Engine Light coming on/off

BoOdOg · Post by **BoOdOg** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 9:24 pm

Ok,

this is kinda odd to me. Yes before I ask I did search for any information but was unable to find any so here goes ..

Ok if my car (91 Legacy non-turbo auto) is sitting for awhile it's fine. No problems. However if I shut it off and turn it back on the check engine light will come on and stay on. If I then let car sit for awhile till it cools down turn car back on the light isn't on. Now their is no different in the way the car runs with light on or off.

Also sometimes first thing in mornings on my way to work on local highway the check engie light will come on around a turn then go out right away once I am finished the turn. I am just curious of what could be the cause. It's more annoying than an issue really but still would like to know the cause. Thanks

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 9:30 pm

Read the trouble codes from your engine computer:

http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/engine.html

Moderators: Can we get a sticky in this forum with this link?

Post by **DLC** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 9:44 pm

Stuck.

Does the car have trouble starting? Sounds like a Coolant Temp Sensor.

mikec · Post by **mikec** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 1:29 am

I had the same pattern (CEL on after starting while warm), and it was the Canister Purge Solenoid (code 35).

sullione · Post by **sullione** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 1:34 am

Same symptoms as yours and mine too was the canister purge valve solenoid.

kyledooley · Post by **kyledooley** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 3:35 pm

Ditto. Cannister purge solenoid.

Pull the codes. It is pretty simple to follow the instructions.

Kyle

georryan · Post by **georryan** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 3:52 am

I wouldn't worry about changing it. It doesn't do much, and it is a 60 dollar part. If you have a turbo it is a pain to change, but not complicated. I have the same problem and am holding off as long as I can. I do have to change it in the next month because I'm worried the light will come on when I got to smog the car.

shagnsubywagn · Post by **shagnsubywagn** » Sat Feb 21, 2004 1:56 am

Same here as these other guys. Code 35. Purge Control Solenoid Valve. Also putting off replacement. Must be a real common problem.

Emily

ciper · Post by **ciper** » Sat Feb 21, 2004 1:57 am

Just replace it with a resistor.

minoru · Post by **minoru** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 4:52 am

OK........I tered appart my entire electrical system underneath the stearing column. No freaking black conectors.

My story...a week ago I bought This great car cold Legacy. Station Wagon Turbo AWD. Theoretically... it has the 2.2 Turbo engine. But...when I took it for safety check...the guys there told me that I am the lucky owner of a Japanese engine wich looks pretty new. Now...I don't really know (I didn't check yeat) what kind of engine I have. But...I know that the car works perfectly if i don't hammer it. As soon as I force it a litle bit...the CEL starts bugging me. Unfortunately it does not act after a pattern but Randomly. So i decided to check the ECU codes. I found the green things, BUT NO BLACK. I am thinking....without knowing exactly what engine I have....probably it's a newer engine...so...the thing doesn;t appy to it. Where can I find a GOOD service book...beside the sucky Heynes. Or does anyone have any ideea? Tomorrow I am gonna let you know exactly what engine I have.
And few questions...what ECU TCU stands for.....what the Canister Purge Solenoid??? What's the Canister?
Another thing...The coolant tank by the engine...the strange shaped black one...not the coolant reservoir...I have it cracked....the tope pipe by the lid...is broken...i glueded it back, but...can that be the problem??

Sorry guys...am new not only in Subaru's...but in Canada too. I know some mechanics but unfortunately I don't know the names in english of all the parts. If you know a site or smth were I can learn all this names, abreviations,...that you use please let me know. Couse I don;t want to bother you with childish questions.
Thanx a lot.

ciper · Post by **ciper** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 4:59 am

You will have it even if its a 2 liter.

ECU is Engine Control Unit (the computer that controls fuel and such)

TCU is transmission control unit (our autos are not fully mechanical)

Look at the block right between the power steering pump and alternator. You will see either ej22 or ej20

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 5:09 am

If it's a fairly new engine with its correct engine management it may be OBD-II. If it is, it'll have green check connectors but require an OBD-II scantool to read codes. If they hooked up an OBD-II port, that is.

Can you locate the ECU? What do its connectors look like (how many connectors, how many pins on each connector)?

Where is the coolant tank mounted? Is it by the rear driver side or by the front passenger side? I don't think any cooling system problems trigger CELs, except maybe if an OBD-II car overheats.

minoru · Post by **minoru** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 5:22 am

I think I located both ECU and TCU. If ECU is on the left side of the left side of the stearing column...and kind of transversal to the car...it has four yellow plugs diferent sizes and it has 2 rows of arround 40 pins. The TCU it's paralel to stearing column and mounted right on it. Am I wright?
By the acceleration pedal...on the side of the central console...it;s a black plug...I thought....maybe I am wrong...that's a diagnose plug. Does that tell you anything?

minoru · Post by **minoru** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 5:30 am

The coolant tank is by the rear driver side as you said. It's just on the right side of the plastic cover of the engine. So when you look at the engine is on its right kind of in it;s back. The dealer asked 120 CAD for that tank...and 60 for the engine plastic cover. Well...they wanted 160 Cad$ for a rebuilt driveshaft...but I got it with 77

Just to let you know how stupid some can be. In the front diferential I found AT oil. Or am I stupid?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 5:32 am

That sounds like the first-generation ECU.

That's a little odd that the coolant tank is in that location; only North American turbos had it there. How did the mechanic guy know it was a Japanese engine?

You found a single black plug near the accelerator pedal?

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 5:46 am

Does the engine have EJ22 stamped into it on the top front of the engine behind the crankshaft pulley? If it does, its a North American turbo.

Steve

minoru · Post by **minoru** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 5:46 am

the macanic said that the heads are diferent.
The car is suposed to have the EJ22T....2.2 turbo engine. (I hope I didn't make any mistake)

The black plug that I found it;s wide...like 20 pins probably.

I have the haynes manual....but on the ECU schematics...they show orange wires for test plugs...starting first 2 or 4 pins...when I checked the car...the wires were yellow with orrange stripes...I am completly lost. I told you...i striped the tape of the wires all the way up and I didn't find the black test one wire to one wire conectors.
Can I see the error codes only with green conectors?

ciper · Post by **ciper** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 6:09 am

Okay, your first mistake is listening to the mechanic without checking.
If you posted pictures we could identify it.
Look for the block stamp.

Oh and "In the front diferential I found AT oil" could be caused by a failing seal! Drain it out and monitor it. Ive heard of three differen times that the front diff would fill up.

One time was personal. It REALLY sucked. We where swaping axles from a car that we planned to drop to the junk yard. We couldnt get the pin out so we decided to take the axle and stub together

SQUIRT a fricken 1 inch diameter tube of fluid started spraying out of the hole!!!! Both of us where soaked in a mix of 150k old tranny and differential fluid

Post by **Legacy777** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 3:19 pm

pic of ecu/tcu

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8 ... cuhide.jpg

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 3:57 pm

Dumb question: Are you sure you were checking front differential dipstick and not the transmission dipstick?

minoru · Post by **minoru** » Wed Feb 25, 2004 12:46 am

I will check the diferential from time to time to see if any AT oil is getting in. At least now I am sure that is only 80W90 in it. (I empty it, so for sure I didn't check the AT instead of diferential)

I checked the engine today...by the alternator, whatever somewhere above the timing...it is stamped EJ22 (without "T", does that mean anything?)And a turbo is for sure couse u can hear it.

I have no ideea what to do next in order to find the black testting connectors.

minoru · Post by **minoru** » Wed Feb 25, 2004 12:51 am

Thx for the pic....I sow them allready and they helped me a bit. But not enough to find the "hidden" conectors:)

Does anybody has a real manual of this car? Service book? So I can see the wire diagram?

Although I already bought one...which sucks, I am willing to buy another one. A good one this time.

Do you think pics of what I see underneath there would help?

ciper · Post by **ciper** » Wed Feb 25, 2004 1:01 am

The Turbo engine is stamped EJ22, we only say EJ22T to help differentiate them. Most likely you got the normal turbo engine. Does the spark plugs come out at a 45 degree angle at the top with spark plug wires attached going to a coil mounted on top of the engine or do the spark plugs come straight out from the middle of the head with seperate coils?

minoru · Post by **minoru** » Wed Feb 25, 2004 1:06 am

Central coil with the sparkplugs at 45 degrees

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Wed Feb 25, 2004 2:34 am

I don't think you have a Japanese engine. I think you have an EJ22T.

If you can't find the black connectors, you can accomplish the same thing as them by jumpering the wire going to the ECU's "read memory connector" pin to ground. Use this to find the wire:

http://www.graphics.cornell.edu/~v/ecupins/

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Engine Light coming on/off

Engine Light coming on/off

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