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Yesterday after not using Blu all day, i pulled him out of the driveway and onto the street to wash and polish him (50 feet maybe). After a hour or so pulled him back in. He started normally sounded normal etc etc. This morning started him and he sounded like he had no oil in him. Scared the heck out of me (only 40K on the engine). After a minute the sound went away and all is normal. Blu got an oil change last week and all i can think of is maybe the oil filter check valve got stuck?

 

Oil is full. Blu doesnt leak. 1997 OBW.

 

 

 

i'm just perplexed.

 

nipper

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sits- oil drains from chanels, 50 feet up and down the drive with an hour between not enough time to build pressure and circulate so by the end oil pump warm and some what starved? then sits over night takes a little while to get oil back to the pump?

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Hm....did you notice if the oil pressure light stayed on for a few seconds after startup? Or wait you have that jdm gauge set right :brow:

did the pressure take exceptionally long to build up?

Maybe the adbv got stuck open a little or let oil leak back out while it was shut down, then it took a few seconds to kind of reprime the system?

 

Or maybe the oil filter doesn't have an adbv, I think certain soob oil filters didn't have one?

 

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Yesterday after not using Blu all day, i pulled him out of the driveway and onto the street to wash and polish him (50 feet maybe). After a hour or so pulled him back in. He started normally sounded normal etc etc. This morning started him and he sounded like he had no oil in him. Scared the heck out of me (only 40K on the engine). After a minute the sound went away and all is normal. [...]
Did the cranking seem a bit "strained", and was the idle slightly rough as well?

 

I had an experience with my '99 OB several months ago. The car had been sitting overnight. I needed to move it few (about 25) feet, and I then shut the engine right down. Several hours later, when I started it, the first couple of revolutions seemed somewhat labored, and there was considerable internal engine noise that my OB had never made before. I thought something bad had happened, but within a couple of minutes things quieted down to the customary sounds. There wasn't enough time (fortunately!?) to determine the cause. The problem hasn't since recurred.

 

As to oil filters, the OB had an OEM Subaru (Tokyo Roki) filter on at the time; it and the oil were neither recently changed nor close to being due for a change.

 

In my case, I think an injector may have hung open somewhat, causing a bit more fuel than the engine liked in one cylinder. That could explain the slightly sluggish start (near hydrolock), and also might have lead to the plug being gas-fouled and the cylinder not firing. Furthermore, if oil got washed off the cylinder wall by the fuel, it might have allowed the piston to rattle around more than it normally would until the plug started firing and an oil cushion developed again. ... Or not ... :-\

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Did the cranking seem a bit "strained", and was the idle slightly rough as well?

 

I had an experience with my '99 OB several months ago. The car had been sitting overnight. I needed to move it few (about 25) feet, and I then shut the engine right down. Several hours later, when I started it, the first couple of revolutions seemed somewhat labored, and there was considerable internal engine noise that my OB had never made before. I thought something bad had happened, but within a couple of minutes things quieted down to the customary sounds. There wasn't enough time (fortunately!?) to determine the cause. The problem hasn't since recurred.

 

As to oil filters, the OB had an OEM Subaru (Tokyo Roki) filter on at the time; it and the oil were neither recently changed nor close to being due for a change.

 

In my case, I think an injector may have hung open somewhat, causing a bit more fuel than the engine liked in one cylinder. That could explain the slightly sluggish start (near hydrolock), and also might have lead to the plug being gas-fouled and the cylinder not firing. Furthermore, if oil got washed off the cylinder wall by the fuel, it might have allowed the piston to rattle around more than it normally would until the plug started firing and an oil cushion developed again. ... Or not ... :-\

 

Well that makes me feel better as Blu is going on a ten day road trip on tuesday.

 

nipper

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Best of luck -- let's hope your scare was a one-time thing, and the trip is "uneventful".

 

Blu did it again today after a really short trip the other night. I am going to put a better oil filter on him monday. I think the filter is the problem. If it was an injector there would be a cloud on startup I would think.

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Blu did it again today after a really short trip the other night. I am going to put a better oil filter on him monday. I think the filter is the problem. If it was an injector there would be a cloud on startup I would think.
Well, as I said, my experience was a "once only" (so far, but it's been months since the first time). Since yours is repeatable, you might be able to pin it down more readily. Please report back if a different oil filter eliminates the problem (as if you wouldn't otherwise, Nipper :) ), and what brand the filter on there now is.

 

So far, if it isn't coincidence, the common connection seems to be "really short trip", then sitting for some time before restarting.

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Well, as I said, my experience was a "once only" (so far, but it's been months since the first time). Since yours is repeatable, you might be able to pin it down more readily. Please report back if a different oil filter eliminates the problem (as if you wouldn't otherwise, Nipper :) ), and what brand the filter on there now is.

 

So far, if it isn't coincidence, the common connection seems to be "really short trip", then sitting for some time before restarting.

 

Seems to be really short trip then park for 6 or more hours.

 

 

nipper

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I have experienced this on more than 1 new gen Suby.

 

Pulling it out of garage and shut it off.

Or move it over 1 spot in the driveway and shut it off.

Or pull it into the grass and shut it off.

 

I learned to let it idle for a few minutes once it's moved.

The next start should be quiet.

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I have experienced this on more than 1 new gen Suby.

 

Pulling it out of garage and shut it off.

Or move it over 1 spot in the driveway and shut it off.

Or pull it into the grass and shut it off.

 

I learned to let it idle for a few minutes once it's moved.

The next start should be quiet.

 

Well so far all good zigzag across PA and blue is behaving like he is brand new. I will have to replace the ps pump when I get home as the steering is heavy. I may not have net access next ten days so play nice.

 

Nipper

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This exact thing happened to me with my '91 XT-6 a few years ago. No real explanation ever appeared. Hammered like no oil and no main bearings for a couple/few seconds, then quiet. Similar circumstances: had backed it out of the driveway, and then it sat a while (though it was overnight for me). Happened 1 more time fairly soon after that. Never happened again. I could figure absolutely NO reason for it to do it, and there were no ill effects at all.

 

Blu's fine. If you didn't already, you could change the oil filter.

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