EJ 22T no start, help needed.

[wvufan8353]

Here we go. This past weekend, left the car sit almost empty on fuel and it got real humid outside. Im afraid the tank may have made some condensation inside. Anyways, left work yesteday, ran a couple of errands and then went and filled up on fuel. I noticed the car was running a little strange, almost like it was surging, but not strong enough to actually feel it cut out. Just a a sluggish feeling, sort of like the parking brake was on intermittently. Didnt think too much about it much more.

Left work today, got 50 yards away and car completely died. Pulled in a parking lot, cranked and cranked no start. I pulled the fuel filter off and blew threw it, it didnt seem to be stopped up. Turned the key on and fuel came out the inlet hose going to the filter, so i know the fuel pump is working. hooked both the lines back up and tried cranking again, still no start.
pulled off the line from the outlet of the fuel filter and it was highly pressurized. When i barely cracked the line off the spout, fuel shot everywhere.

Am i wrong in thinking it is a fuel issue? Could it be a spark issue instead, if so where do i start with testing. I have a voltmeter.
Thanks for any help you can give.


1994 Subaru Legacy, 2.2 Turbo, Automatic.

[dafrompa]

always start with the easy stuff, pull a plug check your wires things like that should be done before going voltmeter crazy.

[Legacy777]

I don't think you have a fuel delivery issue.

As mentioned, always start with the easy stuff first.

[wvufan8353]

So I put the Car into Diagnostic mode, flashed up a code 13 first, then a 23 second.

13 is a cam angle position sensor.
23 is abnormal voltage from airflow sensor.

Should i try to swap the cam position sensor first? Do i need to get just the sensor, or buy the sensor and the wire harness?

[Legacy777]

It's typically good practice to start with the lower numbered code first. So I'd start with the cam sensor. The cam sensor should come with a new wire. They changed the design from the original that had the wire as part of the sensor to one where the wire plugs into the sensor and then into the main chassis wiring.

[wvufan8353]

Cleaned the MAF, no luck. On to the Cam Sensor change.

Legacy777, am I understanding correctly that I can buy just the sensor and not the wiring? I checked around with local parts stores and it seems like I have to buy the sensor and the small wire harness.

[Legacy777]

The sensor and the wire come together as one piece....or at least it should.

[wvufan8353]

Replaced the Cam Position Sensor, and still no start. Can someone lead me in the right direction on what to start testing? Im lost here.

[wvufan8353]

Left the battery unhooked over night, came back today, put it in diagnostic mode, code 13 cam position sensor is still there, but now it shows a code 49 as well, Mass Airflow Sensor. Should i get a new MAF and try swapping it? Will a faulty MAF cause the 13 code Cam position sensor to trip?

[wvufan8353]

Going back to the day before it shut off and wouldnt restart, i noticed it sort of surging while driving to the gas station. Kind of like a reduction in power, then it would come back fine. I have always been under the impression that a faulty MAF wouldnt keep the car from running, just from running efficiently.

[Legacy777]

Try unplugging the connector from the MAF sensor and see if it'll start.

[wvufan8353]

So I used a test light and tested the coil connector, tested good at the center plug and stayed lit during cranking. Neither of the outside pins showed up on the test light, during cranking, key off, or key on. nothing. Sounds like it may be a bad ground somewhere.

[Legacy777]

Did you try unplugging the MAF electrical connector and see if it started?

[wvufan8353]

Josh, I haven't yet unplugged it and tried to start it. I was under the impression that a faulty MAF wouldn't keep it from starting, just that it would keep it from running efficiently and smoothly. As soon as the rain lets up, I will try it though.

[Legacy777]

The MAF sensor is critical in the engine running. If it is bad, and feeding bad info to the ECU, the engine won't run. However, when you unplug it, the ECU sees that and will use the other sensors to at least try and get the engine to run. So by unplugging the MAF sensor, you take it out of the loop and hopefully determine whether it's good or not. If the engine fires up and runs, then there's a good chance the MAF is bad. If nothing changes, then chances are the MAF is good.

[wvufan8353]

Unplugged MAF, still no start.

Got a tested known good ignitor, hooked up it, and still no start.

Checked all connections, everything tight, no bare wires.

Left the batt unhooked a few days, now i still get code 13 and 49, but now also code 22 knock sensor showed up.

[wvufan8353]

Checked the coil connector with a multimeter, center pin 2 showed 12.85, batt voltage when on. Pin 1 showed .06 volts, and pin 3 showed .75 volts. All stayed the same when cranking as well.

[Legacy777]

Any chance you have a spare ECU to try?

[wvufan8353]

I do not have a spare ecu, any way i can rule the ecu out before i try and swap a new one in?

I am trying to relate the problem to the day before, when the car was surging. There has to be some relation.

[Legacy777]

Well....first you need to verify the crank & cam sensors are outputting the appropriate signal. Typically you use a scope to do that. If the sensors are doing what they're supposed to and all the equipment & wiring downstream of the ECU is good, then the only thing left is the ECU.

Forgive me if you already mentioned this, but have you verified if you've got spark?

[courtjesterclown]

Tested and still have no spark. I cleared all the codes, but the cam position sensor code came back on after i installed a new sensor.

[robertpaige]

Check all your main grounds. It will affect spark. Look at the back driver side of the intake manifold, and the L and R strut towers. Make sure they aren't corroded or rusty, if they are take some sandpaper and clean them up.

Also maybe timing jumped a tooth?

[courtjesterclown]

Will jumped timing cause a no spark condition? Im starting to lean towards that, because i replaced the cam position sensor and it still shows up on the CEL codes after i cleared them.

[Legacy777]

I would think even with bad timing you would have spark, but anything's possible. If you haven't verified the timing, I'd do that. Make sure to use the timing mark on the back of the crank gear, not the arrow on the front.

[wvufan8353]

Update, sort of. I borrowed a friends test light, put the clamp on a ground and put the probe on the center pin on the coil connector, it lit and stayed lit during cranking. Then switched the clamp to the positive post on the battery, put the probe on both outside pins of the coil connector, they both lit and stayed lit during cranking. Soo, the ignitor is sending the power to the coil to spark, but i dont have any spark. I really dont understand what is going on. But i have to get the car running soon, landlord is threatening to have it towed.
I dont understand why after installing the new cam sensor, that the code 13 comes back up in diagnostic mode.
I will go through all the grounds i see tomorrow, but putting a voltmeter between the positive post and each ground i see, i still have full battery voltage.

Any more help insight is appreciated.

Also someone mentioned to me that i should unhook the coolant temperature sensor and see if it started, does this make any sense??