86 Subaru GL SW, 1.8

Oh, as an added note, the car will turn on, it just won't turn over.

What does that mean?

Pull a plug wire and check for spark. Easiest way is to plug in a spark plug and lay it on the top of the engine while someone cranks it. Easier to see in low light, but you can also hear it . . . If no spark, check the ignition switch and/or replace the distributor. If the spark's OK, check for proper function of the fuel pump, ie be sure gas is getting to the carb/EFI rails. If not, try applying 12 V direct to the pump, located beneath the chassis, more or less under the r. rear seat. If _that_ gets gas, check the fuel pump control module located behind (or above?) the drivers side kick panel. If spark and fuel are good, pull whichever timing belt cover looks easier to access, and check that the timing belt hasn't broken. Lotsa other things it _could_ be, but the above are the common failure modes. Remember: An internal combustion engine needs three things to run. Air/fuel in approximately the correct ratio, at least some sort of compression, and an ignition source (spark) at more or less the correct time . . .

Yer most welcome. Good luck.

ByeBye! S.

Steve Jernigan KG0MB Laboratory Manager Microelectronics Research University of Colorado (719) 262-3101

My advice:

I own an 88 sub, it's my 2nd so far and I love them. Here's what i can suggest, as an enthusiastic novice myself:

Follow the Line. You say it turns over but will not start - therefore, your starter and all power up to the blast off is fine. What's next then? I would check the plugs, probably won't hurt mechanically or financially to replace them. You can simply take them out, look them over, see if there's any build up and make sure they are locked in tightly. I would definately look into the distributer; could very well be the points there, so I would replace all that simple stuff. If there's still no go, yeah you likely need to look into the timing belt. I believe they recommend 50k miles on that, but if it's that which went then yeah, no go, but you should be able to get that done yourself easily enough.

That's about the extent of my troubleshoot> Hi Caz!

that means you need to clean your battery connectors, ground connection to the frame, +v connection to the starter..

use electrical contact cleaner and a wire brush. remove bolts, clean, then replace bolts.

do lights on dash dim when you try to start it?

verify that the engine will turn, by putting a wrench on the crank pulley, and turn.. if it wont turn, your engine is seized.

Rich

You broke the timing belt that drives the distributor. Crank engine with distributor cap removed to verify. No rotor rotation means it is the belt. After installing the first belt, don't forget to rotate the engine one full revolution before installing the second belt.