impreza running rough as guts/backfiring

GTFOZZY · Post by **GTFOZZY** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:35 am

Hi guys just a q about my 00 impreza,has been running rough latley mainly at take off coughs splutters lack power sometimes a bit backfire/missing.Thought it was dirty fuel so changed filter and ran injector cleaner.Has also just had oil, air filter changed new timing belt.Thought could been exhaust but have looked under no hole to be seen there.Next am going to get new sparkys and then test leads.Any other ideas?

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 12:23 pm

Do a search on the GT forester or GT foz by Subarino - he had some issues with his foz last year, there are a couple of threads about what he tried and what ended up being the problem, it could be the same as yours

Welcome to the forum!

Cheers

Bennie

Post by **Alex** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 12:32 pm

first thing to check/replace are the plugs and leads mate.

90% chance your leads are ready for replacement.

alex

GTFOZZY · Post by **GTFOZZY** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 1:04 pm

thanks guys

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 1:35 pm

If none of that fixes it, it could be the fuel pump/filter.
Dads is doing that but worse and without backfiring.
It just starves itself to death.
Something to think about anyway.

Cheers Cam

Bungers · Post by **Bungers** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 1:41 pm

Like alex said leads and sparks for sure

d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 4:59 pm

Might have crap on the Air Flow Meter, give it a squirt with some contact cleaner. Have you plugged the two black plugs under the steering column together to see if there is a check engine code? I'd imagine n/a's have this feature too.

littlewhiteute · Post by **littlewhiteute** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 5:56 pm

GTFOZZY wrote:Hi guys just a q about my 00 impreza,has been running rough latley mainly at take off coughs splutters lack power sometimes a bit backfire/missing.Thought it was dirty fuel so changed filter and ran injector cleaner.Has also just had oil, air filter changed new timing belt.Thought could been exhaust but have looked under no hole to be seen there.Next am going to get new sparkys and then test leads.Any other ideas?

Just had a timing belt? Is the valve timing correct?

I've seen many engines with problems which I've traced to improper timing belt installation.

GTFOZZY · Post by **GTFOZZY** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 6:10 pm

was doing it b 4 timing belt :/

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:16 pm

GTFOZZY, could you give us some more information such as how far the impreza has travelled, who did the service (eg subaru dealer or a local mechanic, don't need to name the mechanic or the dealer), how long this issue has been around for etc.

And I'm sorry, I read your user name and immediately linked the issue to a gt foz

Sorry for any confusion!

Cheers

Bennie

GTFOZZY · Post by **GTFOZZY** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 6:14 am

Hi,well we did everything but the timing belt got that done by a mechanic we dont normally use but ours is 4 hours away and couldnt make it there this time,but it was playing up before that.Car is gx impreza done 320 000 k.Issue started not long after started using Bp fuel(work subsidises some fuel due to i live hour from work)I usually only use caltex/shell never bp as i had problems before but when it's free/Still not using it again :/,so thought was dirty fuel.Changed sparks last night seems to be better on a short run,find out when i go to work i guess.And yes have had many subarus have a 00GT Foz to at the moment,sorry for confusion lol

littlewhiteute · Post by **littlewhiteute** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 6:27 am

I used one tank of BP 98 in my WRX, it didn't like it, went straight back to Caltex Vortex 98.

Bungers · Post by **Bungers** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 2:51 pm

Change the leads too.

In Sydney i only use Vortex 98 in my EVO VII.

NachaLuva · Post by **NachaLuva** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 6:56 pm

d_generate wrote: Have you plugged the two black plugs under the steering column together to see if there is a check engine code? I'd imagine n/a's have this feature too.

???

GTFOZZY wrote:Hi,well we did everything but the timing belt got that done by a mechanic we dont normally use but ours is 4 hours away and couldnt make it there this time,but it was playing up before that.Car is gx impreza done 320 000 k.Issue started not long after started using BP fuel(work subsidises some fuel due to i live hour from work)I usually only use caltex/shell never bp as i had problems before but when it's free/Still not using it again :/,so thought was dirty fuel.Changed sparks last night seems to be better on a short run,find out when i go to work i guess.And yes have had many subarus have a 00GT Foz to at the moment,sorry for confusion lol

You know BP stands for Bad petrol?!

You may have blocked injectors...injector cleaner only cleans mild problems. how is your fuel economy?

GTFOZZY · Post by **GTFOZZY** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 9:12 pm

yes it sure does hehe like i said free fuel but we only put shell v power in usually as we dont have 98 vortex where we live :/ anyways fuel economy is same as normal but will keep in mind once i see what happening with the leads on weekend

GTFOZZY · Post by **GTFOZZY** » Sat Jan 14, 2012 5:20 pm

Okies so up for leads tested and the number three is shit itself.

NachaLuva · Post by **NachaLuva** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 12:20 am

GTFOZZY wrote:Okies so up for leads tested and the number three is shit itself.

Yep that'll do it

When you get new leads make sure they're blue hehehe

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 10:45 pm

GTFOZZY wrote:Okies so up for leads tested and the number three is shit itself.

Let us know if there's any change in it's performance - sorry, I mean what performance difference is apparent

Cheers

Bennie

GTFOZZY · Post by **GTFOZZY** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 7:19 am

yep getting the last set of the blue ones at my local sca apparently they are also discountinued,lets hope she gets back to her old self

Cliff R · Post by **Cliff R** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 7:38 am

This has nothing to do with Subarus but it is relevant to probably most modern computerised cars on the road these days.
I know with my wife's KIA money pit (Carnival) if it runs rough I go straight to the ducting that attaches the air filter to the air flow meter and onto the engine.
I has been the case 100% of the time (happened about 3 or 4 times now) that the ducting on the air flow meter comes loose where it goes onto the air filter box.
Dont know why (design probably, not much for the clamp to grip onto) but it tends to, over time, slide off the air filter box, it may not come off all the way either making it hard to spot and so creating a vaccume leak and, I guess, sending the air flow meter into confustion and the engine runs poorly.
Again, not stricktly a Subaru issue but I seached for hours to find this the first time it happened. It seems to occure about once every couple of years but now I know what it is it is fixed very quickly.