Legacy won't start

[1994legacyrs]

Well as the title suggest, my Subaru Legacy RS 1994 will not start.

Now here is my best explanation

Note that:

-The car has had no problems up until now in this regard

-The second to last start there was some hesitation and it didn't immediately fire up

-It started "wirring" from the rear of the car after the hesitant start, I pulled over and stopped the engine and the when the wirring stopped completely it was then that the car refused to start.

The car is throwing no codes.

As far as the wirring noise is concerned I was almost positive that it was the aerial as the aerial is broken and makes funny noises, but never a constant wirring.

So the old fuel, spark, compression test:

-It was low on fuel, not on E or fuel light but I think the gauge is faulty so it was quite low. I put some more fuel in it and instead of just refusing to start, it would start and run at 1k rpm and then slowly die. If the throttle was touched at ANY point it would immediately die.

-Seeing as it would start and run for a bit and up until this point it was fine I am assuming that the spark and compression is fine.

So all this evidence points to lack of fuel, maybe blocked lines etc so:

-Can anyone tell me the numbers and locations of fuel related problems (i.e. lines) that I can check?

Cheers

Nick

P.S In hindsight maybe the fuel pump is located by the fuel tank (i.e. in the rear) and the wirring was the fuel pump? Can anyone confirm?

http://www.car-stuff.com/subarufuelpump.htm - Maybe this is my problem?

[Guest boostin]

Fuel pump or AFM. The fuel pump is hidden under a hatch behind the right rear seat. See if you can hear the pump whine for a few secs when you flick the key on.

If it does, try unplugging the AFM and starting the engine. If it now runs better, you'll have a dodgy AFM.

[1994legacyrs]

Ok I'll try the AFM.

The whine has gone away completely now and it doesn't start, i.e. when you turn the ignition on or try start it. At one point it was whining with the ignition on and it would start and run fine.

Wouldn't the AFM throw a code?

Anyway, definitely worth a try.

Cheers

[zarnah]

yea my moneys on fucked fuel pump

[Guest boostin]

No, only about 50% of the time you get a code. Definitely sounds like a shot fuel pump though.

[1994legacyrs]

Just out of curiosity, what usually craps out with the pump. Is it just the pump that usually needs replacing or all the wires etc as well - or is there anything else that I should replace to make sure?

Cheers

[Guest]

AFM will not prevent start as it is ignored during intail fier up at air speed too low

Only coolant and crank/cam sensors used to fire up engine

if no pump sound then pump is not going, so check wiring to pump (easy as) if ok replace pump

[Guest boostin]

A lot of people say the car won't start, when it actually will, but stalls almost straight away. Thats the angle I was aiming at with the AFM.

[1994legacyrs]

Took AFM off - no difference.

Had a look at the fuel pump - definitely working as when you turn the ignition on you can hear it running for a few seconds. I took off the fuel line past the filter and it is flowing petrol so its not as if the line is blocked. Put my finger over and there was a bit of pressure but I would have expected more from a twin turbo car. I have nothing to compare it against so I guess the next step is to check the pressure? What pressure should it be?

Its not the fact that it isn't running that annoys me, its the fact that I have no definite ideas as to why.

[Guest boostin]

No fault codes??

[1994legacyrs]

Nope

[Guest boostin]

Does it sound like it has 4 even compressions when cranking??

[1994legacyrs]

Yeah, compression seems fine. Any more ideas?

[1994legacyrs]

Well as i have checked over the engine multiple times, found out that there is no additional pump to pressurize the fuel before its injected (very surprising).

So I am thinking maybe there could be air in the fuel pump causing low pressure? Is this possible?

Either way another CS member has sold me a secondhand pump that works - so I will fit that when it arrives and see what happens.

I am finally getting the whole Subaru experience ;D

[Guest]

sounds like fuel pump but it could also be sparkplugs my old wrx fouled up the plugs and ran shit so reset the ecu and then it wouldnt go at all untill we cleaned the plugs

[1994legacyrs]

Fitted pump and it runs like a dream ;D

And I just got a great offer on it as well - I will be sad to see it go :'(

But I'm getting a non-turbo '95 legacy sedan as part payment as well so its not all bad