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just new checking everything out

Starter solinoid.

If your hearing a click from the starter, that means the solinoid is engaging. If the solinoid is engaging but the starter is not turning, most likely the contacts inside the solinoid are shot.

A new starter is usually the easiest way to deal with a bad solinoid.

cool..how much does a starter cost? and where can i find one? lol

One thing tho, if it was the starter that was going bad wouldnt it happen more often? or no? just wondering

Not usually. As the contacts get pitted and burnt they take a bit of 'exercising' to work again. The failures get more common as more of the contact gets worn.

Here is a set of worn contacts next to a set of new ones. The 'click' is the round contact moving into contact with the 'tab' looking ones. One tab goes to the battery, the other goes to the motor part of the starter. As you can see, if it's clicking there is very little else to stop the starter from spinning.



For the most part, all EJ Subarus use only two starters. One for automatics and one for manuals. Most parts stores should have them.

Thank you very much PhyrraM, that really explains things and helps me understand..i will try and find a starter, might be a little harder here in Hawaii but ill start the search.

Sorry for all the questions but one more thing, how hard is it to change the starter? can a novice car guy handle it? seems fairly easy to get to.

You can replace just the contacts for very cheap. This thread has some more info.

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?t=23141

Some of the members have bought kits off of ebay with the contacts and plunger.

the starter is very easy to remove
the bolts might be a bit tight if its been on there for a few years
2 bolts 14mm? hold the starter on and disconnect the battery and solenoid wires out it comes
get a contact kit from ebay or a parts store this is the most common fault with subaru starters

While you are at it, check the ground wires. Sometimes a loose ground wire can cause the same symptoms. But I would agree with probably a starter issue.

I checked all the connections and cleaned them all up..some were pretty dirty. After that it seemed to start up right away! a lot better than it previously did so maybe that was the problem but if it happens one more time ill just get a new starter

I'm going out on a limb and say that this is a design flaw. This is more or less a cheap crap design similar to using two pre-1983 pennies and a spring loaded copper washer to activate a 150A connection. Great for science projects. Not so for something that gets repeated use.

A better design would use a keyed solenoid plunger so that it won't rotate around and use silver cadmium contacts. The side contacts would be spring loaded so that both of them make a positive contact. Silver cadmium contacts resists erosion and regenerates clean contact surface with each switching arc.

Commercial grade light switches use silver cadmium points. Residential ones do not. However, you have to realize that car starters carry a ton more current and used more often than light switches.

I'm having the same problem on my 91. I bought the kit on eBay. You might need to cut the rod on the new plunger. It's critical that you make a clean cut, so that the sides do not become snagged in the solenoid. The existing starter is not original, apparently. It says remfd in Mexico. The car has 200,000 miles on it, so I'm not surprised. When I opened it up to rebuild it, the contacts didn't appear that worn.

The length needs to be exact. If it's too long, it will prevent the contacts from closing right. If it's too short, it will prevent the pinion from projecting correctly. That kit I bought on eBay is not ready too use. So, you'll essentially have to cut it a tad on the long side with a cut off wheel, then grind off to the exact length.

You might as well file down the existing contacts so that the surface is nice and even, so you don't have to mess with the above.