Hi, hope you might be able to help with the diagnosis to the following symptoms..

Over the last week I have had problems firing the car up. It takes 3 or 4 more wurs (sp?) on the starter before ingniting. Only one turn of the key though.

Once the car fires up it will not idle at the normal 1500 rpm when cold, dropping down as it sets itself up. It idles at about 600 rpm but has never stalled. I have to rev the car with a quick blip of the throttle to 1500 ish and it will then stay at about 1000 rpm.

The other symptom is after the excessive turning over of the starter and ignition, I am getting a cloud of smoke from the exhaust. Not a massive cloud but I can see it in the rear view mirror. A bit like the clouds you see from ford cvh or mini engines with worn valves etc.

The car runs well and I have no check lights or oil consumption probs.

The car is a Legacy Turbo my94 with 102k on the clocks.
It has an itg panel, full ss turbo back system and Pavlo / Dawes chip/mbc set up @ 15 psi.

Could it be: idle solenoid, batery, cold start system, or worse????

Hope you can help but be gentle!

Ste.W.

 

With the idle issue, and not 100% sure, it may be a faulty temperature sensor.

Cheers,

Wrexy.

[Edited by WREXY - 4/23/2003 2:14:47 PM]

 

Thanks for the reply Wrexy, I'll investigate this further.

Any one else?

Ste.

 

ttt before I go home for me Tea.

Ste.

 

I agree with Wrexy, this sounds like a classic water temp sensor failure.

When it does fail, the ECU defaults to an engine temp of 80degC so no cold start enrichment is added. Starting is difficult and the idle is very rough until it warms up.

 

Thanks Pete, Just to add another dumb question to my previous.

Where is the temp sensor on the engine, how easy is it to change and do you know how much they cost???

(Three in one questions really - sorry!)

As the ginger nonse from Simply Red once sung "Money's too tight to mention --- ahahhhh"

Subaru on a shoe string budget if you catch my drift.

Thanks in advance.

Ste.W.

 

Just like to say thanks for the advice lads.

Ecu water temp probe changed by me fo 26 quid.

A few hours work including some swearing, cuts and grazes.... jobs sorted.

Fired up 1 st time and idled as intended.

Thanks again.

Ste.w.

 

i better do mine then!

 

Paul,

I was going to send you a mail letting you know I've been cured.

A word of warning though.... Dont put your hands underneath the throttle body via the Butterfly / cable area. You get stuck by the wrist! .

I started panicking and had visions of being cut loose by rescue teams and tv's 999 filming it with John Burke (or whatever he's called) voicing over it!

It suddenly dawed on me it was a valve and pulled the thing back freeing my wrist... Soft Tw@ or what??

Most of the pipes round the drivers side of the air intake have to come off to do water temp sensor but someone like you should eat this job for breakfast.

If you want the part code I can post it up tomorra. You may be able to get it from a fators co. cheaper than at the dealer.

How are my bits coming along?? (Quick chaser for ya!)

All the best.

Happy Ste.W.

 

Thanks stu,

finally get round to working on my car this week

paul