My car is dying... - Subaru Enthusiasts Car Club of the Sierras

JC · 2006-02-04, 05:22 PM

So yesterday my car decided to start quitting on me. When it's cold and you try to give it a little gas (and I mean a little), it just shuts off. It seems like whenever it trys to spool maybe. The car doesn't sputter or anything, it just turns off. The first time it happend it took me a few minutes to get the car started again. Since then it tried to die twice, but I took my foot off the gas and the car just lost all power (engine not elec.) but didn't turn off. Then it died on me again a few minutes ago, but started right up. Anyone know what's going on?

sp00ln · 2006-02-04, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

So yesterday my car decided to start quitting on me. When it's cold and you try to give it a little gas (and I mean a little), it just shuts off. It seems like whenever it trys to spool maybe. The car doesn't sputter or anything, it just turns off. The first time it happend it took me a few minutes to get the car started again. Since then it tried to die twice, but I took my foot off the gas and the car just lost all power (engine not elec.) but didn't turn off. Then it died on me again a few minutes ago, but started right up. Anyone know what's going on?

Is it throwing a CEL?

Check your batter cables, connections, IC hoses, injectors, etc.

AtomicLabMonkey · 2006-02-04, 07:36 PM

First thing I would probably check with any throttle related problem is the throttle position sensor. Put a meter on it and check the output as you move the butterfly.

JC · 2006-02-04, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sp00ln

Is it throwing a CEL?

Ya but it was on before from something else. No IC hoses to check, all the hoses seem tight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtomicLabMonkey

First thing I would probably check with any throttle related problem is the throttle position sensor. Put a meter on it and check the output as you move the butterfly.

When you say meter, you mean mulitmeter I take it?

sp00ln · 2006-02-04, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

Ya but it was on before from something else. No IC hoses to check, all the hoses seem tight.

Do you know what the cel is throwing? I'd get it checked again because new problems can arise while the cel is on ya know... It sounds like a fuel problem to me...

Joeyy · 2006-02-04, 11:23 PM

I'm not a mechanic but it has been really cold in Truckee. Guess it's cold in Reno also. If you don't have much gas in your tank, I'm thinking it could be a fuel problem with frozen lines or just plain old water in the lines. If you let your tank get much below 1/2 up here and your baby is outside over night, you can get condensation and freeze a fuel line. Anyway, I hope your problem is as simple as that and not terminal.

AtomicLabMonkey · 2006-02-05, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

When you say meter, you mean mulitmeter I take it?

Yup - look up the specified voltage output range in the car's shop manual, put a multimeter on it, and move the throttle through its range of motion. I'd particularly look for any dead spots or spots where it spikes out of the spec'd range.

sperry · 2006-02-05, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeyy

I'm not a mechanic but it has been really cold in Truckee. Guess it's cold in Reno also. If you don't have much gas in your tank, I'm thinking it could be a fuel problem with frozen lines or just plain old water in the lines. If you let your tank get much below 1/2 up here and your baby is outside over night, you can get condensation and freeze a fuel line. Anyway, I hope your problem is as simple as that and not terminal.

Do the temperatures in Truckee also indicate how cold it is in Atlanta? 'Cause that's where JC and his legacy are.

JC, I'd agree with Austin that is sounds like a TPS issue, since it's so sensitive to touching the gas pedal. If the TPS is out of spec, the car could be thinking you're stomping the gas when you just tap it, and it's dumping too much fuel. However, when the car's cold, it has to run rediculously rich just to stay stoich... so I don't know why extra fuel would kill the motor like that.

AtomicLabMonkey · 2006-02-05, 10:45 AM

Another thought is the mass airflow meter. A MAF car can go haywire if it doesn't get a valid signal from the meter. If the TPS checks out I would move on to that, in addition to checking all the routine EFI cables & connectors like spooln mentioned earlier.

sp00ln · 2006-02-05, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sperry

so I don't know why extra fuel would kill the motor like that.

While tuning my car from a rich state (650cc Injectors in a stock 450cc car) it does exactly what JC is saying. When you press the gas it just DIES.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtomicLabMonkey

Another thought is the mass airflow meter. A MAF car can go haywire if it doesn't get a valid signal from the meter. If the TPS checks out I would move on to that, in addition to checking all the routine EFI cables & connectors like spooln mentioned earlier.

I doubt its the mas. I've had a problem with my stock mas, and you'll get rough idle conditions and while driving, at WOT, you'll have the same effects as JC is describing.

JC, what year is your car? If its an OBDII, or even a OBD I, and you know anyone with a datalogger in your area, have them check it out. You can read the TPS from that and it'll tell you if it's good or not.

JC · 2006-02-05, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sp00ln

Do you know what the cel is throwing? I'd get it checked again because new problems can arise while the cel is on ya know... It sounds like a fuel problem to me...

I fixed the other problem and no more CEL. It was throwing an inhibitor switch/neutral switch light. It's OBD I.

I'll grab a multimeter and check out the TPS when I get a chance. Also just be more descriptive when it switches from a cold idle to regular it surges. It will go from ~900rpm to about ~1500rpms+ and stay there for maybe 30sec and drop back down.

Joeyy · 2006-02-05, 12:45 PM

It's going to snow in Atlanta tomarrow.

AtomicLabMonkey · 2006-02-05, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sp00ln

I doubt its the mas. I've had a problem with my stock mas, and you'll get rough idle conditions and while driving, at WOT, you'll have the same effects as JC is describing.

It depends on the car. Our old mazda started dying when it had trouble with the MAF meter. It would just cut off, near instantly.

sp00ln · 2006-02-05, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtomicLabMonkey

It depends on the car. Our old mazda started dying when it had trouble with the MAF meter. It would just cut off, near instantly.

Really? What the MAS look like on the older subarus?

JC · 2006-02-06, 07:41 PM

Well my CEL had been on because a dumbshit mechanic had left the car in test mode. Eventually I found the right connectors (one was on the wrong side of the steering column?) and fixed it. Anyway, according to one of the guys on legacy forum the car sometimes cuts fuel when trying to boost in test mode. I have no idea why or if it's true but the car hasn't stalled since.

sperry · 2006-02-06, 07:55 PM

Shopowned.

ScottyS · 2006-02-07, 10:47 AM

Good to hear the Touring Wagon is A-OK. I hate teh shop.

MPREZIV · 2006-02-07, 12:54 PM

We hate you too Scotty.

JK Sometimes, you see so many cars in a day, little shit gets overlooked. Can't help it. Pobody's Nerfect.

ScottyS · 2006-02-07, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPREZIV

We hate you too Scotty.

JK Sometimes, you see so many cars in a day, little shit gets overlooked. Can't help it. Pobody's Nerfect.

Haha, I thought about adding "except Cory", but I figured you knew the type of weasels I meant. You know, the ones that put ATF in a 5MT and nonsuch.

JC · 2006-02-07, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPREZIV

JK Sometimes, you see so many cars in a day, little shit gets overlooked. Can't help it. Pobody's Nerfect.

My post from the Legacy forum, overlooked indeed...

Quote:

So I took my car to a mechanic to get an errant idle looked at, the car had no CELs at the time. They can't find anything wrong and give me the car back. I leave and after driving for a minute the CEL starts flashing. I take the car back and the mechanic says he forgot to reconnect some plugs when he scanned the computer. So he goes under the dash and tells me it's fixed. I drive away and the CEL is gone, sweet except now the seatbelt light is stuck on. So I take it back again and he goes back under the dash. Now the seatbelt light goes off, so I leave. Now the CEL comes back on. Rolling Eyes I don't trust the moron to touch my car again, anyone know what he did? I can't find anything obvious when I'm under the dash.

sp00ln · 2006-02-07, 09:21 PM

Good to hear!

MPREZIV · 2006-02-08, 07:40 AM

Okay, well maybe that guy was just a moron. . . seems like.

I forget shit sometimes as well, but it seems like this dude just disconnected a bunch of crap and didn't know what the hell he was doing!

You are correct in being pissed. Continue.

2006-02-04, 05:22 PM	#1
JC Ask me about dubs! Real Name: JC Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 2,895 Car: 2013 Triumph Speed Triple R	My car is dying... So yesterday my car decided to start quitting on me. When it's cold and you try to give it a little gas (and I mean a little), it just shuts off. It seems like whenever it trys to spool maybe. The car doesn't sputter or anything, it just turns off. The first time it happend it took me a few minutes to get the car started again. Since then it tried to die twice, but I took my foot off the gas and the car just lost all power (engine not elec.) but didn't turn off. Then it died on me again a few minutes ago, but started right up. Anyone know what's going on? __________________ Actually, I am a rocket scientist.

2006-02-04, 07:36 PM	#3
AtomicLabMonkey Nightwalker Real Name: Austin Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Oshkosh, WI Posts: 4,063 Car: '13 WRX YGBSM	First thing I would probably check with any throttle related problem is the throttle position sensor. Put a meter on it and check the output as you move the butterfly. __________________ "None of you seem to understand. I'm not locked in here with you.. you're locked in here with me."

2006-02-05, 10:45 AM	#9
AtomicLabMonkey Nightwalker Real Name: Austin Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Oshkosh, WI Posts: 4,063 Car: '13 WRX YGBSM	Another thought is the mass airflow meter. A MAF car can go haywire if it doesn't get a valid signal from the meter. If the TPS checks out I would move on to that, in addition to checking all the routine EFI cables & connectors like spooln mentioned earlier. __________________ "None of you seem to understand. I'm not locked in here with you.. you're locked in here with me."

2006-02-06, 07:41 PM	#15
JC Ask me about dubs! Real Name: JC Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 2,895 Car: 2013 Triumph Speed Triple R	Well my CEL had been on because a dumbshit mechanic had left the car in test mode. Eventually I found the right connectors (one was on the wrong side of the steering column?) and fixed it. Anyway, according to one of the guys on legacy forum the car sometimes cuts fuel when trying to boost in test mode. I have no idea why or if it's true but the car hasn't stalled since. __________________ Actually, I am a rocket scientist.

2006-02-06, 07:55 PM	#16
sperry The Doink Real Name: Scott Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 20,335 Car: '09 OBXT, '02 WRX, '96 Miata Class: PDX/TT-6 The way out is through	Shopowned. __________________ Is you is, or is you ain't, my con-stit-u-ints?

2006-02-04, 11:23 PM	#6
Joeyy i can has kart? Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: CA Posts: 1,228	I'm not a mechanic but it has been really cold in Truckee. Guess it's cold in Reno also. If you don't have much gas in your tank, I'm thinking it could be a fuel problem with frozen lines or just plain old water in the lines. If you let your tank get much below 1/2 up here and your baby is outside over night, you can get condensation and freeze a fuel line. Anyway, I hope your problem is as simple as that and not terminal.

2006-02-05, 12:45 PM	#12
Joeyy i can has kart? Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: CA Posts: 1,228	It's going to snow in Atlanta tomarrow.

2006-02-07, 10:47 AM	#17
ScottyS EJ205 Real Name: It is real! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: RNO Posts: 2,367 Car: 1998 Impreza Wagon, 1991 Legacy Turbo Sedan, 2003 Nissan Xterra Class: tvFree Yes, I'll fix it for you. Again.	Good to hear the Touring Wagon is A-OK. I hate teh shop. __________________ "Trend Number One is that people aren't getting any smarter." Dogbert

2006-02-07, 12:54 PM	#18
MPREZIV Token Real Name: Le Stig Afrique? Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: sitting next to a big yellow box Posts: 3,589 Car: 2001 Impreza 2.5 RS Class: 05 TDSP No, I won't work on your car. F your car*	We hate you too Scotty. JK Sometimes, you see so many cars in a day, little shit gets overlooked. Can't help it. Pobody's Nerfect. __________________ "...these condoms have a topical anesthetic to reduce sensitivity, so you can last longer. What a paradox. You can't feel a thing, but you can f*ck for HOURS..."

2006-02-07, 09:21 PM	#21
sp00ln EJ205 Join Date: May 2003 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 1,196	Good to hear! __________________ Turbo is a decent with modification.

2006-02-08, 07:40 AM	#22
MPREZIV Token Real Name: Le Stig Afrique? Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: sitting next to a big yellow box Posts: 3,589 Car: 2001 Impreza 2.5 RS Class: 05 TDSP No, I won't work on your car. F your car*	Okay, well maybe that guy was just a moron. . . seems like. I forget shit sometimes as well, but it seems like this dude just disconnected a bunch of crap and didn't know what the hell he was doing! You are correct in being pissed. Continue. __________________ "...these condoms have a topical anesthetic to reduce sensitivity, so you can last longer. What a paradox. You can't feel a thing, but you can f*ck for HOURS..."

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