Car = Dead

[Colourfyre]

Hi guys,

I was stopped at a round about to give way to other traffic when, without warning, my 1999 Legacy B4 (Non turbo, 2.0l) stopped. The car was in drive at the time and wasn't moving, the engine just simply died... We had to push it away from the round about.

Two things happened just before that, firstly about 5 hours before that the car died going through a puddle. We got towed out and my mechanic friend emptied the water and the car ran fine for a good 200 km after this. The other thing is that the fuel light had been on for quite a while before it died at the round about... we actually thought we had run out of petrol... However when we filled the car up at the gas station (which luckily was just across the road) it made no difference.

The car will turn over but not start, after a while of turning over the check engine light will come on, also the power light flashes. Battery is definitely fine. The one thing I noticed is that when you turn the key to on but not start the fuel pumps dont make that noise like they used to, but there is pressure in the tanks after cranking.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated

Cheers

[Drunkenmonkey]

check ur engine codes all fuses etc

[Guest boostin]

Sounds like a crank or cam angle sensor has died.

[dumbskate]

 Colourfyre said:

5 hours before that the car died going through a puddle. We got towed out and my mechanic friend emptied the water and the car ran fine for a good 200 km after this.

Where did he empty water from and do you have standard intake piping or something chopped/changed before the filter box?

[Joker]

fuel pump?

[Joker]

turn car on - can you hear it prime? (not optimus)

[dubbedup]

I dunno if this is relvent to legacies, but in the wrx's there is fuelpump wiring under the rear seat, several people i know have had to chop out the connector and rewire......maybe worth looking at??

[Colourfyre]

Cheers for all the help guys!

My mate emptied all the water from the intake tube that goes from the filter box into the engine. Its all standard as well.

Thats the thing JoKer, The fuel pumps don't prime like they used to but there is pressure when you release the cap after attempting to start it. Is this on a different pump or something?

Could the fuel filter be blocked because it ran so low on petrol? (Ive never run it that low in the time Ive had it...)

Cheers

[dumbskate]

 Colourfyre said:

Cheers for all the help guys!

My mate emptied all the water from the intake tube that goes from the filter box into the engine. Its all standard as well.

I just hoping that none of that water reached the engine.

[johndoe1003]

he mentioned the vehicle stopped after running through a puddle :-\

[Guest boostin]

But it also wouldn't have done 200 kms afterwards if it had taken a lungful....

[Colourfyre]

Yea the engine stopped when we were about 10m from the end of the puddle (puddle would have been a hundred(I suppose it was more like a small lake ;D)). It wouldn't start when it was in the water, but then after we were towed out it went, after a bit of rough running it was fine as. Should get the OBD report tomorrow so hopefully that will tell.

[Colourfyre]

Ok, weve got it sorted. The engine control module (Under the carpet at the front of the passanger footwell) was full of water...

So I now need a replacement. Does anyone know anyone that has one for sale (BE5 model)?

[Guest boostin]

Stick it in the hot water cupboard overnight. We did that with Miller's old V4 and it survived!!

[Colourfyre]

Hmmm, I think its a bit past that lol, its all rusted and stuff. Seems like about 250 for a new second hand unit...

[subaru-mania]

to me this sounds like because you haven't run the car on empty before there could have been a build up of grim and dirt at the bottom of Ur tank, that has been sucked up into ur fuel system. and this can cause alot of problems. try changing fuel filter and maybe new fuel pump also i would cheek the fuel lines ect ect.

[Carbon]

 

Seems like about 250 for a new second hand unit...

Save money, you could pick up a set of oars for $100.

[Colourfyre]

lol, oars would have been useful (See pics in the post ur legacy pics here thread (page 17))

All done, new engine computer and shes completely fine now!

[Guest boostin]

So when you say it hit a puddle, you really mean that you drove into a small lake!!

[Colourfyre]

hmmmm, well yea. A small Lake.... (with big ruts in it ;D)