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impreza 2000 engine problem?

Hi all,

Impreza 2000 awd

2.2l man 130000km about 80000milles

When I drove to work this morning, the engine was running really bad, misfire, loss of power, stalling and the check engine went on, flashed for a while and went steady on

I pulled over, drove less than 1 mille like this.

About 2 hours later, went back to the car, started the engine, still runs very bad and fuel comes out of the exhaust pipe.

I went to the dealer: Missfire cylinder 1-2-3-4 wants to change all four injectors + fuel filter + oil + oil filter, strongly suggest to change the plugs and wire (plugs are NGK Iridium 8 month old) estimate is over 1000$ US so far!

The dealership manager suggest that I had bad gas but I do not believe him since I always fill up at the same service station IRVING and that nobody else reports any problems.

I am thinking:

MAYBE the fuel filter might has been damaged and stuff went into the injectors? BTW fuel filter is Subaru original installed by another subaru dealer as part of the normal maintenance.

MAYBE I might have sugar in the gas tank or something like that? Even is I do not leave my car unattented often, I went to a shopping mail, might be that, I will try to get a sample of the gas analysed, if it is that, my car insurance should cover it.

MAYBE I had water in the gaz tank, we had alot of rain and it was pouring yesterday.

MAYBE the Subie dealer is trying pull a fast one, I just moved and I am now located in a remote area, second nearest dealer is a few hours drive from here!

Any comment, suggestions?

This car was fairly problem free so far, not perfect but not too bad, I had the original battery failing after 6 month, covered under warranty. A few lightbulbs burned, refused to start one time last winter and had to be towed.

For me the injector faillure is a major issue after only four years of driving. I am driving fairly conservative and the only hard driving was when I was pulling my 1000lbs trailler

Charles

Reply to
Charlez
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You didn't, by any chance, fill up at the new Arco AM/PM in Davis, Ca did you?

They pumped water/ethanol into a bunch of cars and are now paying for the repairs.

Reply to
Jim Stewart

Unfortunatly no, the gas station is Irving in Canada.

BUT I am starting to think that I might have some humidity in my fuel system and I am thinking about a fuel system purge + oil change before going with the injectors replacement.

Charles Impreza 2000

Reply to
Charlez

By misfire do mean just "missing" (lost power) or "backfiring" (detonation)? I'm hoping (for your sake) it's not, but the last time I had that symptom (with detonation, and lots of noise) was many years ago with an Alfa GTV. It was a busted exhaust valve. Yikes!

With my '98 Legacy I noticed a difference in performance after a 96K Km dealer service (including replacement of timing belt). It wasn't running "quite right". Then I did some bad clutching/accelerator (while distracted and listening). I stalled it a couple of times in quick succession. My engine check light came on, and stayed on (for a while). I was quite concerned! I drove it gently home. Didn't seem to be busted. Later the engine check light went out. I think the ECU got upset because I stalled it 2x and the ECU must have overcompensated? Then took time to recover?

Two other cases (Land Rover, Audi 5000 STD) that kind of rough engine performance was a timing belt that had "jumped a notch". You must have had the timing belt changed a while ago? Shouldn't need it again for a while?

In your case, it sounds serious! Hope it's not too expensive.

Reply to
Juhan Leemet

You have raw fuel coming out of the tail pipe so the fuel injectors are working. You might have a fouled spark plug and/or wire. You might also check the air filter and make sure it is clean. You might also check for a vacuum leak. Another possibility is the timing belt could have jumped a tooth or two in timing. The 2.2 is non-interference engine so this will not cause internal valve/piston damage.

It sounds like the dealer wants to solve your problem by throwing money at it. I would get a second opinion from a local garage.

Reply to
Henry Paul

By all means try to resolve it without dropping $1000 for a bunch of work you might not need. If the problem came on suddenly, I'd suspect bad gas, bad fuel pump, or a bad fuel filter. I don't think all the fuel injectors would fail at the same time.

Reply to
Jim Stewart

I am back from the dealer. I just move in this city and I spoke with some co-workeds and they seem to think that the manager is a crook! I took back the car and will eighter work on it myself of go to an alternate shop.

However, they did put my car on the diagnostic and they did a few things on it...

They say that the machire reports code P301 P302 P303 P304

They said that they tried another ingnition coil w/o change Said that the cylinders were flooded with gaz, I know that I have some gas in the oil pan from the smell

Wire set leaking a spark on #4, possible, original set with more than 4 years on it.

Right now it is running, it is rough, loss of power, hesitating blue smoke coming out from the back, difficult idle, check engine light on after 10s.

It was good enough to drive back home It is probably good enough to go to another garage

In the mean time, I will try to change:

oil and filter because of the contamination plugs, I have a spare set barely used gas filter, in case I have water in the fuel

Air filter is 3 month old Fuel filter is less than a year Plugs are less than a year

I will order the wires for it, in the mean time, I will put silicon spray on it.

I am thinking about removing the injector and have them cleaned

Anyways, I no mechanic but I am so upset with this situation tyhat I will try a few things and I will go get another mecanic to look at it

Charels

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Reply to
Charlez

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