1986 Subaru GL won't start..
#1
10-30-07, 12:11 PM
1986 Subaru GL won't start..
I was driving my Subaru (187,000+ miles on it) last Friday and it just died. I tried several times to restart it, but it would go a little ways and then die. My Father and I started to work on it today with no luck. This is what we did find out: Something is draining the battery of electricity, there is electricity going into the coil, but not out of the coil, there is no electricity going to the sparkplugs, there is no electricity going to the fuel pump, and I tried to replace the coil with no luck. Also, when I try to start the car while tapping the accelerator, I smell gasoline; why do I smell gasoline if the fuel pump isn't getting any electricity? I hope I have been descriptive enough; I am an Oldsmobile/GM guru and have no idea what to do with this vehicle. It's driving me insane because I need this car to get back and forth to college! 
I appreciate any help/input you guys may have.
~Casey
I appreciate any help/input you guys may have.
~Casey
#2
10-30-07, 03:19 PM
If you really have no electricity coming out of the coils secondary high voltage, but you are getting 12 volt feed to the coil, then it sounds like a distributor problem.
Smelling gas when it doesn't fire off would be normal. Sounds like you are getting gas okay, and your problem is indeed electrical in the distributor area - if not the coil itself.
Have you removed the distributor cap and just looked at the conditions of things down inside to see if the brass looking terminals are built up with deposits, or if there are cracks? I could suggest you buy a cap cover and rotor, but I don't like that shotgun approach.
You need to be savvy enough to know what to look for, and if you don't, maybe you have some friend or relative who understrands distributors and how they work and how you need "dwell" for the coil to build up that huge charge, so you even know if power is getting to the coils secondary.
Who told you the fuel pump should not be getting electricity if say the coil is not producing electricity?; 2 unrelated things.
Smelling gas when it doesn't fire off would be normal. Sounds like you are getting gas okay, and your problem is indeed electrical in the distributor area - if not the coil itself.
Have you removed the distributor cap and just looked at the conditions of things down inside to see if the brass looking terminals are built up with deposits, or if there are cracks? I could suggest you buy a cap cover and rotor, but I don't like that shotgun approach.
You need to be savvy enough to know what to look for, and if you don't, maybe you have some friend or relative who understrands distributors and how they work and how you need "dwell" for the coil to build up that huge charge, so you even know if power is getting to the coils secondary.
Who told you the fuel pump should not be getting electricity if say the coil is not producing electricity?; 2 unrelated things.
#3
10-31-07, 04:48 AM
Thanks
Originally Posted by ecman51`
If you really have no electricity coming out of the coils secondary high voltage, but you are getting 12 volt feed to the coil, then it sounds like a distributor problem.
Smelling gas when it doesn't fire off would be normal. Sounds like you are getting gas okay, and your problem is indeed electrical in the distributor area - if not the coil itself.
Have you removed the distributor cap and just looked at the conditions of things down inside to see if the brass looking terminals are built up with deposits, or if there are cracks? I could suggest you buy a cap cover and rotor, but I don't like that shotgun approach.
You need to be savvy enough to know what to look for, and if you don't, maybe you have some friend or relative who understrands distributors and how they work and how you need "dwell" for the coil to build up that huge charge, so you even know if power is getting to the coils secondary.
Who told you the fuel pump should not be getting electricity if say the coil is not producing electricity?; 2 unrelated things.
Smelling gas when it doesn't fire off would be normal. Sounds like you are getting gas okay, and your problem is indeed electrical in the distributor area - if not the coil itself.
Have you removed the distributor cap and just looked at the conditions of things down inside to see if the brass looking terminals are built up with deposits, or if there are cracks? I could suggest you buy a cap cover and rotor, but I don't like that shotgun approach.
You need to be savvy enough to know what to look for, and if you don't, maybe you have some friend or relative who understrands distributors and how they work and how you need "dwell" for the coil to build up that huge charge, so you even know if power is getting to the coils secondary.
Who told you the fuel pump should not be getting electricity if say the coil is not producing electricity?; 2 unrelated things.
Thanks so much for the help. I'm on the phone with my father now and he says he checked the distributor and it's fine. He is checking the starter and alternator today. I'm really lost when it comes to these cars and really appreciate your help!
~Casey
