Still fouling, but I think I'm getting closer

[Subaru_dude]

So it's still fouling #4 plug. Smells like coolant TO ME, definitely still using it.

 

So maybe it's not coolant, maybe it's fuel. My sense of smell isn't all that great, they both smell kinda sweet to me. So I just changed the injector in favor for one that came out of a DL with 105,000 miles on it. I started it and now I'm going to let it sit and go start it and see if it runs on 3 for a while.

 

If this helps, this is EXACTLY what it does. After running for a while at full temp, the next time it gets started it sputters for about 20-30 seconds after startup but it DOES clear up. Upon pulling plugs, it is discovered that the #4 plug is very dirty (fouled). I've only pulled it twice, both times immediately after starting it and realizing it's not firing. Smells like gas, but my low coolant level and the fact that sticking a straw into the liquid at the bottom of the cylinder made it smell like coolant made me think intake manifold gaskets.

But here's the sorda strange thing... if I let it sit for a day (or even just more than a few hours) it starts great. But if I start it only an hour or less before parking it it will run on 3.

 

If it were coolant, the plug would be clean wouldn't it? Am I mistaken about it being coolant? And if it is a leaky injector, why would it only happen to #4?

 

I haven't had any overheating, just coolant loss and 1 fouled plug. Could the coolant loss be something completely unrelated?

 

Compression test doesn't indicate anything wrong, and yes I bled the gauge each time.

[screwbaru2]

Dude what car is it? This "sticking a straw into the liquid at the bottom of the cylinder made it smell like coolant" part of your discription is not a good sign as there should be no liquid in the cylnder at anytime. Can you extract some of the liquid to find out what it is? Maybe some kind of small dia. baster to suck the liquid out? Off the cuff it sounds like a HG coolant leaking into the cyl. You could try swaping the #4 injector with another, say swap 4 to 2 and swap the plug with 3.

If the problem moves to cyl. 2 then you know its a leaky injector or if cyl 3 showed signs of a fouled plug you know it's a bad plug. But the liquid in the cyl does not sound good.

[Subaru_dude]

Shoulda specified, EA82 SPFI '89 GL. The only reason I'm not thinking headgasket is because the compression test showed between 135 and 140 in all but #2 cylinder (170psi).

 

I was also trying to find some hose or something to suck out whatever liquid it is. It really shouldn't be the headgasket, I did those 10,000 miles ago. If it is, the EA82 is going to be set on fire and an EJ22 set in it's place.

[Subaru_dude]

Alright, Definitely headgasket. Started steaming on the way home, didn't overheat though. Going to get rid of that TRASH EA82 and throw in a not-so-prone-to-failure EJ22. I'll admit though, the reason the headgaskets let go is probably my shotty mechanical skills. But still... my other EA82 went further on it's headgaskets even though I used a DREMEL to clean up the heads. AND used Subaru headgaskets and didn't retorque. AND they didn't technically fail, I wrecked it. But anyway... I see this as a good time to do the 4x4 conversion as well.

 

Looks like I'm going to be fairly busy.