Question for the experts - 1990 Legacy (EJ22) won't start

Hi all,

Here's a tricky one. Just hoping for some brainstorming type ideas. I have a 1990 Legacy GX (New Zealand new model, if that matters). The clutch was s lipping and the cam belt was due for replacement, and the engine bay was pr etty mucky, so I decided to pull the engine out, do the clutch and belt, an d clean (pressure wash) the engine bay. None of that was a big problem, I'v e done a lot of clutches and cam belts with no problems, though it has been a long time since I last did that. On reassembling and re-fitting the engi ne, it won't start. I've checked everything I can think of, multiple times, and I've run out of ideas.

Behaviour - engine turns over OK, and occasionally pops, fires, kicks back etc. Never really gets close to running.

Things I've checked:

- Cam belt seems OK. This is the SOHC engine, not too hard to verify. The c rank and cam position indicators seem OK, and the new cam belt's marks also look OK, so I don't think I got it wrong initially or that it's slipped. T he belt was marked EJ18 when it arrived, but I expect that's fine (I know t he EJ20 and EJ22 SOHC belts are the same).

- It has spark (checked with the plugs out of the engine)

- It has fuel (externally at least - has flow out of the return, though I c an't easily check the regulated pressure)

- If I give it a bit of engine start while it's turning over, it makes no d ifference, suggesting either that there's something pretty fatal wrong with it, or it's too rich/flooded.

- If I put my hand over the throttle body intake while cranking it, there's very little (almost no) vacuum. I wouldn't have thought that was normal, b ut I've never tried that before on one of these.

- Compression sounds fairly even.

So - any ideas?

Reply to
mikvanb
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The Subaru that I had, you'd first get all your marks and pistons in place. You install the first belt. Then you turn the crankshaft 360 degrees. This turns the cam 180 from where it was. Then you install the second belt. My engine was from an 84 wagon. Your belt procedure may be different but you should first verify that it is. This is a lousy trick that Subaru did to people inclined to change their belts.

Reply to
dsi1

Fortunately, the EJ series used a single belt for both banks. Far simpler! The EA82s (and I think that 6 cyl variant) were a pain.

Reply to
mikvanb

Yes, that would make it simpler. Hee hee. Could the crankshaft be 360 degrees off?

Reply to
dsi1

I know what you mean - it's pretty easy to get them all right though, there are only three marks (one on each cam, and one on the crank) to line up. I 've checked those many times now. I do know some EJ engines had a second ma rk on the crank, so I should check that, but I'm pretty sure this has only one.

Reply to
mikvanb

Do a cranking compression test. If it is even and low, the valve timing is off. (if it is even on one bank, but different than the other bank, the low compression side has a timing problem. If the compression is high and even, check ignition timing.

Reply to
clare

e a 1990 Legacy GX (New Zealand new model, if that matters). The clutch was slipping and the cam belt was due for replacement, and the engine bay was pretty mucky, so I decided to pull the engine out, do the clutch and belt, and clean (pressure wash) the engine bay. None of that was a big problem, I 've done a lot of clutches and cam belts with no problems, though it has be en a long time since I last did that. On reassembling and re-fitting the en gine, it won't start. I've checked everything I can think of, multiple time s, and I've run out of ideas.

k etc. Never really gets close to running.

crank and cam position indicators seem OK, and the new cam belt's marks al so look OK, so I don't think I got it wrong initially or that it's slipped. The belt was marked EJ18 when it arrived, but I expect that's fine (I know the EJ20 and EJ22 SOHC belts are the same).

can't easily check the regulated pressure)

difference, suggesting either that there's something pretty fatal wrong wi th it, or it's too rich/flooded.

's very little (almost no) vacuum. I wouldn't have thought that was normal, but I've never tried that before on one of these.

I know when I did the belt on my 2004 2.5 liter, there were multiple marks on the harmonic balancer. I thought one of them was the correct one(I think it was a dot, but don't recall exactly.) It was not the right one. Fortuna tely I tried turning the engine over by hand since it's an interference eng ine. That stumped me for a while until I found a youtube video that showed exactly the mark I was looking for. Once I changed it, it was fine. It soun ds to me like your marks are off. a compression test would tell you, but I' d suggest looking for more possible marks, and if that's an interference en gine, try it by hand first.

Good luck, Bill

Reply to
weelliott

Yep, reasonable. I couldn't do that originally as my compression tester wouldn't reach the plug seats. I bought a new one yesterday, just have to make time to try it.

Reply to
mikvanb

ave a 1990 Legacy GX (New Zealand new model, if that matters). The clutch w as slipping and the cam belt was due for replacement, and the engine bay wa s pretty mucky, so I decided to pull the engine out, do the clutch and belt , and clean (pressure wash) the engine bay. None of that was a big problem, I've done a lot of clutches and cam belts with no problems, though it has been a long time since I last did that. On reassembling and re-fitting the engine, it won't start. I've checked everything I can think of, multiple ti mes, and I've run out of ideas.

ack etc. Never really gets close to running.

he crank and cam position indicators seem OK, and the new cam belt's marks also look OK, so I don't think I got it wrong initially or that it's slippe d. The belt was marked EJ18 when it arrived, but I expect that's fine (I kn ow the EJ20 and EJ22 SOHC belts are the same).

I can't easily check the regulated pressure)

no difference, suggesting either that there's something pretty fatal wrong with it, or it's too rich/flooded.

re's very little (almost no) vacuum. I wouldn't have thought that was norma l, but I've never tried that before on one of these.

s on the harmonic balancer. I thought one of them was the correct one(I thi nk it was a dot, but don't recall exactly.) It was not the right one. Fortu nately I tried turning the engine over by hand since it's an interference e ngine. That stumped me for a while until I found a youtube video that showe d exactly the mark I was looking for. Once I changed it, it was fine. It so unds to me like your marks are off. a compression test would tell you, but I'd suggest looking for more possible marks, and if that's an interference engine, try it by hand first.

You never use the arrow/triangle on the front of the crank pulley - you mus t use the line/dash on the tab at the back of the pulley - the arrow will b e at approx the 3 O'clock position. And those tabs must be intact. They are used by the crank position sensor.

Reply to
1 Lucky Texan

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