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My new 1986 XT won't start, help?


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'85 xt service manual SUPPLEMENT Publication No. G131BEB

'85 sedan and station wagon service manual Publication No. G130BEA section 2-3

 

other issues could have existed

 

fresh gas could have stirred up crud

 

cleaning flapper door won't do much of anything

 

measuring resistance of the flapper door pot as the door is moving will determine if it is working

 

Well isn't that nice. Maybe let people know that you are just quoting the troubleshooting sections next time. I'll bet you were good at writing reports in school huh?

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are you positive you are addressing the

fuel injection coolant thermosensor

 

and not

 

the coolant sensor for the dash gauge?

 

You could test the resistance of the sensor

if you remove it and use some heated water.

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are you positive you are addressing the

fuel injection coolant thermosensor

 

and not

 

the coolant sensor for the dash gauge?

 

You could test the resistance of the sensor

if you remove it and use some heated water.

 

Definitely, they do get confused for each other quite frequently. I would address all the connections in the engine bay from the look of oxidation in the pics. Use a good elecrical contact cleaner and some pipe cleaners to get into the tight areas.

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I checked the timing belt on the pass. side, no weirdness there, I'll take off the driver side cover and see if the belt skipped a few notches or something.

 

You should have removed the drivers side cover. It is the side that determines Ignition timing as it drives the Disty.

 

Not to belabor a point, but in an earlier post, you say "distibutor spins freely"

It shouldn't spin freely, it should only spin when cranking engine.

 

If you can spin the rotor freely then it is not held on by it's screw.

 

What you are describing for symtoms is EXCACTLY what happens when you lose that screw.

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The screw is in there, but 3/4ths in since it stripped on the way in. When I took off the cap to see if the rotor would turn when the car cranks, everything electrical such as the digidash quit, no blown fuses or links, I disconnected and reconnected the battery and everything worked again. The rotor didn't turn then but I haven't tried again.

 

I can move the rotor back and forth about 1/2 an inch, seems like horizontal play in the distributor shaft, in the same way a steering wheel would have play or slack. Is that normal?

 

The cap, rotor, plugs, wires, fuel filter are all new.

 

I'll check the timing belt to see if it jumped teeth. I'll try to take off the rotor and see if I can get the screw in all the way.

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Okay, sounds like you are sure the rotor is held secure. I was just trying to be sure.

 

Removing the distributor cap shouldn't make ANYTHING electrical happen.

 

So my guess is that you have some wirering that is loose or shorting.

 

Check the 2 wires that run from disty to the coil, make sure they are not touching anything.

 

Check you're negative battery connection to the block(near starter and disty)

 

You may want to give the wire loom that runs out of the disty, and over to a round connector near the passenger side strut, it can get melted by the turbo.

 

But really, first thing is verify the timing of BOTH belts and the disty are all correct.

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The subaru is kicking my butt! I spent too much time leaning over the engine bay yesterday, and I woke up today with a horrible back ache. So I can't check the driver side timing belt or do anything for that matter today. I did take pictures of question areas.

 

A problem that was found was that when I took off the cap and cranked the car (to see if the rotor would turn) everything electrical died. All the fuses and links were good, I disconnected and reconnected the battery, and the electrical was fine again.

 

The wires from the coil to the disty: There is a one wire connector hanging down, not connected to anything. Again, this car has a swapped engine.

 

Ugh, there are just so many possible causes for a no start condition.

 

Ignition coil wire to disty, hanging connector

S7002856.jpg

 

Disty wiring. This had gotten wet and was encased in ice. It's dry now

S7002857.jpg

 

Pass. Side timingbelt. Note oily on the inside. If I could take off the drivers side cover, would the sprocket also have marks pointing up? If not, slipped belt?

S7002858.jpg

 

Hopefully I can get to this tomorrow... :mad:

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Well, I took off the fuel filter, no gas came out... I then connected the green plugs in the trunk to have the fuel pump turn on and off, no gas came from the supply hose in the engine bay. The fuel pump still works. I had put 2 gallons in the tank after driving 200 miles to the school lot, thinking I had run out of fuel and the gauge was inaccurate, so there is gas in the tank. Since there was some old gas in the tank when I bought the car, and I had put a few gallons of lawnmower gas in the tank(that can had been rained on before, also it has a vent hole!!), I assume there is water in the tank and now the lines are frozen, or crud is blocking something.

 

I assume the car was getting some fuel a few days ago since it would sputter but not stay running, and before that I changed the filter and gas came out.

 

Not sure what I can do here without blowing myself up, like a "cummins engine heater" (charcoal on fire in a tray under the tank) since the car is at the school parking lot and not my heated garage. :-\

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Just put about 5 gallons of fresh fuel in the tank. It will mix in with any moisture that may be in there.

 

Might I also suggest that when you ask for help that you try to let us in on all the details. Lawm mower gas, change this part, added this part and so on. Makes trying to figure out the problem a little bit easier.

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Quick question, I drained the tank and the first gallon or so that came out had lots of rust in it and looked like crap. I took off the line from the tank to the fuel pump since the fuel pump bolts didn't want to co-operate. Where is the sock, I didn't see it on the line I pulled that led from the tank to the pump. Is it in the pump?

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If you found rust you are probably going to have to drop the tank and clean it good. Pump is also probably filled with the brown love as well. Get a new(known good) pump. clean and rinse the tank or get a different one that is in better condition. This may have been the issue the entire time. One thing you can do to test this is set a fuel can under the car and run a line from the can to the inlet side of the pump. See if the car will start and run.

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The pump sounds like it's sucking sand, I put 2 gallons in the empty fuel tank, still not getting fuel to the fuel rail. I didn't pull the pump because I would have broken all the bolts.

 

I'll pull the pump (and break every single bolt) and try to clean the "sock" on the inlet side of the pump, it's likely clogged with rust, or the fuel lines are frozen. If that's the case, then I'll just have to shell out $$$ getting it towed home. 175 miles. I could get AAA premier but they would probably balk at towing that far.

 

Unfortunately I didn't bring m(any) spare parts and I likely have a spare pump at home, but I need to get the car home somehow.

 

How do I clean the "sock" at the inlet side of the pump?

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there SHOULD be a SCREEN in the INLET of the PUMP

 

I removed the screen and associated old lines, and installed a 140 micron filter with 1/2" hose fittings that was listed as a CASE DIESEL fuel strainer

 

because I also switched to carb system, used VW VANAGON? fuel filter with 1/2" outlet and 5/8" inlet, and reversed the driection of flow so that it worked to go from metal filter to fuel pump

 

see if there is somewhere you can bring in the car at school, maintenance facility, diesel shop, something

 

when I was in diesel school, recharged AC and did oil change in the shop, one kid changed his fuel pump, and another replaced front end parts and axles, there was also an engine swap that turned into a class project

 

as an option 5 gallon can in trunk with hoses running through body holes

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:banghead:

 

Today I went to drain the tank again, nothing came out of the tank this time when I unhooked the supply line to the fuel pump! I took off the fuel sender and looked inside the tank, saw gas and that's about it.

 

I found the fuel pump sock in the inlet hose. I sprayed it with a carb cleaner and cleaned it a little. I plugged in the green connectors to get the fuel pump to cycle, it sounded like normal, it would make suction on my thumb. I connected it to a cup of gas, it sucked up half the cup, but then wouldn't suck any more without the gas draining back into the cup.

 

So now, the gas in the tank (2 gallons now) won't get to the inlet hose at the fuel pump, and the pump can't pump gas very far through the lines. I believe the lines are frozen (car sitting for 3 weeks with temps below 20*f and further) or, the pump is weak/bad?

 

I want to see if the car will run off a gas can in front of the radiator. My last question before giving up and towing the car is where can I get switched +12v and -12v for the fuel pump relocated to the engine bay. I know there's a keyed +12v at the wipers, but I need to know specific wires or areas and if there is cutting involved so I don't mess something up. Thanks for your help so far.

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I want to see if the car will run off a gas can in front of the radiator. My last question before giving up and towing the car is where can I get switched +12v and -12v for the fuel pump relocated to the engine bay. I know there's a keyed +12v at the wipers, but I need to know specific wires or areas and if there is cutting involved so I don't mess something up. Thanks for your help so far.

 

 

check connector 3 located by front left strut tower, by firewall

supposed to be yellow, x represents tab

 

1 2 3 4 x 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

 

5 B/R Ignition power supply

13 B Ground

 

'83 - '86 D-Check reference booklet :)

 

you can just shove the wires in the holes

no real need for swithced ground

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check connector 3 located by front left strut tower, by firewall

supposed to be yellow, x represents tab

 

1 2 3 4 x 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

 

5 B/R Ignition power supply

13 B Ground

 

'83 - '86 D-Check reference booklet :)

 

you can just shove the wires in the holes

no real need for swithced ground

 

Great info, I'll try that, thanks. I see where that check connector is on my 1985 electrical system FSM supplement. :) Now to go buy some hose and zipties, heh

 

Edit: The pump is now wired and working in the engine bay, I'll connect hoses tomorrow and limp the car home if it'll finally start. I'll have a gas can in front of the radiator secured, fuel pump mounted nearby, a supply, return and a vent line running into the gas can.

Edited by derburger
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I'll have a gas can in front of the radiator secured, fuel pump mounted nearby, a supply, return and a vent line running into the gas can.

 

Watch out for Highway Patorl 'cause they are not going to like that.

 

Is there a plug in the floor inside the cabin you could knock out and run a long length of hose to a gas can in the back seat or something?

 

Good Luck!

 

Will-

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Watch out for Highway Patorl 'cause they are not going to like that.

 

Is there a plug in the floor inside the cabin you could knock out and run a long length of hose to a gas can in the back seat or something?

 

Good Luck!

 

Will-

 

They wont see it.

In a XT theres room between the bumper and radiator for the gas can to fit. With the hood closed, theres nothing to see.

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I figured a gas can closed under the hood between the radiator and bumper would be "safer" than having it in the static filled interior. (I.E the ea82t roasts instead of me!!) A bit brazen but I need to get the car home to my heated garage to pull the gas tank and reline or replace it and blow out the lines. 175 mile tow would be $$$, probably half what I paid for the car.

 

The fuel pump is secured to the bumper in front of the radiator, safer than in the engine bay as well IMHO. I'll hook everything up today and see if it runs. It should, because the engine would catch but not stay running.

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