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Its not legacy related, nut is subaru related

I thought that I would ask here and see if anyone may have some answers regarding my little issue.

Here is the issue, I go to start the engine and it turns over, but no there is no initial combustion. If I leave the motor turning over for about 4-5 seconds combustion occurs but will stall. The only time the motor will start, and stay running is if the accelerator pedal is pushed right to the floor, while turning the motor over, and released as the motor is started.

I have look through my manuals but dont really see any troubleshooting procedures that apply.

Let me know if anyone has any info.

Is it carburated?

Are the plugs wet after cranking and leaving the throttle alone?

Have you checked to see that you have spark?

Have you checked timing and all that jazz?

I had a problem like that with my buddy's GL-10, ea81 I think. It was fuel injected, and the MAF got disconnected while we were working on it. It would turn over, and only fire up for a few seconds if the throttle was fully open. So if your XT is fuel injected, check the MAF.

I would also check the MAF. Swap it for a junkyard one and see what happens.

You're on xt6.net and USMB right?

Thanks for getting back, I will check a few things, and no the car is not carburated, its an '87 1/2 MPFI turbo, first year of the spider intake , which means nothing in this situation of course.

I have been on both xt6.net, and usmb.org, and havent really found anything on either site. I will check to see if the plugs are wet, and I "think" I must be getting spark because the car does start, and stay running after putting the pedal to the floor.

The other thing is, when the car is cold, the revs dont pick-up when started like it should, ie:high idle @ cold start-up. It just wants to stay at about 750+- 100rpm, and it bogs down due to he colder temperatures. Unforunatley as far as the MAF goes, I do not have one. Its kinda hard to find on around here from a wrecker. Will one from a turbo GL-10/Loyale work?, I thought they were different.

hmmm......

Have you checked the air filter? This is usually the first thing I look at when troubleshooting problem cars. It's so easy to check, but is usually overlooked.

Richard wrote:Have you checked the air filter? This is usually the first thing I look at when troubleshooting problem cars. It's so easy to check, but is usually overlooked.

I have checked that, but valid point. That is one of the first things I checked.

could also be the fuel filter. Try turning to 'acc' and leaving it there for a bit, then cranking. I like old school problems, im jealous.

Good. It isn't the air filter. The fuel filter is a good thing to check too. Usually cheap to replace and a good thing to do anyway. Are there any check engine lights or codes? I'm not really familiar with XT's. How are the plugs/wires? If there's any doubt, chuck them. This was the case with a friend's mom's minivan. Her plugs didn't look horrible, but new ones did the trickaroo.

BTW - how many miles are on the XT? Maybe it's just old/tired. An 80 year old can only do so much, even if most of their joints are replaced.

Richard wrote:Good. It isn't the air filter. The fuel filter is a good thing to check too.

I thought about that too, but the fuel filter only 4000km old. Usually cheap to replace and a good thing to do anyway.

Richard wrote: Are there any check engine lights or codes? I'm not really familiar with XT's. How are the plugs/wires? If there's any doubt, chuck them.

The plugs, and wires are new, and they are the proper NGK ones.

Richard wrote:BTW - how many miles are on the XT? Maybe it's just old/tired.

Its only got 140k km's on it, it shouldn't be tired yet.

How long has it done this? Could it be crappy gas?

Richard wrote:How long has it done this? Could it be crappy gas?

Well, here's the thing, it used to only do it when the car was driven on a hot day, and then parked, say to go into a store. When you got back in and turned it over, you might have had to put the pedal to the floor, but not very often, lets say 1 out of 30 attempts at starting. It seemed to get progressively worse until now. You have to put it to the floor regardless of the situation.

Once running, it will idle, but if it is cold, the computer dosen't seem to do anything to raise the revs until it is warm enough, and slowly return to an idle of 750rpm. I think I am leaning towards the MAF, but Iam going to check the IAC first.

Sounds kinda like what my car did when the coolant temp sensor took a crap. Is that thing pre-OBD 1? Like I said, I'm not too familiar with those cars. If there is a way to read engine codes that might point you in the right direction.

Also - dirty injectors?

Oh, and if a motor has had the living horsecrap beaten out of it since day one the motor could easily be tired at that mileage. Or kilometerage.

Richard wrote:Sounds kinda like what my car did when the coolant temp sensor took a crap. Is that thing pre-OBD 1? Like I said, I'm not too familiar with those cars. If there is a way to read engine codes that might point you in the right direction.

No, its not pre-OBD-1, it has an ecu for the MPFI. Yes you can read codes from it. I went through the process of pulling codes from it tonight, and near as I can tell, there are no codes. It did flash a 44, but according to my subaru shop manual, that does not exist. I assumed it to be an all clear, maybe not. I checked the MAF, and the IAC(auxiliary air valve) and the were with-in subaru's specs.

I was going to try the temp sensor next, because my line of thought was this, it thinks its super cold so it adds alot of fuel, and makes the mixture rich, by depressing the throttle all the way, I am getting more air in to get a combustable mixture in there.

Im going to try and clean the injectors tomorrow.

Thanks for all the ideas

Did you check the plugs to see if they're wet?

Maybe you have an injector that's stuck open, and the throttle has to be wide open to keep the engine from flooding...

If that's the case, I hope the engine hasn't been damaged.

subyluvr2212 wrote:Did you check the plugs to see if they're wet?

Maybe you have an injector that's stuck open, and the throttle has to be wide open to keep the engine from flooding...

If that's the case, I hope the engine hasn't been damaged.

Iam going to check that this weekend, its been to cold lately to be outside for to long.