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Car Forum / Subaru Cars / June 20071998 5-speed Legacy Outback starting problem
I have a 1998 Legacy Outback with a manual transmission and 163000 miles. I have been having the following problem starting the car and wanted to see if anyone had any insight. 95 % of the time, I turn the key and it starts right up. 4% of the time I turn the key and can wait 3-10 seconds, with the key held in the IGNITION position, and then the car starts...during this time, its quiet, except for a click when I first turn the key for my silent desperate prayer to start. 1% of the time it does not start at all, no matter how long I wait or hard I wish. However, if the car is rolled forward or back (in gear with the clutch depressed) and then release the clutch as the car is moving, the car will then start right up. I have described this to my mechanic but its not been reproducible, and if the car is moved, it eliminates the problem. However, the day is surely coming where i will parallel parked somewhere and not able to self-rescue. Anyone have any ideas on what this is, how to remedy, or even how to better explain to my mechanic? Thanks > I have a 1998 Legacy Outback with a manual transmission and 163000 > miles. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Thanks I'd try tapping on the starter when it doesn't start, and see what happens. Thanks- and if the tapping on the starter helps, what does that tell us? bad starter > Thanks- > and if the tapping on the starter helps, what does that tell us? Thanks for the responses...battery is fine, been checked so in the interest of my ongoing edubication, what does rolling the car in gear do to the starter....? I am visualizing a dead spot that rolling the car moves it just far enough past that spot to turn over? Any suggestion of what the long delay before sometimes starting is? On Jun 25, 2:10 pm, big...@backpacker.com wrote: > bad starter > > > Thanks- > > and if the tapping on the starter helps, what does that tell us? > Thanks for the responses...battery is fine, been checked > so in the interest of my ongoing edubication, what does rolling the > car in gear do to the starter....? > I am visualizing a dead spot that rolling the car moves it just far > enough past that spot to turn over? > Any suggestion of what the long delay before sometimes starting is? I still say change the battery if it's older than 5 years. The problem is intermittent and the test might have just not caught the battery misbehaving. I had a very similar problem. I swore it was the starter, it was the battery. It's up to you.... > On Jun 25, 2:10 pm, big...@backpacker.com wrote: >> bad starter >> >>> Thanks- >>> and if the tapping on the starter helps, what does that tell us? Moving the car manually with the transmission in gear should change the orientation of the flywheel teeth to the pinion gear on the bendix drive of the starter motor. The pinion gear teeth may not line up properly any longer for some reason and instead of meshing, click against the flywheel when you turn the key to the start position. Do you get a "click" for each time you turn the key to the start position? If possible, listen to where the click originates. Of course, you don't want to jump, or have your fingers somewhere unwise in case the motor decides to turn over when you are trying to determine just what is going "click" when your motor doesn't turn over. Tapping the starter can help loosen a stuck solenoid or bendix drive and possibly shift internal bits just enough to get current flow for another start, if the plunger contacts are worn. Don't overdo the tapping / beating, as there is always the possibility to damage internals such as motor magnets. ~Brian > Thanks for the responses...battery is fine, been checked > so in the interest of my ongoing edubication, what does rolling the [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >> > Thanks- >> > and if the tapping on the starter helps, what does that tell us? Brian- Thanks for your time and careful explanation. I will post a follow up when we figure out how to remedy. Cheers! > I have a 1998 Legacy Outback with a manual transmission and 163000 > miles. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > ideas on what this is, how to remedy, or even how to better explain to > my mechanic? If the battery is more than 5 years old, replace it and see if the problems goes away. |
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