help please my engine died!
 

Hi everyone, my scoob broke down the other day on the way home from work it just lost all power as if it had ran out of petrol. While i was waiting for the aa a subaru mechanic stopped to have a look at it for me and said that it sounded like the cam sensor had failed or possibly the crank sensor. As it was late i got towed home and thought i'd take a punt and buy and fit a cam sensor which has made no difference. Now before i possibly waste more money buying a crank sensor i was just wodering if anyone else has got any ideas what could of gone wrong? When i turn it over it nearly starts and a puff of smoke comes out of the exhaust would this happen if it was a faulty crank sensor? Any help much appreciated :thumb:

I could be a host of possible faults and without reading the fault codes we can't give you definite answer.

How do i read the fault codes on a classic the aa couldnt get the fault reader to work. Its got an apexi ecu could this be why it wouldnt work with his computer?

No fault codes stored on the Power FC. You need to refit the standard ECU.

Bugger. Looks like im going to have to tow it to a garage :(

whats the mods on the car? if its got a front mount intercooler check that a pipe hasnt come off as it will give the same sort of symptoms.

Start checking the basics mate fuel spark and so on

And what is a random garage going to do?

They'll try and plug a code reader in, that won't work, and charge you for the privilege!

Refit the standard ECU if you still have it, if not, try and find someone local that has one you can borrow.

Try and start the car with the OEM fitted, then read the fault codes.

Search on here or google on how to read the fault codes, or buy a Subaru Select Monitor.

I wouldnt take it to any random garage just my local subaru specialist who hopefully will be able to sort it out :thumb: I dont have the original ecu so thats not an option. Have checked over the engine and cant see anything wrong so cam or crank sensor seemed to sound right but dont want to start buying all sorts in the hope i fix the problem

I say again, what mods has it got? It could be a knackered fuel pump, pipe off, all sorts but if you want advice on here then you'll have to give a bit more info.

Sorry mate its still on the top mount and its got a uprated fuel pump, fpr, forge dump valve, blitz induction kit and a apexi power fc. It was running fine until it died. I can smell a faint smell of fuel when i turn it over but theres no leaks or anything

What did the AA guy say?

As said above, check the basics, spark/fuel, anything lose or come off etc. Either that or check for a big hole in the engine and a pool of oil under the car!

Ha ha no hole in the engine or oil under the car everything seems to look ok ive checked all the hoses and connections. The aa man said that it does sound like a cam or crank sensor but i got the impression he wasn't too sure.

Mine threw it's toy's out the pram a while back.

AA attended and as I knew more about the car than the AA guy did he just called for a flat bed to recover it.

My mates done the same thing, pulled up to the lights and it just cut out and refussed to start again, got it recovered back home and the next day went through everything, turned out there was a fuse missing from the fuse box??? As strange and as stupid as tha may sound, we put a fuse back in to the empty slot and it fired in to life with first turn of the key, effin strange that was tho as we were sure there was no fuse in that slot to start with!! May be worth just havung a look tho shag, worked for us as strange as it is!!

If fairness; A GOOD garage, will investigate presense of spark and the injectors being opened and fuel pump running (and of course the cambelt is still in one piece ;) ). Then once confirmed take further steps to isolate the issue. A DTC reader is only an aid, any garage that uses it as the sole point of call is a bad one.

A bad garage will plug in a DTC reader and randomly replace parts based on DTCs until it works again. If no DTCs are stored, they'll scratch their head and probably replace the crank sensor, then if that doesn't work, start replacing other random parts. ;)

So if the Apexi doesn't store codes, then thats not an issue to a good garage - as they'll investigate it the proper way! :thumb:

can you hear the fuel pump prime up when you put the ignition on?

right i checked all the fuses and can hear the fuel pump prime up so i checked one of the plugs and there is no spark is this looking like it is crank sensor?

If fairness; ANY garage should investigate presense of spark and the injectors being opened and fuel pump running (and of course the cambelt is still in one piece. ;)

Doesn't happen though, Al. Too many places rely solely on fault code readers nowadays. :(

Sean, IIRC if either the crank or cam sensor is buggered then it won't fire. Mark at Import Car Parts is keenly priced on OEM parts; http://www.importcarparts.co.uk/part...44&var=47&dc=y; as is Alyn @ AS Performance (0191 410 3770)

Can you not ring your local specialist and ask if they have an OEM ECU that's correct for your car that you can borrow to try before you take it to them? Or try in here: https://www.scoobynet.com/southern-england-22/

Cheers for all the advice but I've booked it in with a specialist now I just havn't got the time or the know-how to sort it myself was hoping it would just be an easy fix like a sensor but that dosn't seem to be the case