96 Impreza not starting - Help please

[Not_Sean]

Hey guys so picked up a old 96 Impreza over the weekend as a cheap run around, recently had its service and belts done, also had starter motor replaced. km is 220k km and today started drove to work, lunch time jumped in and drove home no issues, jumped in to go back to work and wouldn't start, getting a new warning light (Pic attached) 

https://ibb.co/dnjy6k

 

Car turns over but doesn't start, Anyone got any ideas as really need to get this up and running for as little as possible :'( 

 

 

[axle117]

Pretty sure that's your catalytic converter overheat light. I had the same light on my old GC8 but it didn't affect its starting. 

[SpeedySub]

That is indeed the cat light.

The only thing I can think of with the car not starting and the light coming on at the same time is that the cat is blocked.

This is only a guess, but could explain why it might not start. Have you tried reading the code? it might have a specific code for the specific issue with the cat

[Not_Sean]

Thanks guys, got home from work and boom started first time, now I'm hell confused. 

 

I cant find the OBDII port on the drivers side. But also think my reader is dead (cheap china ELM327 one) Ganna take it to the shop tomorrow get it looked at. 

[boostin]

It doesn't have an obd2 port, it's too early for that.

[Not_Sean]

7 hours ago, boostin said:

It doesn't have an obd2 port, it's too early for that.

hahaha that makes sense  

 

Started again this morning, anyone got some Ideas of what I can do next time it doesn't ? sorry not super mechanical. the engine turns over just won't fire. if I could at least work through a few options might get me a step closer to figuring it out

[pedro]

Does it not start when its warm ?

[Not_Sean]

1 hour ago, pedro said:

Does it not start when its warm ?

 

did it again today after driving to a client so yeah looks like it only happens when its warm, but here the plot thickens. MAte jumped into the car and while cranking it over started pumping the petrol and after a few pumps it started. drove back to the office and decided to try again and it did it again, Pumped for a little and she starts. 

 

Drove to the shop down the road who did the starter motor for the old owner and he informed me the old keys were shot and he reckons the key barrel is damaged and when turning its not making a connections somewhere, this sounds weird to me as if you pump it it does start up. 

 

anyone ? 

if it helps its the Impreza CS so the FWD 1.5l model. 

[swamp]

On 8/29/2017 at 9:53 AM, Not_Sean said:

 

did it again today after driving to a client so yeah looks like it only happens when its warm, but here the plot thickens. MAte jumped into the car and while cranking it over started pumping the petrol and after a few pumps it started. drove back to the office and decided to try again and it did it again, Pumped for a little and she starts. 

 

Drove to the shop down the road who did the starter motor for the old owner and he informed me the old keys were shot and he reckons the key barrel is damaged and when turning its not making a connections somewhere, this sounds weird to me as if you pump it it does start up. 

 

anyone ? 

if it helps its the Impreza CS so the FWD 1.5l model. 

 

my key is shot too, shouldn't be too expesnive to replace as they don't have chips and all that fancy wizardry. I'd say get the cheapest fixes done first as a way of eliminating the issue.

 

My key takes an extra second or two for the thing to fire up. I'll recommend getting a new key and if that doesn't solve it get a new key barrel  

[THUNDA]

Short keys change the way your car starts? man cars just weren't built as awesome as they did in the 88-92 RS legacy days  barely need a key at all  

[Not_Sean]

On 8/31/2017 at 0:17 PM, swamp said:

 

my key is shot too, shouldn't be too expesnive to replace as they don't have chips and all that fancy wizardry. I'd say get the cheapest fixes done first as a way of eliminating the issue.

 

My key takes an extra second or two for the thing to fire up. I'll recommend getting a new key and if that doesn't solve it get a new key barrel  

 

On 8/31/2017 at 0:29 PM, THUNDA said:

Short keys change the way your car starts? man cars just weren't built as awesome as they did in the 88-92 RS legacy days  barely need a key at all  

 

Its already got new keys, Took it to a second place for their idea, and they highly doubt its the barrel as the engine is turning over perfectly, its not flickering or anything. they think its a sensor that giving the issue,

 

The pumping the gas pedal isn't working every time anymore. Need to figure out how to get the fault codes from the car as its got no OBDII port, Anyone know how to do it ? least that could tell me what sensor is giving the issues. but seems to be fuel not spark or start motor. 

 

Again once its up and running it drives beautifully!  

[Not_Sean]

figured it out, Was the Throttle Positioning Sensor. looks like unplugging stuff till it works sorted it out, will hit the plug with some brake cleaner and see if its there or if its the actual unit on the manifold. 

[Not_Sean]

Slight update on this, and hoping some one might be able to help. 

 

Took the car to Bensons electrical and after a full day they think it's the Coil pack, the fuel is fine. 

 

So does anyone have a coil pack for one of these laying around I can at least grab to test it before buying one as they didn't seem 100% certain. happy to pay postage both ways. 

[slystiguy]

What's your location? I would take it to a proper mechanic who knows subaru. Taking a full day to find a coil fault is beyond a joke. It also would not be related to the warm start issue. I would advise checking the CEL codes. Google/youtube how to, it's very easy, plugging in some cables under the dash and turning the key and recording the number of flashes and referencing that back to the factory manual. Very simple to do yourself and good way to start diagnostics. 

 

At a guess the warm start issue will be one of the coolant temp sensor under the manifold, on the coolant cross over pipe. It is common for those to give weird warm start issues as you have described. TPS will usually come right once calibrated - again google the method as is it is sort of like following the recipe, has to be done right and in a certain order. 

 

Do the CEL thing and post back. 

 

[Not_Sean]

On 10/14/2017 at 2:57 PM, slystiguy said:

Snip

 

Thanks man, 

 

I'm in Gisborne, so bit out the way. It spent a day at a very reputable auto elec, they said fault codes didn't show up anything, they checked fuel pressure and spark and said its very possible its coils. 

 

All I know is sometimes when its giving the issues I unplug the TPS and it'll start with it unplugged than plug it back in and the engine idles beautifully. 

 

Don't know if there is any subaru specialists in Gisborne seems here they only know how to put on huge exhausts and terrible Rattle can paint job :'( .  

[slystiguy]

a coil problem is unlikely to give a no start issue. It normally ime gives like a poor performance type issue, stalling, revs dropping , engine visibly moving wildly in engine bay, no ability to rev, back firing. Those sort of things. I suppose if the coil has completely failed it could cause the car to not start but I can't imagine once it failed it would "come right" again like your have mentioned. Coils are cheap second hand anyway so replacing one should be simple and quick to try. 

 

 

I haven't done much tps stuff as I've never had one die on me but it's possible that's the issue. I would again point you to replacing the coolant sensor on the under intake manifold, not the one for the gauge but the one that sends information to the ecu, it is directly related to hard warm start issues.

 

Sorry don't know anyone in Gisborne, hopefully another member will sing out and point you to a more experienced Subaru mechanic 

[boostin]

Possibly a dodgy crank angle sensor. If the ecu doesn't get a signal from it, it assumes the engine isn't running or cranking so doesn't fire injectors or coils. It also doesn't throw a code unless it fails while running. The ecu looks for crank angle first to determine where the pistons are on the stroke, then cam angle to determine which stroke, then water temp to adjust injection quantity. If there's no crank signal, it doesn't look for the rest.

[Not_Sean]

On 10/21/2017 at 9:35 AM, slystiguy said:

a coil problem is unlikely to give a no start issue. It normally ime gives like a poor performance type issue, stalling, revs dropping , engine visibly moving wildly in engine bay, no ability to rev, back firing. Those sort of things. I suppose if the coil has completely failed it could cause the car to not start but I can't imagine once it failed it would "come right" again like your have mentioned. Coils are cheap second hand anyway so replacing one should be simple and quick to try. 

 

 

I haven't done much tps stuff as I've never had one die on me but it's possible that's the issue. I would again point you to replacing the coolant sensor on the under intake manifold, not the one for the gauge but the one that sends information to the ecu, it is directly related to hard warm start issues.

 

Sorry don't know anyone in Gisborne, hopefully another member will sing out and point you to a more experienced Subaru mechanic 

 

 

Makes sense it not been the coil pack as once its started its running beautifully. and even when its not starting it turns over nice and smooth just doesn't go bang  Did it when my mate had it, I'll get pic's of the two leads we unplugged, tried started, pluged them back in and boom started. maybe that will point us in a better direction ? 

 

On 10/23/2017 at 2:04 AM, boostin said:

Possibly a dodgy crank angle sensor. If the ecu doesn't get a signal from it, it assumes the engine isn't running or cranking so doesn't fire injectors or coils. It also doesn't throw a code unless it fails while running. The ecu looks for crank angle first to determine where the pistons are on the stroke, then cam angle to determine which stroke, then water temp to adjust injection quantity. If there's no crank signal, it doesn't look for the rest.

 

Thanks man, that sounds like it could be that. 

I've lent the car to a mate here who is fairly good with cars and ganna see what he can find if not guess another $60 for a Diag and hopefulyl get some results this time. 

 

 

[slystiguy]

let us know how you get on, sorry can't be more help , need to know someone good locally. 

 

There must be someone up there who's racing subaru's , they are who you wanna talk to haha 

[Not_Sean]

12 hours ago, slystiguy said:

let us know how you get on, sorry can't be more help , need to know someone good locally. 

 

There must be someone up there who's racing subaru's , they are who you wanna talk to haha 

 

I guess I just need to find them, been new to Gisborne and new to NZ just heavily out the loop. But will try to find someone. 

 

Anyone got any pics of their engine they can post up with a big red circle around the crank angle sensor so I know what I'm looking for, Ganna yank it out and give it a clean. 

[slystiguy]

It's under the alternator and bolted to the top of engine

 

[Not_Sean]

11 minutes ago, slystiguy said:

It's under the alternator and bolted to the top of engine

 

awesome thanks so much
looks nice and easy to get to
I'll get it out and cleaned asap, Might even visit a scrapper and grab one for testing