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1998 Forester: 1998 impreza 2.2 engine..running fine..neutral..reverse

 
350matt's Avatar
  • Answered by:350matt
  • Engineer - BEng Hons
  • Positive Feedback: 97.6 %
  • Accepted Answers: 200
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in Subaru

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nice clear feed back, and was a great help
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Thanks it was very helpful indeed
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I only disliked it because it was not the resolutiuon and it would have cost me...
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Thanks Matt, I will ground the car and do the line checks etc at the weekend....
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hi just had crank sensor changes and its still cutting and misfiring, saab mech...

Customer Question

1998 Forester with 1998 impreza 2.2 engine;
been running fine for 5 years
now starts ok. engine revs up in neutral/park
go to drive or reverse: engine while not go above 500 rpm (est).
car will not move.
no engine codes.

 

Country: United States
Make: subaru
Model: forester
Year: 1998
Engine: impreza 2.2

Already Tried:
no codes

Submitted: 531 days and 10 hours ago.
Category: Subaru
Value: $24
Status: CLOSED
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Expert:  Walt-mod replied529 days and 20 hours ago.

Hi,

 

I'm a moderator for this topic and I wonder whether you're still waiting for an answer. If you are, please let me know and I will do my best to find a Expert to assist you right away. If not, feel free to let me know and I will cancel this question for you. Thank you!

Customer replied526 days and 15 hours ago.

Thought it might be the fuel pump, but it is okay. 30 psi with key on or when running in park. Goes to 40 psi when disconnecting the vacuum line from the fuel pressure regulator.

Blocking the fuel line to the engine and turning the key on, pressure goes to 55 psi.

 

Starting the car in drive or neutral: pressure goes to 30 psi. RPM's about 800.

Putting the car in gear: RPM's drop down a little, pressing down on the accelerarator: RPM's drop a little more and car will not move. This is an automatic transmission.

Pressing on the accelerator: RPM's drop down to 300 or 400 but does not stall, car does not move.

 

Still no "check engine" light. No "drive train" lights. No codes.

Larry

 

Customer replied526 days and 12 hours ago.

Transmission and differential fluids are fine.

 

Larry

 

 

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Expert:  350matt replied526 days and 11 hours ago.

Hello

This could be an airleak after the airflow meter, any air dragged in here isn't 'seen' by the ECU and so not compensated for and can lean the engine out and can also allow the engine to rev up when not desired causing rough running.
As its a mechanical fault it tends not to turn on the fault light and you can sometimes hear a 'hissing' noise with the engine running.

Check the hose clips for tightness and inspect the trunking for any cracks or splits and also all the vacuum system, the small bore pipes and fittings for cracks and missing parts.

The best way to locate a leak is to have the engine running and warm and then spray lighter gas /propane around each joint in turn. If the engine rev's up you've found your leak.
Work your way through each possible joint one at a time and you should find it. I use a slightly flattened piece of brake pipe and some rubber hose from the can of lighter gas to provide a spraying 'wand' and allow a direct blast of gas into each area, especially those difficult to reach with large implements.

It’s also worth getting the fuel pressure checked as if this is low due to a blocked filter or faulty regulator or even a poorly pump will all result in insufficient fuel being delivered to the engine



Might also be worth checking the wiring and connector to the airflow meter for any signs of corrosion or damage. you can do a quick fault find if you unplug the meter and run the engine without it.
if the engine condition is the same then chances are the meter or the connection to it is faulty

Air leaks are very temperature dependent as gaps can open or close up as things expand with heat, so they can be effected by the weather and engine temperature.

This leads them to be quite intermittent in the case of mild leaks

its also worth cleaning the airflow meter by removing it from the car and spraying the exposed sensor wires inside the tube with a brake or switch cleaner - ensure that the cleaner is one of the old fashioned, non Eco type that does not leave a residue

On no account touch the sensor wires with anything physical as they are extremely fragile

Customer replied526 days and 9 hours ago.

Did you not read my input of monday @1:49 pm?
I believe that I eliminated the fuel pump and the fuel pump regulator.
I will check out your recommendations, but I don't see how they could immobilize the car so that in cannot move.

When putting the car in gear, it tries to move but cannot.
I wlll get back with you after I have followed you recommendations,

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Expert:  350matt replied526 days and 3 hours ago.

Sorry about missing the fuel pump comment, that sounds fine

let me know what you find

Customer replied525 days and 8 hours ago.

Matt,

I have news. First, let me reiterate the symptoms again. I don't think that I have explained them throughly. I start the engine. It starts fine and idles nicely. I depress the throttle and the engine rev up normally. Everything seem fine. I put it in gear (any gear) and the RPM's drop slightly. I depress the throttle, the car lurches slightly, and the RPM's go DOWN. The more I depress the throttle the more the RPM's go DOWN. The car goes nowhere. It feels like the brake is locked up or the transmission is in forward and reverse simultaneously.

I took the day off to work on my boat and clear my mind. On the way home I decided to let the car idle, in neutral, for 15 minutes. Went back to the car after 15 minutes and drove it away. The temperature was 32 degrees.

I brought in home last week when the temperature wad 40 degrees or more and it ran fine at that time. The temperature has been below freezing since then.

I just now went out to the car, which has cooled off, and it will not move.

So it does not like cold weather.

Awaiting your reply.

Larry

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Expert:  350matt replied525 days and 2 hours ago.

Hello

thanks for the extra information, sounds like theres an issue with the transmission and not the engine as you've already checked the fluid level I'd suggest draining it off and replacing with fresh

and make sure you use the correct oil for your car as the fluids are not all the same. Some manufacturers recommended a change of the type of fluid - Speak to the local dealer and parts dept - they will advise you on the updated fluid to use..

If that’s all OK then check all the connections to the transmission on the top or side of the gearbox, remove each connector in turn and spray with contact cleaner. Check that the wiring to the gearbox is in good condition with no chafing or frayed wire

If this is OK then check the selector lever linkage / cable under the car for any broken parts and or missing bolts as if this is coming adrift then it can rub on the car body or just bind up

Customer replied516 days and 12 hours ago.

Matt,

The weather has been cold here and the hood has been froze shut for three days.

However today it got up to 15 degrees and I took the mass air flow sensor off. All the platinum wires were there. I got some CRC mass air flow cleaner. Cleaned it and put it back in.

Now the engine starts but now it won't rev even in park or neutral or in any gear.

The more the gas pedal is depressed the lower the rpm's.

Before it reved up normally in park or neutral

 

A couple of days ago I warmed the engine and was going to take it to the gas station.

It ran okay till I got to the road and stopped for traffic and then the rev's would not come up.

I put it in reverse and it would run as long as I didn't hit the throttle. Idling back to the garage.

Larry

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Expert:  350matt replied516 days and 3 hours ago.

Hello Larry

I'd try disconnecting the mass airflow sensor to see how the car runs without it as I described previously

Customer replied515 days and 15 hours ago.

Matt,

I forgot to tell you, I disconnected the MAS earlier. The CEL came on as well as the AT light was flashing. I had no control of the rev's but they would flucuate between about 200 and 2000 rpm's. When I put it gear with the rpm's above 600 or higher the car would move, but not for long when the rpm's decreased. Checked the code, P0102, mass air flow sensor low output.

I had expected it to go to open loop and drive it off.

 

I just now repeated disconnecting the MAS connector with the same results, except when I reconnected it, the symptoms went back to the original. Rev's in neutral dies to about 200 when in gear. If I rev it up in neutral then put it in gear, it moves for a bit but stops as the rev's go down even with the throttle depressed.

 

Larry

 

 

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Expert:  350matt replied515 days and 12 hours ago.

Hello Larry

I'd start by carefully checking over the wiring to the airflow meter as there may be damage to it especially where it passes over other components and through the bulkhead

If this is OK then I'd consider replacing the meter

Customer replied513 days and 17 hours ago.

Relist: Other.
It's been too long to trouble shoot the condition.
Let somebody else give it a try.

Customer replied512 days and 19 hours ago.

Relist: Other.
We've spend too much time on this. Let's get another mechanic.

Customer replied508 days and 17 hours ago.

Relist: Other.
I havent heard from you for a week.
Symptoms are the same.
I have a scan tool.
Temp is ok
throttle position sensor is ok
Is their any other scan you would like me to monitor?
Larry

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Expert:  al-mod replied508 days and 8 hours ago.

Thank you for your patience, your business is very important to us, we are waiting on another Expert with the right expertise to come online. Feel free to let us know if you would like us to continue searching for an Expert or if you would like us to close your question. Thank you for your understanding!

Customer replied507 days and 18 hours ago.

New info: This morning I found that if I rev the engine in park/neutral then shift into drive/reverse the car will go and responds to the throttle. If I come to a stop, it doesn't want to go until I put in park/neutral, rev the rpm's up then put it in drive/reverse and the car will drive normally unless I stop (like for a stop sign) and it bogs down again..

Then I go to park/neutral rev it up, put in gear and go again.

Sometimes it will move ahead at 1 or 2 MPH, just enough to get in the roadway. Some times it will finally start moving, and sometimes I have to put it park/neutral and rev it up, shift it to drive/reverse to get going again.

The temperature is now above freezing. I'm sure what it will do when the temp goes below freezing.

Larry

 

Customer replied505 days and 14 hours ago.

New info: Drove the car a few miles and the alternator belt and A/C belt came off the pulleys. Found that the crankshaft pulley was very loose. Pulled the bolt off with my fingers. The woodruff key had pulled half way out and the pulley had rotated 180.

Tried to get the woodruff key out but it is welded to the crankshaft.

Shortly before this symptom started I had a local garage change the timing belt, the water pump, and several other things in that area. ($1085)

Evidently they did not secure the crankshaft pulley when they put it back together.

This alone would not lead to the problem I am having, but the timing belt could have slipped a teeth or two.

I have notified the mechanic but he has not yet offered any responsibilty.

I'm going to drive it a few feet into my unheated garage and pull the timing gear cover off and inspect the timing belt, and try to get the woodruff key out. Hopefully the crankshaft can be saved.

I guess this would terminate this inquiry and I should get my money back from Paypal.

Thanks for your concern. This condition is not in the manual.

Larry

 

 

Customer replied484 days and 12 hours ago.

I have fixed the problem, The car is running fine.

I expect my money back.

Larry

 
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