I have an odd issue starting my suby motor sometimes. It only happens occasionally and it seems to be when the car is still cold. The following happens.

I start it.
I drive it about 1.5 kays (with a set of lights on the way)
I turn it off.
I come back about 10-15mins later and it won't fire at all. :duh
After about 5 or 6 goes cranking it over it fires up fine.:o

I thought it was the starter until the other day, I changed over to an 1800 auto starter (kombi). The manual starter did not like turning over a warm engine.

(BTW, The auto starter is a heaps stronger starter motor and is about 40mm longer than the manual 1800 starter)

Any ideas?

auto starter is recommended for subi conversions, as it doesnt have throwout bearing like the msanual ones. manual ones are meant to be supported at the end or they bend and dont engage properly (or something like that, thats what i was told anyway) so even if it isnt the starter, the auto starter should help in the long run.

Pete, did you sort it out?

yeh, it was just a loose ignitor plug I think,

got another issue though,

on start-up when cold, She misfires on one cylinder until I give it a a good rev or drive it under load. Once warmed up it's all alright.

I think it has to do with the fuel vapor line opening up but I can't be sure.

it will be an air leek

how did you set up the fuel vapor line system?

as per factory specs ??

where does the vapor line actually hook into the inlet tract?

before or after the throttle body?

I have mine connected a large vacuum outlet on the inlet manifold plenum after the throttle body, is that right?

I'm not 100% familiar with the suby set-up, but normally the vapor line goes through a solenoid (operated by the ECU) and then into the intake after the throttle body (otherwise it wouldn't get any vacuum).

Sounds more like a dirty spark plug to me. When did they last get changed?

Which Subi engine is it? Does it have seperate coil packs? These have been known to fail and give intermittent backfires.

on the EJ22's you have 3 lines out near your rails. One of these is fuel in from HP Pump, one is fuel line return and the other is your tank breather line.

The HP feed comes from your tank pickup or surge tank
The HP return goes back into the top of your tank.
The Breather line goes to the tank breather.

After that the main two lines, fuel in and return are pretty straight fwd. the breather circuit goe into yout charcoal canister from there on an EJ there is one other line which goed in to e ECU valve Wes is talking about. then into the manifold.

Is this what you mean ?

Also EJ's like to eat plug leads

wes you asked "Sounds more like a dirty spark plug to me. When did they last get changed?"

Answer; just before rego in June, I'd be real surprised if it was that.

brad, could be the third line thing you are talking about. I'll go have another look. where is the actual solenoid?

mmm... had another look.

not sure if it's any clearer.

I have two unused pipes.

the first of them is the third line next to the two fuel lines. it runs down under the manifold across the engine and comes out on the left front side of the motor on the top of the head. it's disconnected on both ends.

the second one joins it where it comes out from under the manifold, it's raelly thin, abotu 4mm in diameter. it goes under the mainifold on the left hand side toward the middle and I can't see where it ends up.

one thing I am pretty sure about, the outlet on the inlet manifold I have been using for the vapour line is the problem. i think it was originally for the brake booster, so i'll disconnect the hose and plug it. that will stop the misfire as it only comes on when the vapour line opens. What i need to figure out now is what line it is exactly that connects to the vapour line solenoid.

man it sounds liek you are all over the shop ... Vapour line will come out down near the front left side of your engine. That is with your pulley being your front. It will be a 6mm line and the return is a 4mm which goes back under your manifold and ends up on the right hand side with your fule in and fuel return lines.

The line you are currenty using for vapour is the vacum brakes and is designed to provide vacum and MUST be a sealed system of your engine will run like shit .

ok, I figured out the brake booster bit. that will get sealed up tomorrow afternoon before I drive it again.

does the return line have to be hooked up to anything or can I leave it free at both ends as it is at the mo?

the line you are talking about is not teh return line it is actually the breather from the tank into the charcoal cannister. Do you have the cannister on your Engine ?

The engine will not care either way as long as the manifold is sealed :>

yeah that's cool, I figured that out, at the mo my charcoal canister sits on the left side of the engine on the fire wall (looking at the back of the car).

now there's the other line, 4mm line, looks like a vacuum line not a fuel line. starts on the left hand head. goes round along with the other lines but then goes under manifold just left of centre and then stops, no connection just open pipe end. what does it do, and what does the vapour solenoid look like?

I can see the solenoid for oil vapour but I can't figure out where the fuel vapour line attaches.

the only other strange pipe is one coming out of the top of the throttle body, that is also is also a 4mm pipe. It's opening the vacuum operated valve I am using for controlling the fuel vapour line at the mo. that and the charcoal canister are off a sigma or something. I didn't get the standard ones with the motor.

mate i will take some photos for you on Friday and post them, that should clear it all up. I have a few half cuts and liberty's at work so they are all still complete.

The small line of what you talk is suppose to goto the valve and then to the charcoal cannister. there is two lines into an EJ Cannister, one with a non return valve in it.

Anyway pics will explain it much better.

cheers

all sorted, phoned the dude who did my loom, a subaru guru, and he clued me up, all fixed now

Ok no probs here is the pic anyway.

thanx brad,

one other thing though, the car is still refusing to start again after stopping if it's been driven only a short distance and has't fully warmed up yet.

seem to be at 60degrees on the temp guage, wont start for about 2 minutes. you turn it over a few times let it sit for abotu 2 minutes and then it fires up.

any ideas?

has it got some sort of vapour issue ?
has it got some sort of air leak in the manifold ?

nope, all sealed up now.

I think it might be electrical but don't have any idea where to start looking.

some one said it might be vapour lock in a fuel line, but the car doesn't do it once it's properly warmed up, so I doubt it is vapour lock.

Hey Pete, does it run a standard ECU all aftermarket?also check the startermotor not shorting out some where.JVLRacing

standard ECU, and the starter turns the engine over just fine, it's just that the engine will not fire.

Pete clean the sensors at the gear wheels make sure that grease,dirt is not trapped any where,sometimes the sensor might not be reading back to the computer.JVLRacing

[Edited on 23-11-2004 by gayanne]

mmm, maybe your right, it just did it again after being properly warmed up.

Hey Pete,how did it go.JVLRacing