Hey All Subaru Gurus!! I am a new B4 owner!

sca1989

sca1989

Sunday Drivers
Hey!

My name is Peter! Just bought a B4 2000 legacy! Always wanted a Subaru ever since getting a spin from my friends dad in a turbo 2.0 impreza. We were always excited to hear it arriving a little bit out. Sooooooooo,

I need some help getting her running right!

My friend / personal mechanic :smileys-phone-50406 has been helping me get the car going. (also wants it out of his garage) I bought it off his dad haha! Yes the cool subaru dad!

The car is bucking under heavy acceleration! We have run the standard diagnostic test under the dash and it came back with #12 which is a starter problem but the starter is fine. Starts every time no engine light. So he wrote out a list of things we have tried to get the engine going. We fitted a new lambda sensor to it tonight but the bucking has remained all though it seems to be trying harder to get the power down. He thinks it could be a vacum leak now. Below i will paste his info if anyone has an interest in reading it :D


Car hesitating under acceleration after sitting up for a few years and only started every few weeks but not driven much. No issues when parked up that were known. Spark plugs changed and car smoothed out for the most part but hesitation still there. Found a split/leak on joining exhaust pipe running around the front of the engine and welded this up. Boost pressure noticeably higher and distinct hiss from blow off valve - more pronounced than ever before. Car now feels faster - hitting higher boost as leak is no more but once full power comes on it bucks violently as if its cutting fuel or spark. Thought it might be a fuel delivery issue so checked filter and it was filthy. Genuine subaru replacement fitted - issue still there. It's like once the car starts looks for a large amount of full ie under full load and trying to gain speed or coming up to full boost - it can't get enough of something. Either fuel or spark is short it seems. Iridium plugs fitted - BKR6EIX-11. Gaps not checked and going to be done. Also forgot to mention the MAF was cleaned thoroughly with correct sensor cleaner but didn't look dirty to begin with, no oil or dirt on it from what I could see. Codes checked and nothing relevant there - just starter signal malfunction showing but no issue with starter

So that is the joy. It has failed NCT on lambda sensor and suspension also. We fitted ebay suspension but failed on the same side! extremely frustrating that was. Mate thinks it could have needed a bit of driving for it to bed in. I am bringing it to a mechanic this weekend who has a lift to check the exhaust throughout!

Which brings me to a question finally after all that reading!!! Ye must be bored at this stage! I am living in Cork is there any mechanics who specialize in Subaru or have good experience on them?

If you made it this far thank you! I am glad to have become a member and look forward to part taking on the forums!!!

All the best!
Peter!
:54:
 
Welcome along Peter. Not too far away from myself in Limerick, had a B4 also before my Impreza. Great motor ????????
The guys here are brilliant, and I'm sure you'll get to the end of it.
Dave in RSR Automotive may be a help to you also, he was breaking a few B4s when I had mine and knows his way around them to be fair. A lot of them do suffer with some issues like leaks and all that tho tbh.
Have you a boost gauge fitted?
Be handy to know what she's boosting on both primary and secondary.

As for emissions, my B4 failed on my first NCT with it and it passed with Dipetane in the tank.
Granted, its not really fixing the problem, but will help get the disc.

Was fuel pump and injectors all changed out after sitting so long? Seen as you say it seems like a struggle to get fuel...

Pop up a few pictures and stuff also when you get the chance ????????
 
Hey peter, there is a called mark murphy in douglas never had any dealing with him but I hear he is pretty good.
 
Howdy, I used to take my B4s to Frank Ryan in Littleton. Not sure if Frank is still at them but google it and give him a shout. They had A Subaru dealership a few years back. Andrew at Slatterys garage, Nenagh is a Subaru dealer too. These 2 lads are both just off motorways so easy to get to. As said, Dave on here is an expert and if the local lads don?t offer help, he?s the man. I?m based in Tipperary, on my 3rd B4 now without issue to be fair. The current one is just in last August from Japan[emoji1]


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Great feedback!

The boost has dropped since last post and engine light came on, but on my way to work this morning no engine light and running good. Once it hits .5 .6 .7 boost thats when it bucks. Up until that runs sweet.

I know the exhaust has to be sealed up, so I think Ill bring it to someone in Cork first to get her lifted up. Going to look at the spark plug gaps thursday to be sure and also going to put all new tubing for the vacum seals. Will try retest with nct in 2 weeks. Hopefully the suspension will have leveled out. Cant believe it failed twice on the same side even after we installed the ebay suspension! :ponder2: With some luck with the exhaust fully sealed and new lambda installed (allready done) I might get it past!

Its a curse not having the nct or tax will be sweet to have it! :angry1:

Will upload pictures when she is NCT spec ;) And i can give some real tlc to it :D :54:

Keep the info about B4s incoming! Very much appreciated :biggrinbounce2:
 
Could be a few different things really but?s Id would check spark plugs, coils , leads , boost pipes . But when you say it?s driving grand up to a point I?d be checking the Maf ( air flow meter) as this will give that description when gone :thumbsup:
 
Success and Progress

Hey,

so thanks for the replies! Subaru Gurus are go!:clap: top class!:thumbsup:

I visited mark murphy in douglas cork today and it was immediately good to see a wrx on one of his lifts and a few Subarus in the car park! He was looking at my exhaust and has kindly fitted me in for friday next week for some repairs! Hopefully this will help with the emissions and NCT!!!

I'm still a little puzzled about suspension but after 300/400 miles might just run it through without further adjustments and at a different NCT center to see if we are still failing on right side!!!

ONTO MORE IMPORTANT MATTERS!!!

So my friend (personal mechanic) :smileys-phone-50406 took the sparks out today (may i add with some assistance from yours truly) and it turns out that the Iridium plugs- BKR6EIX-11.come set as standard 1.1 mm apart. He had a nifty tool to check the gaps. It was like a nail file/cutter with all these different measurements of millimeters! We set the spark plugs to .7 and wallah the engine has stopped bucking and the second turbo is now in full swing!

Top marks to all the replies!
Pictures in the coming weeks and updates how the next Nct will go!
 
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Hahaha ???????? I nearly died listening to the video lol
Brilliant tho, great to hear its going well again lad ????????
 
Good man nice simple fix :thumbsup:

get mark murphy to look at the suspension . My guess is you have them set up wrong . You can?t just take them out of the box and fit them in if there coilovers . Standard suspension yes . Keep us informed how it goes :thumbsup:
 
Hey SCOOBY Gurus

Not sure if mark will look at the suspension because its an ebay job.


I have a question about the breaks on the b4. I feel like the car not stopping fast enough! When i hit the break hards theres a humming noise like a dull noise they under pressure. We have bled the breaks twice and new break fluid. Any other tricks to improve performance or reasons why they wouldnt be working properly?
 
As above had similar issue on forester

Have a close look at all your pads one of mine was sticking and was noticeably worn down right to metal.. and disks if one is extremely shiny indication it's getting jamed on

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They are after market grove disk breaks all around. I know that the breaks were sticking before i bought it and the owner replaced I think the pistons all around. Will get a rundown on what was changed but they are not sticking anymore. When the car is on a hill the car will roll.
 
The noise if from the grooves and the pads when slowing down you just have to live with it .
 
scoobysub said:
The noise if from the grooves and the pads when slowing down you just have to live with it .
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The noise doesnt bother me its more the not being able to stop haha probably should get new pads all around and go from there.
 
Pads mightn?t be the problem . Ask mark to have a look at them I?d say they just loosened up the pistons but they need to be taken out and cleaned propery and if corroded changed
 
scoobysub said:
Pads mightn?t be the problem . Ask mark to have a look at them I?d say they just loosened up the pistons but they need to be taken out and cleaned propery and if corroded changed
Click to expand...


Marks going to murder me :icon_biggrin: Thanks for reply :clap::thumbsup:
 
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