Newbie to the SVX needs some help

[Arc Angel]

Hello SVX guru's...I've got a little bit of a problem I can't seem to diagnose. Just picked up a 92 SVX yesterday. Drove it home a total of 4 hours straight on the highway and it ran pretty darn good. This morning, I changed the oil (Castrol 20w50) and added a quart of Lucas Oil Stabalizer...that's about all I did besides topping off the fluids and cleaning the battery connections.
1.) The "problem" is some severe missing at idle and up to about 2500 to 3000 RPM. It's now stumbling really bad, to the point of when in "DRIVE" and going slow, it's actually shaking the car and bucking. After 3000 RPM, it runs fine and strong again. There's 191,258 on the odometer. That's something considering the old owner specified that he DID change out a coil pack (I'm guessing there's more than one under the hood?). It's a really nasty series of misses here, too.
2.) No climate control - AC side, nor any air movement through the vents (defroster and heater ducts do blow air). I tried to do a retrofit conversion to R-134, but, the AC compressor will not engage. I did try to jump across the relay terminals (removed the AC Relay) and still nothing movement wise with the AC compressor's clutch. Wires? Or...dead compressor?! The no movement of air through the dash vents, I've got no clue where to start.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm a new crossover to the SVX from the XT6 crowd. No manuals to work with, so I'm flying totally blind with these glitches. I have wanted one of these SVX's for some time, so my goal is to get this car back to 100%.
Thanks,

Frank Germano
1989 Subaru XT6 EAT (Burgundy)
1989 Subaru XT6 5-Speed, w/Thomas Knight Electric Supercharger (Bright Red)
1987 Subaru Turbo XT EAT (Burgundy)
!992 Subaru SVX LS (Teal)

[Earthworm]

First of all welcome to the site.

Question - why are you using 20W50?

Does the missing get better or worse after the engine warms up? Does it change if you load it up (like a small brake-stand)? Does the check engine light ever come on?

The SVX engine uses a separate coil for each cylinder.

If you set the climate control to VENT you should get air through the vents. If not then the levers are stuck. Look to the right of the gas pedal and you'll see the levers.

Try the climate control diagnostics. Instructions in the SVXipedia on http://svx-iw.com/ (try searching for "climate" without the quotes)

[ensteele]

Frank - Welcome to the site. I hope you can get the car problem fixed so you can enjoy it. Good luck.

[michael]

Hi and welcome to the site I work in Dickson City I'll have to keep an eye out for you!

[Arc Angel]

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone. It's appreciated.
Let's see if I can describe this better...
The missing definately gets worse the hotter the engine gets. It's been around 90 plus degrees and 70 percent humidity, so it's also pretty hot outside temperature wise, as well. The miss is intermittent at idle. It's there, although it's not stalling the engine. Put the shifter in DRIVE, and take off, and it's pretty rough. Unless I can accellerate rapidly and get above 3000 RPM, it down right rough. If I'm stuck sub 3000 RPM (say between 1500 and 2500) it's actually shaking the car and bucking. Like I said, the old owner mentioned he relace A coil pack (I wasn't aware there were six of them). That's the sum of it - any thoughts as to WHAT I can look for or check out?
As for the vent airflow - nothing is blowing out the vents at all.
As for the AC (compressor?) - the clutch is NOT engaging. No blown fuses. No gas in the system at all, either. It was empty. That's why I thought maybe a retrofit/recharge of the R134 would do the trick, but, to my suprise, the compressor will NOT engage. Reading on the pressure gauge, however, on the LOW side (near the compressor, correct?) was in the red - way high when you consider there's no freon or anything in the system...what's wrong here, I have no clue.
That's about the sum of it for now (besides a slightly leaking exhaust system - which for that I'll take to a shop). Fire some suggestions at me and I'll get on it, tomorrow.

Frank Germano

[michael]

Is your check engine light on? Did you get a new drier for the A/C? I don't know too much about A/C but I do know you can't just put 134A in an R12 system. I also know if there is not the proper amount of fluid the compressor will either not go on or will self destruct from too much. The missing could be a bunch of things, try this site for CEL diagnostic if you have a light on http://svx-iw.com/

[94svxred]

Welcome Frank . Sorry i'm not a mechanic,but I hope you can get her fixed .Also to add owning 3 xt coupes How cool is that

[b3lha]

I also don't know much about A/C, but I do know that the gas pressure must be right for the clutch to engage. It's operated by a "trinary switch". If the gas pressure is too low or too high then the clutch will not engage.

[Arc Angel]

And I thought the XT6 prices were high! Just checked on an AC compressor - 503.00...there were three coil packs listed, numbers 1 thru 3...each at 71.00 so, if the problem is the coil packs, do I need six of these little buggers?!
I did have an intermittent "check engine" light coming on. It would pop on, and then go out if I decellerated. The old owner also stuck an inline fuel fitler on the return line (under roughly the driver's side seat area) and that was leaking when I picked up the car. We torqued it down and it hasn't leaked since. This is driving me crazy with nothing to go on as to what the heck is CAUSING this missfire. The AC - well...guess that's going to a shop to get fixed.


Frank

[michael]

I'd run the diagnostic and see if there are any stored codes and get rid of that filter.

[Arc Angel]

Got a good look at those coil packs. Going from driver's side front backwards, number 5 & 6 look suspicious at best (the front - #4 - looks like the one the old owner had replaced with a new one). On the passenger side, number 1 (the front one) looks like someone did a silicone attempted repair to it. 2 & 3 look okay. Now...I'll just replace them. Question - who CARRIES these coil packs (internet mailorder), and, are there specific ones for each cylinder? I'm also calling firing order/cylinder the same as the XT6 from front passenger side back 1, 2, 3, and driver's side back 4, 5, 6...is that the same order on the SVX? Sorry for the seemlingly stupid questions - without a manual in my hands to look at, we engineers can be about as blind as a bat.
I'm guessing that the bad wiring or the coil packs, themselves are what's causing all my problems with missing/surging/stumbling up to 3 grand.

Frank

[oab_au]

Originally Posted by Arc Angel

Got a good look at those coil packs. Going from driver's side front backwards, number 5 & 6 look suspicious at best (the front - #4 - looks like the one the old owner had replaced with a new one). On the passenger side, number 1 (the front one) looks like someone did a silicone attempted repair to it. 2 & 3 look okay. Now...I'll just replace them. Question - who CARRIES these coil packs (internet mailorder), and, are there specific ones for each cylinder? I'm also calling firing order/cylinder the same as the XT6 from front passenger side back 1, 2, 3, and driver's side back 4, 5, 6...is that the same order on the SVX? Sorry for the seemlingly stupid questions - without a manual in my hands to look at, we engineers can be about as blind as a bat.
I'm guessing that the bad wiring or the coil packs, themselves are what's causing all my problems with missing/surging/stumbling up to 3 grand.

Frank

Hi Frank, If the coils are breaking down, they will still do it over 3000, whenever full throttle is applied. I tend to think it is some other fault. Do a code check to see what the ECU has stored.

The cylinder N0. is from the front, right side, 1,3,5. left side 2,4,6.

Harvey.

[Arc Angel]

Harvey,
Thanks for the info. I've got "spark" on all six plugs. Note: I'm an Aerospace Engineer - I'd like to smack whoever had a hand in laying out the service area for getting each of those back plugs out! Anyway...It's still missing severely below 3000 RPM, even at idle, it's stumbling. Can't tell for sure, but, it does look like spark is intermittent when it's happening.
Question - should I just bit the bullet and replace 5 of the 6 coil packs? And...where's the best place to buy these coil packs? I checked with www.subaruparts.com and they are going for $76.16 each. If it's NOT the coil packs or plugs - what's the most likely suspect?
Last question(s) - just had it in for a PA inspection (bought it in Rochester, NY a few day ago and need to bring inspection current)...just got told it needs ALL FOUR STRUTS (blown)! Stopped the inspection, cold, right there. Without waiting to see this shops estimate - where's the best place to buy STRUTS (front and rear) from? Add to this - from the two cats joint back (after) right at that union, I've got an exhaust leak...guesss I need the main pipe backwards with the one cat inbetween...expensive, to say the least.
If someone has some idea of what the heck to check for next with this severe low RPM missing/stumbling, fire away the suggestions. This car is definately a keeper ...I'm just flying blind trying to figure out what's causing it.
Thanks,
Frank Germano

[Arc Angel]

Just thought I'd give this thread an update. Took the car into my favorite mechanic. After going over everything with the codes and what not - compression in most all cylinders is below 90 psi. Rings. Or worse. Anyone have any experience in an engine rebuild with these cars? Love to know what kind of average price someone is going to charge me for this! Thanks again for any replies.

Frank

[Hocrest]

I just had a stupid thought...

Could a mis-alligned timing belt cause stumbling and poor compression?