Help...car died on freeway

[StelthSvx]

SO im cruizin at 80 on freeway when i start loosing power. It was very gradual not abrupt, able to creep off freeway and park. Waited couple min & tried a restart. Started but sounded like timing was off. shut of tried again and wouldnt start......some background.
92 svx 275K miles
-new maf last year
-2 new O2 sensors 6 months ago
-plugs and all coils replaced 2 years ago
-timing belt and idlers changed ~60k ago
-Car was throwing a code 37(o2sensor) intermit last couple weeks(i dismissed that bc i have 2 new oem o2 sesnors.)

WhaT ive checked so far-
1.feul pump making noise when key to on
2.replaced fuel filter and saw fuel come out(put key on for 2 sec and had fuel line purge into platic bottle)
3. Cracked open DSide Timing cover(stupid plastic bolt conectors) and belt looks good- i will have someone crankit to see if in moves next.....

my probable diagnosis----- crank sensors? coolant temp sensor? Ignitor?

also- can another fauty part/sensor cause a code 37......

thanks in advance for any guidance

[lhopp77]

Originally Posted by StelthSvx

SO im cruizin at 80 on freeway when i start loosing power. It was very gradual not abrupt, able to creep off freeway and park. Waited couple min & tried a restart. Started but sounded like timing was off. shut of tried again and wouldnt start......some background.
92 svx 275K miles
-new maf last year
-2 new O2 sensors 6 months ago
-plugs and all coils replaced 2 years ago
-timing belt and idlers changed ~60k ago
-Car was throwing a code 37(o2sensor) intermit last couple weeks(i dismissed that bc i have 2 new oem o2 sesnors.)

WhaT ive checked so far-
1.feul pump making noise when key to on
2.replaced fuel filter and saw fuel come out(put key on for 2 sec and had fuel line purge into platic bottle)
3. Cracked open DSide Timing cover(stupid plastic bolt conectors) and belt looks good- i will have someone crankit to see if in moves next.....

my probable diagnosis----- crank sensors? coolant temp sensor? Ignitor?

also- can another fauty part/sensor cause a code 37......

thanks in advance for any guidance

That's exactly the way mine acted when the cam position sensor was going out. After it set for a couple hours, it would start again and run for a little. But.....it should show that the code for that. It will frequently show other codes such as the oxygen sensor code along with the real problem code. In my case the oxygen sensor code reset after I replaced the cam position sensor.

Strange things like that will happen also if the timing belt is a few cogs out of time, but generally that only results in the engine running rough and not as you described.

Clear all of your codes and run again to see if you get the same. Of course you will need to start after clear the codes, so this assumes you will get it started.

Hopefully some much better expert on here will also have some ideas.

Lee

[SoCal LS-L]

A similar thing happened to me my last trip to Reno and left me stranded for a week. It turned out to be the timing belt had skipped on the pass. side gear due to a bearing dust seal popping off and running between the belt and gear.... making my timing off a couple notches. I also checked the driver side cover and the belt looked OK, it wasnt until both sides were checked that the problem was discovered. Good luck!

[StelthSvx]

thanks guys I will be popping both timing covers off and rechecking t-belt while trying to start. Also will reset codes and recheck............

[StelthSvx]

i might have to order up some crank sensors and coolant t sensor from Subaru parts (emloyee pricing till july 5)

[lhopp77]

It is pretty obvious that IF it jumped time--something caused it. It happened with the car I gave my dau and the cause was rubber separating on the harmonic balancer (crank pulley) making it wobble and vibrate causing the belt timing belt to slip.

Lee

[Black88GTA]

Subscribing to this thread. Interested to hear what you find.

I recently replaced both O2 sensors with new OEM plug ins, and threw an intermittent code 37 a week later. Obviously I KNOW it's not the O2 sensors, so I'm stumped as to what caused it. Hasn't come back since, but it bothers me.

My car frequently bogs when cold, I'm wondering if it is related. Sometimes the car runs great right after starting, other times the bogging is so bad that you have to push the gas almost to the floor to get it to move at all. When it is acting up (most of the time) constant pressure on the pedal causes the RPMs to drop and the car to slow down...you have to keep pushing the pedal down to keep the RPMs up.

[SoCal LS-L]

Originally Posted by Black88GTA

Subscribing to this thread. Interested to hear what you find.

I recently replaced both O2 sensors with new OEM plug ins, and threw an intermittent code 37 a week later. Obviously I KNOW it's not the O2 sensors, so I'm stumped as to what caused it. Hasn't come back since, but it bothers me.

My car frequently bogs when cold, I'm wondering if it is related. Sometimes the car runs great right after starting, other times the bogging is so bad that you have to push the gas almost to the floor to get it to move at all. When it is acting up (most of the time) constant pressure on the pedal causes the RPMs to drop and the car to slow down...you have to keep pushing the pedal down to keep the RPMs up.

Any smoke out of the exhaust when it does this?? I dont remember if you ever said it but have you tested/replaced your coolant temp sensor?? If it only does it when cold thats the first place id look...also ive heard of faulty knock sensors of doing this, as those can retard timing as well.

[Black88GTA]

Originally Posted by SoCal LS-L

Any smoke out of the exhaust when it does this?? I dont remember if you ever said it but have you tested/replaced your coolant temp sensor?? If it only does it when cold thats the first place id look...also ive heard of faulty knock sensors of doing this, as those can retard timing as well.

No smoke that I've noticed. Although it does smell like it's running a bit rich when cold, but I figured this was normal. Coolant temp sensor was replaced with a new OEM one a couple months ago, didn't help. PCV valve is new. Timing is good. EGR temp sensor has been cleaned. Crank pulley has been replaced with lightweight one piece pulley.

Knock sensors were on the list...haven't done those yet. Spark plugs and valve cover gaskets are going to be done soon. I was also thinking about doing a fuel pressure test...maybe there's a leak in my FPR, or the fuel pump is dying or something...

[SoCal LS-L]

Originally Posted by Black88GTA

No smoke that I've noticed. Although it does smell like it's running a bit rich when cold, but I figured this was normal. Coolant temp sensor was replaced with a new OEM one a couple months ago, didn't help. PCV valve is new. Timing is good. EGR temp sensor has been cleaned. Crank pulley has been replaced with lightweight one piece pulley.

Knock sensors were on the list...haven't done those yet. Spark plugs and valve cover gaskets are going to be done soon. I was also thinking about doing a fuel pressure test...maybe there's a leak in my FPR, or the fuel pump is dying or something...

I wouldnt suspect your fuel pump for this particular symptom since its a mostly while cold problem. I would definitely do your plugs first off to eliminate a slight misfire as the cause... I just did mine a couple days ago and its NOT as bad as some make it seem. It was actually quite painless.... just takes a little finesse, and a small mechanics mirror helps a lot. For me it got rid of my unstable low idle as I found my pass rear plug was oil coved at the coil and had been misfiring, collecting ash.

Your symptom just "feels" like a timing issue.... something is giving the computer a bad signal and retarding the timing too much for a cold engine. I could be wrong, so try the plugs first and see if that helps, then we can go from there.

Most of this applies to the OP as well so we didnt COMPLETELY jack his thread ....

[StelthSvx]

Car started and ran for 10 sec before conking out.. timing belt seems intact......so cam and crank sensors are on order....also im considering a t.e.c.h.y. style engine pull and reseal overhall.......

[SoCal LS-L]

Originally Posted by StelthSvx

Car started and ran for 10 sec before conking out.. timing belt seems intact......so cam and crank sensors are on order....also im considering a t.e.c.h.y. style engine pull and reseal overhall.......

The crank and cam sensors are solid-state and very hard to kill, you can also test those before you blow the cash on them. You have a new MAF from last year you say.... have you checked inside it at the air vane?? I hate to see you buy non-returnable parts when it could be something as simple as a battery connection or ground. Have you also double checked the connection at the MAF? Mine has worked loose before...

[SVX JAZZ]

I just started having a similar problem. I was on the hwy at 70 mph and i lost power. Hit the pedal several times and nothing. Scary... I pulled over and the engine then came back to life. Got back on the hwy and it did it again. Engine died so I tried restarting it and it would not stay cranked. Finally it stayed running and I was able to get it home.

After its warmed up and Im at WOT it starts to cut in and out. Im thinking it may be a MAF. Going to check the codes.

[StelthSvx]

mine did the same a couple years ago. Code was for Maf....changed it and reset, did the trick......i got a new one they are pricey almost 400 u might find one used one ebay

[shelfy]

corwin says: well ain't that a surprise!