Legacy sport starting issues!

[asotwavb]

1992 Subaru Legacy Sport Sedan, 5 speed with an EJ20g run off factory 22T PCM and harness.

My generator went bad this morning causing me to miss my first class of the year, and spend all my book money on a new alternator

Finally got her running this morning in time for work, but i still have an issue with the car. When warmed up,it very often wont re-start. She will crank, and smell fuel, but no turn over. Once operating temperature is reached, if i try to restart she will just crank. Sometime, with feathering the gas i can re-start her.

Does this sound like a cam position sensor? Crank sensor? Coolant temp sensor?

I really, really need this car to be reliable and not leave me stranded when she wants. How can i test each sensor?

Also, occaisionally my starter makes a WICKED loud wine/grinding when trying to start. If i wait a minute, she re-starts Okay.

Any input guys? At this point im ready to just buy a cam sensor and crank sensor and hope it works (i hate throwing parts at cars) Do any other subaru's share the same sensors as the ej20g? Will a 22T cam sensor work in my 20g?

-William

(If anyone had a spare sensor they'd be willing to overnight me for a week to try out, i would hook them up!!)

[legacywagon]

Is it throwing any codes or is the check engine light on?

[asotwavb]

No Codes, no check engine light.

Anybody know how to test the cam sensor with a DVOM?

[asotwavb]

After some more discussing with some local car guys, i really think its the idle air control valve.

About, 30-40% of the time, the car will have a very high idle when driving. (If i am in first and go to shift into second at 3000 RPMS, the engine stays at that RPM and sometimes will slowly, slowly come down to 1500 RPMS. IF i shut the vehicle off, with the semi high idle, (over 1000) It will not restart.

Does anybody have any direction on this? I am going to wait untill she cools down, and i will take a look at the Valve itself, hopefully take it off and clean it if time permits.

I ordered a new coolant temperature sensor for the hell of it, wasn't too pricey.

Also, does anybody know which subarus have the longest spark plug wires (Coil pack) My 1st gen EJ20G doesnt fit the 2.2T wires, or wires of a similar ignition based 98GT.

Thanks for reading

[Legacy777]

I'd suggest doing the coolant temp sensor. It sounds like you've got one ordered. The cam & crank sensors would throw a code, and unless it was a wiring issue, probably wouldn't be temp dependent.

Your high idle may be a result of the bad coolant temp sensor. If the ECU thinks the engine temp is "cold" it will richen the mixture and elevate the idle. A bad coolant temp sensor can cause A LOT of issues since there is a lot of tables that reference engine temp.

[asotwavb]

Replaced water temp sensor, and all it well.

Drives like a bat outta hell!

Thanks for all your help

-William

[Legacy777]

Glad to hear that was the problem.

You're welcome.