The AUSubaru.com.au Forums

hi im new.
But this is doing my head in.
I have got a 97 rx impreza
N whats happening is when i put the foot down it hesitates badly. And as i pick up speed i can feel it being very slugish picking up. Thing is its not a constant thing.

I ran the computer n its coming up with 02 sensor, tps n the flow sensor. Now thing is at this point of time i dont have the money to go replace them all.
But im also curious about the knock sensor playing up.

I can also hear a bit of pinging.

Any help n advice will help.
Oh my car is a 2 l

Thanks

Umm.. welcome

I would say if you're having the check engine light come on and you are get those faults from the ECU then you really don't have much of a choice other than to replace them sorry but your engine will need all these things working so the ECU can supply the right Timing and Fuel.

Can you go to your local wrecking yard and ask to try some secondhand ones? or do you know someone with a similar car that would be willing to let you try them?

thing is the check engine light is not coming on.. I just did a check with the computer n the were the codes that came up.
I just took the 02 sensor out n gave it a clean. Mind u it didnt make a difference.
Yeah i may have to go speak to a wreckers n c if i can do that

Ok.. if the light isn't on now then maybe it's a intermittent problem as it's leaving errors in memory. You may be best to try and clear the codes in memory and then drive for a few days and see which ones reappear. I also remember one of my cars having trouble with the coil tracking to the manifold it didn't show any codes but the engine played up badly. Unbolt the coil and clean and dirt/dust from between the coil and the inlet manifold with some white spirits.

some obscure things can set codes for other fine well working components, it is not always what codes say. After looking at a non sube with a few odd intermittent problems that others have looked at in the past, then traded in, then the dealer has a play, then the new owner gets it just out of the warranty threshold 160,000km. It eventually killed a cat converter or two and still in the process of being fixed. Did not even go looking for codes on this one - old style mechanic (gets confused witrh error codes)

if it was the coil would that mean it could have a hair line crack? I cleaned underneath it on the intake manifold. I will c wat happens when i finish work. With the computer i have reset it a few times. Still the same error codes.
Apparently the knock sensor could be a problem. Any ideas on how to check it?

Throttle position sensor could be a culprit as well. It is currently causing hesitation, flat spots, rough idle and occaisionally stalling my car.

I'm sure the FSM would tell how to test but I find with them if they look like they've melted or got big cracks in them.. it's more than likely time to change.

I've also found in the past that when we get really odd codes it's turned out to be the Ignition Relay weird I know and I talk to my old work mate in Subaru and he said they have replaced heaps of them They have plenty in stock all the time.

Have you done anything recently to the car? like a service or changed the air filter.. etc..

This thread is incomplete without me mentioning petrol filters...

This seems to be a common occurrence at the moment!

Sorry I can't help, I'm going through a few issues that are sort of the same myself... Only my EJ goes ok once warmed up - not full power but it keeps me moving. I'm looking at replacing the sensors but as with you its all about the $$$$ to do this.

Cheers

Bennie

I would check your fuel filter/lines and your throttle sensor.

I had a similar problem not long back and turned out most of my problems were caused by a blockage in the fuel filter....$8 later and I was back in business

someguy wrote:I would check your fuel filter/lines and your throttle sensor.

I had a similar problem not long back and turned out most of my problems were caused by a blockage in the fuel filter....$8 later and I was back in business

Seriously, we need a sticky on filters - eliminate the basics of fuel, air and electricity (applicable to every motor, regardless of turbo, ECU or era) when answering 'my Subaru M*insert model* makes heaps less awesome power than what it used to.

Is simple diagnosis...rule out the $8 fix (as beautifully described above) before going into (expensive) ECU issues, clutch and gearbox failures and the like

/end rant

Sven

Alrite. I have replaced the tps. Its getting tuned this afternoon properly. It has cleared all the error codes that had come up. There is still one left though. Which is the vss. Is it going to cause any problems for me?