1989 Subaru GL 1.8l won't stay lit

Been sitting since April, I have started it a few times over the summer, but yesterday I went to move it to prep it for winter, and it wouldn't start. I opened the hood and checked the usual suspects, but all looked well.

I pumped the gas and it kicked right over. I had to hold the throttle with one foot, and work the brake with the other to get it moving. After a couple minutes of holding it at idle, it started to idle on it's own, albeit a very low stumbling idle.

There was also a smell like something burning, although there was no smoke from anywhere.

I did the usual check for critters in the airbox, etc. Spiders in the TBI, perhaps? (If you have a gas grill, you probably have heard the damage spiders can do...kaBOOM!!!)

I'll put some fresh gas in it today or tomorrow and try again and see if it smoothes out. It had a complete tune up in January; new plugs, wires, cap and rotor (I think. I have so many cars I can't remember which ones have cpas and rotors and which don't...if it has it, they were changed...), air filter, oil, etc. It was running well when I parked it and ran at idle without stumbling about 8 weeks ago or so.

Reply to
Hachiroku +O+A+m+/
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It looks like the only suspect left is the fuel filter. Was it ever changed?

Sam

Reply to
somick

I started it yesterday and it started right up, idled up and then fell back again to a low stumbling idle.

Yeah, looking around I suspected the fuel filter. Last time I looked they were $54, but a quick check says $24. I'll take the old one out and 'see' what it looks like...

Reply to
$)CHachiroku +O+A+m+/

Cheap-Ass repair #327: Clean the fuel filter. $35 was too much for a $350 car :O $4.99 for a can of carb cleaner was just right.

When I took the filter off, gas ran out of it clean for a while, then the mud started coming. I let the mud out, then sprayed it with some carb cleaner. After a while the mud stopped and it started running freely out of the other end of the filter. Slapped it back together and now running much smoother at idle.

For some reason, I keep forgetting about fuel filters and the troubles they can cause!

Reply to
Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B

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