I have a 1994 rs legacy (BD5 engine ?) I took it through a car wash, and it wouldnt start afterwards, I left it for a day and it started fine. A few days later (on a wet day) the car wouldnt start again. It then started a few hours later. the car has been idle for a few days now, and it wont start (and its sunny). when you turn the key all of the electrics light up, but the engine is dead. It has a new battery. Could this be the distributor cap ? and if so how do i find it and what do i do ? Thanks
Cars & Trucks - Subaru - Legacy - 1994 Subaru Legacy Outdoor
Answers & Comments
Well First of all It Probably has the EJ20 engine or some variety there of. The BD5 number is the frame series that your particular model used. That motor made by Subaru doesn't have a conventional distributor on it. Subaru was different in that they used a capacitor coil system instead. what that means is that for each spark plug you have a dedicated electrical coil producing the spark at the exact moment that you need it. this is usually an electronic system that doesn't have the issues of a distributor.
So first I believe that what you are discribing is a short or bad connection on either the sending unit or a faulty coil setup. Translation a bad connection on either end of the coils. Now you need to find the coils and take a look. first pop the hood you may or may not see the coils. Depending on the model you may have a plastic shrod over the engine if you do remove it. to do that there should be a few pull points that releave some rubber bumpers that hold it on it really only for decoration.
for a visual check out
http://media.photobucket.com/image/1994%20subaru%20legacy/ericem/subaru/10122009180.jpg
for a picture.
or www.replacement.subautoparts.com they have great pics of the parts they sell for subaru's.
After that you need to find the coils they should be located pretty much dead center on top of the motor right behind the alternator. front center on your motor. by the way the"front" is the front of the car and the "rear" is towards the passenger compartment. they will have wires the size of pencils coming out of them and going to the left and to the right to each side of your engine and are usually a bright color. blue in the picture.
Once you have done that check to make sure that all connections are tight. AKA that the wires going in or out of the black coils are solid and have no movement. then check the coils that they are solid and don't move on the mounting bracket they are attached too. also look for any damage split wires or cracks on any of it.Do this with the motor OFF and NOT RUNNING! very important.
If everything looks good then you have two things left to check. now you may need a few tools but you need to look beneath the coil set for a connector. Check to see if that is loose or in a location where is can get wet from underneath. It may also be damaged or worn you can fix it up with a little silicone sealant of any kind but only put the silicone on the outside of the connector .
if after all this everything looks good, and seems fine and the problem comes back.get the coils looked at professionally they may have a hair line crack in the housing and may need replacing. but if a coil is suspect the manufactor will always recommend a replacement. But by doing these few checks you may notice a loose wire and fix it right there. best of luck to you.
Check for voltage at the starter with someone holding the key in the crank position. if there is voltage replace the starter. if not youre going to have to find a wiring diagram. now are you talking no crank or no fire?
were you unable to determine whether or not you are able to crank it and it just wont fire or the engine will not crank?
check for voltage at the starter, tap it with a hammer if you have to while having someone hold the key
Nick,
It seems that you opened the hood and washed nice and clean. Somewater may have gone into the ignition coil that is or was preventing it from starting. When the coil's terminals dry up it starts and then some more water drips down on to these terminals. I doubt it is a distributor cap. If it was then the car would not have started at all. it is water playing hide and seek. So use air pressure on the ignition coil and push out all the water traces that may be inside. Just dry it up with air pressure. Incidentally, ignition coil is the cylindrical thing from where a thick wire goes into the distributor. And distributor is from where you have thick wires going to the spark plugs carrying HT current. This has a rotor that sends current to the plugs one by one. Do not remove the wires from the distributor as they have to be in some order and if the order is lost then only a knowledgeable mechanic can set it right.
You can pull the dis. cap and look for moisture there in the cap. You can use a hair drier to dry it out. Check the cap for carbon cracks now, they look like some one has used a pencil and drawn inside, if you find this you need a new cap. Check the wires to the Ing. module inside the cap for rust. You can use WD 40 in an EM. to get her running but will not last long spray inside the cap and on the Ing. Mod. .
If you have a coil pack check the wiring to the module there at the pack - coil packs will have all the spark plug wires coming out of them follow the wires from the plugs to the pack. Here in the coil pack will be the ignition module. Check this wire connection for standing water and spray it with WD 40, spray the coil pack also to ward off short firing of the ignition.
Your coil pack will look like this ( this is small but all i can find) The packard plug can still be wet inside, (the little tail in the picture) unplug this plug and with a can of air like for blowing off your keyboard, dry this plug area or use a hair drier. Next look for your Ignition Control Module it will look like this Also will have a group of wires plugged into it, here again unplug it and dry out the plug and the wire receptacle that plugs into it. Next remove each plug wire one at the time, dry out the receptacle it came out of and using Vaseline coat the conductor and the tip of the spark plug and then reinstall. Last, check for any blown fuses in the fuse block in-case the wash caused one to blow for some reason.
This is a fuel system related problem.
Check the fuel pump which is located in the fuel tank and can be reached by removing the back seat.
See also the fuel filter located in the hood.
Good luck and rate this solution.
why?
Did you try my suggestion?
What is the position now?