bit so maybe will get lucky.

 

Well, I guess I'll find out this weekend once get back together.

 

Wayneb

[nipper]

Thats why on the second timing belt change, everything should be replaced.

 

Lets hope there is no real damage.

 

FYI - cam sensor is fuel injectors

Crank sensor is spark.

 

good luck

 

nipper