Few questions about my 90 subi

[Cz4aLaura]

I just bought my first subi. It's a 90 subaru legacy and I'm having a few problems with it.

 

First of all, the check engine light blinks continuously and a few of the other idiot lights will blink on and off but they are very random and I figure that those are due to a wiring problem. The ones that are blinking on and off in a random manner are the stop lamp light, the oil temp light, and the brake light. I have tried checking the check engine lights code but when I unplugged the memory wires and plugged in the green ones and started the car it just continued to blink on, off, on, off. It never blinked a code. So I'm not getting anything with that.

 

Also, the car is having a shifting problem. It's an auto and the first shift is rough and almost like a jerk, second is also rough but not as bad and the others seem fine. Also, sometimes the car makes a high pitch whining noise. Could the shifting problem be due to a belt? I have heard that on subi's there is only one belt for the whole car, is this true? And when the car is parked or stopped and the a/c is on the car will rev up to about 1.5 rpm and then go down and do this until the car starts going again. Is this problem because of the a/c relay switch?

 

I've recently realized that my brake lights don't work. I've checked the brake light switch and it's in place, plugged in, and the wires look fine, but I've read that it can be in the on or off position and I don't know how to check that so maybe that's the problem? I checked the brake light fuse and it's fine, not broken and it's in place. And I also checked the bulbs and they are all fine along with the plug in and wires in the back.

 

The last problem I would like to figure out is where my oil leak is coming from. I know that it's impossible for you guys to tell me without looking yourself, but it has a very slow oil leak. I would say every time I park the car it drops about 2-6 drops of oil. But I've had the car for about a week now and I haven't had to add more oil yet. The engine bay is pretty filthy and I haven't gotten the chance to clean it up yet to look for the leak but I was just hoping to get some suggestions of where to look. Like where are the most common places for a slow oil leak on a 90 subi legacy?

 

Thanks and sorry it was so long!

[Platinum_Racing]

I just bought my first subi. It's a 90 subaru legacy and I'm having a few problems with it.

 

First of all, the check engine light blinks continuously and a few of the other idiot lights will blink on and off but they are very random and I figure that those are due to a wiring problem. The ones that are blinking on and off in a random manner are the stop lamp light, the oil temp light, and the brake light. I have tried checking the check engine lights code but when I unplugged the memory wires and plugged in the green ones and started the car it just continued to blink on, off, on, off. It never blinked a code. So I'm not getting anything with that.

 

This is very strange. Probably a wiring issue if all those lights are blinking at you. Check the battery terminal connections as well as the alternator wiring. The whining could be a sign that the alternator is failing as well.

 

Here are two sites with great info on how to read the trouble codes. If you already know how to read the codes (Which it seems you do), you can go ahead and ignore these sites but I like to keep them bookmarked just for referance...

http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/trans.html

http://legacycentral.org/library/literature/codes.htm

 

Also, the car is having a shifting problem. It's an auto and the first shift is rough and almost like a jerk, second is also rough but not as bad and the others seem fine. Also, sometimes the car makes a high pitch whining noise. Could the shifting problem be due to a belt? I have heard that on subi's there is only one belt for the whole car, is this true? And when the car is parked or stopped and the a/c is on the car will rev up to about 1.5 rpm and then go down and do this until the car starts going again. Is this problem because of the a/c relay switch?

 

The transmission sounds like its just getting tired. Sometimes a flush and a new filter is a good thing, but just make sure to fill the transmission to the proper level. There have been discussions on this site about the reliability of the Subaru 4EAT auto transmissions. I think its fairly durable and well constructed, but it does have a tendency to overheat in some applications (Usually high horsepower or high load AWD applications). If it shifts, drive it until it dies. Aside from a transmission flush the only option you have to fix harsh shifting is a rebuild of the transmission ($$$$$). As long as it still shifts into 4th gear and reverse the pump is still working as it should, so this problem seems to be due to tired old clutch packs. You can baby it if it makes you feel better, but I think it should last you a good long time the way it is.

 

Subaru Legacy's of all years have two belts (Not including the timing belt, but that's under the plastic timing cover anyway so we'll ignore that for now). They have one belt on the left of the engine (When looking down at the engine) that runs the alternator and the power steering pump. The other belt on the right runs around a small tensioner and the AC clutch. The problem with the idle is actually the IAC (Idle Air Control) solenoid. This is located to the left of the throttle body partially hidden under the intake tube. It will have a rubber hose that runs into the intake tube, as well as an electrical connection. Removing and cleaning the IAC solenoid does wonders. You can also clean it while its on the car by spraying some O2 sensor safe starting fluid into the tube while someone else feathers the throttle. The engine won't idle while that hose is disconnected, so if it idles for more than about 2 seconds it will die. Repeat the process and reinstall the hose and all should be well. The reason the idle changes when the AC is on is because the AC compressor takes power to run. To make the engine and the AC work more efficiently at idle, the computer tells the IAC solenoid to increase the amount of air let into the engine at idle. Sometimes when the IAC gets contaminated, they get sticky and clogged.

 

I've recently realized that my brake lights don't work. I've checked the brake light switch and it's in place, plugged in, and the wires look fine, but I've read that it can be in the on or off position and I don't know how to check that so maybe that's the problem? I checked the brake light fuse and it's fine, not broken and it's in place. And I also checked the bulbs and they are all fine along with the plug in and wires in the back.

 

If the fuses and wires are good I'm not sure what else to look for. Pick up a switch at a junkyard. All Subaru brake light switches from 1990 and up are pretty much the same, just so long as you get one without cruise control. If your car has cruise, make sure to look for a switch from a car with cruise. If your car doesn't have cruise control, you need a switch from a car without cruise control. Imprezzas and second gen Legacy's are all over the place in junkyards, finding a $5 switch from one of those shouldn't be hard.

 

The last problem I would like to figure out is where my oil leak is coming from. I know that it's impossible for you guys to tell me without looking yourself, but it has a very slow oil leak. I would say every time I park the car it drops about 2-6 drops of oil. But I've had the car for about a week now and I haven't had to add more oil yet. The engine bay is pretty filthy and I haven't gotten the chance to clean it up yet to look for the leak but I was just hoping to get some suggestions of where to look. Like where are the most common places for a slow oil leak on a 90 subi legacy?

 

There are several places where oil could be coming from. I'd say the valve cover gaskets are most likely. If the oil is coming from one or both sides of the engine (Left or right) this is most likely the culprit. If it is, just leave it alone unless you don't want it spilling oil all over the place. They are cheap parts if you want to fix it, but this leak is totally non-threatening to the car if you just check the oil every once in a while. If its coming from the front behind a piece of plastic it's usually either the cam seals or the front main seal. If this is the case, be careful as it could cause damage to the timing belt. If the oil is coming towards the back of the engine it is the rear main seal. This is the most difficult seal to replace, as the transmission must be removed to get at it. Usually when these go bad you get a lot more than just a couple drops of oil here and there, so luckily this probably isn't your issue.

 

EDIT: Come to think of it, a couple drops of oil here and there are most likely from the drain bolt. There is a washer on the drain bolt that costs about $1. They should be replaced every time you change the oil. Usually they are neglected and stay on the car longer than intended, leaking after a while. Next time the oil is changed pick up one of these cheap "Crush Washers" and throw it on the drain bolt. I bet this will stop the leak.

 

Thanks and sorry it was so long!

 

No problem and welcome to the forums! BTW, I am the king of long (And boring) posts around here so you should get used to ignoring me as soon as possible.

[Cz4aLaura]

Thank you for all the information! I was actually wondering about the alternator having problems, but i figured that wasn't the case since I haven't had any problems with any of my lights dimming or the car not wanting to start, drive, etc. As soon as I bought the car, I disconnected the battery terminals and cleaned the and reconnected them so unless the battery is old and wearing out then I don't think it's my problem.

 

And yeah, I know how to read the codes, the car just won't give them to me. lol

 

I figured that the tranny was going on me. That sucks but I will try the flush and a new filter. I'm sure it should help at least a little. I don't believe the previous owner did a whole lot of maintenance on the car. Since I bought it I have been cleaning and cleaning and cleaning and realizing that the upkeep of the car wasn't so great.

I haven't had any problems with the car overheating at all, which has actually surprised me since it is a 4EAT, it's old, and I live in AZ with the temp getting up to 113 regularly. I would love to rebuild the tranny AND the engine but unfortunately, like you mentioned, that's a lot of money AND time that I don't have.

 

Thank you for pretty much answering the a/c question. I actually meant to say the IAC. I figured that was the problem but had no idea where it was or that cleaning it would make a big difference! That's awesome to know! I will hopefully be working on that tomorrow!

 

And yeah, I'm pretty sure the problem with the brakes is the switch. That's the only thing I can think of as well. I didn't even think of going to a junk yard though, that's a good idea. I go to junk yards often for parts, but it totally didn't even cross my mind.

 

Hopefully the leak isn't the rear main seal. I was thinking about that and gahhh, the reason I sold my previous car was because the flexplate needed to be replaced and although it was only a $60 part, I would have had to drop the tranny to get to it, so it would be the same deal with this car and that would be a slap in the face. lol

Thanks for the suggestion that it may be the washer on the drain bolt. I didn't think of that either. wow, I sound very absent-minded. But I will be doing an oil change soon so that's a good idea!

 

Thank you for all the help! I'm sure I'll be asking for more help soon! haha

[Cz4aLaura]

Found where the leak is most likely coming from. Took the pcv hose off and it's alllll gunked up. Replacing that today. We'll see what happens!

 

Also, thats where all the oil seems to be coming from since I guess it's not being able to flow like its supposed to.

[Legacy Wagon]

PCV valves are cheap too. Like $5. Hope that's the fix.