I love this car except for an intermitant problem when accelerating.
Vehicle has 90,000 miles on it.
Probably twice a month this car will stutter, stammer, and or die
when
accelerating. If it happens at highway speed RPM drop off fast if
you
keep your foot down. If you feather the throttle it will last for 20
seconds or so and then come back to life. Sometimes will back fire
when attempting to revive. If it happens at town speed it will die
and after several minutes of setting it will start and operate fine
again.
It seems like a vapor lock or starving for fuel. I have changed the
fuel filter and have gone to using straight premium gas "90 octane or
better", had used some alcohol enhanced in the past. Our generic
mechanic can find no computer errors but we have changed the O2
sensor
and he tested the fuel pump for pressure.
Matt Scicchitano "nzwrc1@sunlink.net" has suggested that I change
plug
wires and plugs. I plan to do this but am interested in any other
suggestions or similar experiences.
Thanks to all,
Carl
93 Legacy Touring Wagon
Moderators: Helpinators, Moderators
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Matt Walters
93 Legacy Touring Wagon
Check the boost control solenoid (see if it's sticking), the knock
sensor. If almost sounds like pinging (or knock-sensor perceived pinging)
is causing excessive ignition retard. Mine was doing this for awhile.
-=[Matt]=-
sensor. If almost sounds like pinging (or knock-sensor perceived pinging)
is causing excessive ignition retard. Mine was doing this for awhile.
-=[Matt]=-
-
matt scicchitano
93 Legacy Touring Wagon
Come now Carl, that's not all I suggested 
Airflow meter, knock sensor,
plugs and wires, TPS, coil pack(crack ocassionally), check electrical
connections for looseness( especially the igniter). Just start looking into
things and by process of elimination and help from others, you'll find the
problem soon. Keep us updated.
-Matt
Airflow meter, knock sensor,plugs and wires, TPS, coil pack(crack ocassionally), check electrical
connections for looseness( especially the igniter). Just start looking into
things and by process of elimination and help from others, you'll find the
problem soon. Keep us updated.
-Matt
-
Dave aka DLC/dackampf
93 Legacy Touring Wagon
No codes?
Normally the Knock sensor, Airflow sensor, TPS and O2 sensor will
give error codes. I'm fighting with a problem on my TPS and am going
to a salvage yard to get a used replacement for $65 this afternoon
and a fuel filter as well. New wires from Magnecor are coming,
eventually.
It could even be the Coolant Temp sensor but that'll give a code too.
Normally the Knock sensor, Airflow sensor, TPS and O2 sensor will
give error codes. I'm fighting with a problem on my TPS and am going
to a salvage yard to get a used replacement for $65 this afternoon
and a fuel filter as well. New wires from Magnecor are coming,
eventually.
It could even be the Coolant Temp sensor but that'll give a code too.
-
Josh Colombo
93 Legacy Touring Wagon
I had a problem sorta like this....You'd be driving around and the car would
just die at a low idle or loose all power at higher revs. If I put it in
neutral and revved the engine...I could usually bring it back. The car
finally did sorta what you described. It just died, I couldn't bring it
back, when I started it again...had to rev the piss out it to keep it
running, but as soon as it was in gear..would die. Let it sit for a minute
or so, and started back up. BUT it left a code. I had been having this
problem for over a year. It was the mass air flow sensor. Replaced it and
haven't had any problems, BUT it's $300, so not something you really wanna
just replace for the hell of it. The kicker of the whole thing is that it's
SOOO intermittant..it's hard to trace.
I have a hypothesis on the cause....and I'd love some feedback to see. I'm
wondering if adding the intakes, like the cone filters and such...screws up
the mass air flow sensor...or if it just happened to be a coincidence. I
had been running my intake filter for about 2 years before I started gettin
any problems with the MAF...so I don't know
This might be worth a shot if you run into a dead end with everything else.
Good luck
josh
just die at a low idle or loose all power at higher revs. If I put it in
neutral and revved the engine...I could usually bring it back. The car
finally did sorta what you described. It just died, I couldn't bring it
back, when I started it again...had to rev the piss out it to keep it
running, but as soon as it was in gear..would die. Let it sit for a minute
or so, and started back up. BUT it left a code. I had been having this
problem for over a year. It was the mass air flow sensor. Replaced it and
haven't had any problems, BUT it's $300, so not something you really wanna
just replace for the hell of it. The kicker of the whole thing is that it's
SOOO intermittant..it's hard to trace.
I have a hypothesis on the cause....and I'd love some feedback to see. I'm
wondering if adding the intakes, like the cone filters and such...screws up
the mass air flow sensor...or if it just happened to be a coincidence. I
had been running my intake filter for about 2 years before I started gettin
any problems with the MAF...so I don't know
This might be worth a shot if you run into a dead end with everything else.
Good luck
josh
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John Gillon
93 Legacy Touring Wagon
Your theory is correct Josh,
Sub MAF sensors are extremely fragile. Free-flow intakes are
notorious for breaking the MAF sensor hotwire, due to increased speed
of intake and intake surges.
Problem can be overcome by...
- swapping the metal gause / grill / shield thingy, to a finer pitch
weave, to add more protection to the MAF sensor... without shielding
it so much that it no longer is exposed to the true intake charge.
- clean the MAF sensor hotwire regulary with organic alcohol, to
remove intake deposits from hot-spotting on the wire. ie. the same
reason that toaster elements break... cooking to much fruit loaf,
splatters raisins explosions on the wire to form hot-spots.
John Gillon
Sub MAF sensors are extremely fragile. Free-flow intakes are
notorious for breaking the MAF sensor hotwire, due to increased speed
of intake and intake surges.
Problem can be overcome by...
- swapping the metal gause / grill / shield thingy, to a finer pitch
weave, to add more protection to the MAF sensor... without shielding
it so much that it no longer is exposed to the true intake charge.
- clean the MAF sensor hotwire regulary with organic alcohol, to
remove intake deposits from hot-spotting on the wire. ie. the same
reason that toaster elements break... cooking to much fruit loaf,
splatters raisins explosions on the wire to form hot-spots.
John Gillon
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Michael Ekstrom
93 Legacy Touring Wagon
Hi guys,
just a short comment on the MAF sensor. I´ve had the same problem
with my car as well (1992 Legacy Turbo, EJ20 engine) after running it
on a performance intake filter (JR filter, abt the same as K/N) for 1
1/2 years. The symptoms where the same as described here, and I first
tried to change the air chamber bypass valve (which costed me abt
$100), but then the car left me on the road and I tried by loaning
another MAF from a friend, and voilá... The MAF costs abt $400
here
in Finland, so just as Josh said, you don´t wanna change it before
beeing sure that its broken...
Good Luck !
Michael
just a short comment on the MAF sensor. I´ve had the same problem
with my car as well (1992 Legacy Turbo, EJ20 engine) after running it
on a performance intake filter (JR filter, abt the same as K/N) for 1
1/2 years. The symptoms where the same as described here, and I first
tried to change the air chamber bypass valve (which costed me abt
$100), but then the car left me on the road and I tried by loaning
another MAF from a friend, and voilá... The MAF costs abt $400
here
in Finland, so just as Josh said, you don´t wanna change it before
beeing sure that its broken...
Good Luck !
Michael