I have a 1996 2.0 sport wagon and am having real problems with it,it is a problem with the engine where when going along the car seems to lose power and start jerking like it has a fuel blockage.
I have replaced the spark plug and leads and also the fuel and air filters still with no joy to solving the problem.
The problem does not happen all of the time and sometimes the car runs fine.
When the problem happens the CHECK ENGINE light comes on,so i decided to take it to the local subaru dealer to have it plugged into the computer,but when they did so no problems showed up,they then told me that without thorough(and costly)investigation they could not tell me what was wrong with it.
what leads me to believe it is not a fuel blockage problem is that when it happens you can smell a little fuel and the exhaust looks like it is running rich.
the only helpful piece of advice i have had so far is somebody told me the coil MAY need replacing but at 230 quid this seems an expensive thing just to TRY next.
Being new to the subaru gang i am not sure what to try next,so if anyone has any advice please share it and make me not regret giving up the golfs i had before and moving on to the chariots from the land of the rising sun
many thanks Mr B White

 

nearly exactly the same probs.....

except have gone through 3 sets of plugs no. 3 totally burnt this morning...
changed leads cleaned every sensor i can think of..

with the plug going this morning though think i might have an injector prob....
poss. sticking open letting too much fuel in...........

anyways might have to put her into my local dealer and take out a second mortgage on the house to pay for the labour charges......

hope you had luck in finding the prob mrbwhite.........
and if anyone does read this and have any ideas gimmie a shout please.......
coz it cost me a fortune to use the WRX for work today...

cheers all........

 

Have you tried http://www.imprezasport.net/ ?

I have the same car as you and I've had similar problems with a intermittent lack of power, no fuel smell tho. My problems are as if the engine is being strandled - changed air filter, plugs/leads, lamda sensor and finally yesterday the MAF.....too early to tell but hopefully it will cure it.

I got a used MAF from a breakers.

I too had 2 subaru mechanics and a diagnostic machine to tell me there's nothing wrong...

Good luck
Adam