problems with 2.0N

[Guest]

I have a 2000 Subaru Impreza 2.0N, it has an intermittent but serious problem which the Subaru service agents do not seem to know how to solve. The car at times begins to slow down rather then accelerate when I press the accelerator gently from cruising. The cruising speed (no cruise control) can be anything from 50 to 90 kmh, car is going ok but when the accelerator is pushed gently to pick the speed up again there is no response from the engine in fact the car begins to slow. This can only be cured by kicking down to a lower gear and getting the revs up, but often as soon as the gearbox changes up again and the revs drop the problem begins again. It can become so bad that the car begins to shudder. It can be particularly bad going up winding hills as the engine almost stops and I need to kick down, but as soon as I need to slow for a corner the car begins to stall again.

The service agents have changed the knock sensor, the oxygen sensor and recently two spark plug coils all to no effect.

Has anyone come across this problem before?

[Guest boostin]

Sure have. 20N's are a Japanese spec vehicle and we can't get any info for them out of Japan. Subaru NZ have tried many times to no avail. They're just too old now.

They're a bit different to other Subbies due to the variable length intake manifold, which causes no end of problems. Unfortunately at the mo all I can say is they're a bit of a lemon. No-one seems to know why they fault like that.

Have you had the cambelt tensioner checked? I have heard of late model 2.0R Legacys having problems with the tensioner bouncing, and the knock sensor picks up the rattle of it against the tensioner mount plate and backs off the ignition timing in a big way.

[Guest]

Bugger I really didn't want to hear that. The car has done 100,000 k's so the cam belt is due for replacement. I have written to Subaru NZ and they said they would speak to the sub service agent. I hope they can fix it and then I will sell it and buy a Legacy.

[Guest]

Well I contacted Subaru NZ about this problem, they contacted the service agent, the car went back in and it's now fixed, so good on Subaru NZ I say.

[Guest boostin]

Interesting. Got any details there??

[ReubenH]

Time for a new car?

I've never heard of the 2.0N myself, what are they?

[Guest keltik]

Mine runs rich as shit when the variable intake thingy adjusts....dont know why. What was the problem with yours?

[Guest boostin]

 ReubenH said:

Time for a new car?

I've never heard of the 2.0N myself, what are they?

Its a JDM 2.0 N/A Impreza, bugeye shape was the first.

[Guest]

 boostin said:

Interesting. Got any details there??

+1

[nztintin]

yeah details please, I have a 20n (going well for now.... touch wood)

and yup jap spec na impreza, gets sti headlights as factory spec!

[Guest keltik]

http://english.auto.vl.ru/catalog/subaru/impreza_wagon/2000_8/27751/

[Guest]

Whe I picked up the car they just handed me the keys and asked me to try it out, so didn't go into too much detail, but I think they said something about there being 2 X O2 sensors and they had only replaced one of them, maybe the wrong one. I will find out sometime but at the moment it looks like they may not be charging me for the last two visits and the work they did, so I am playing it cool.

[Guest boostin]

I know exactly what they're talking about. I've had a couple of 250T Legacys in at work over the past month and both had faulty front O2 sensors messing with the knock sensor and AVCS. The O2 supposedly shares power supplies with the AVCS and earth with the knock.