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Car Stalls Randomly


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DrWorm97
New User

Aug 6, 2021, 3:14 PM

Post #1 of 6 (1212 views)
Car Stalls Randomly Sign In

Hi, we own a 2004 Subaru Legacy 35th Anniversary Edition wagon, about 2 weeks ago it stalled at a stop light. We had it towed back home and have no idea what caused it. We are short of money right now, so we do not want to take it to a mechanic without having an idea first.
Here are some notes:
  • The engine starts fine
  • It goes into every gear fine
  • It has 150,000+ miles
  • The oil is clean and new
  • There is power steering, transmission, and brake fluid
  • The coolant is to the fill line and new
  • There are no lights on and my scanner shows no error codes

I will post the scanner readings, I'm not very literate in what they all mean. We think it could be a problem with the fuel injector or with the catalytic converter.

Thanks for your help!

System Status
MIL Status - Off Codes Found - 0
Monitors N/A - 0
Monitors OK - 4
Monitors INC - 4

Live Data
DTC CNT - 0
FUELSYS1 - CL
FUELSYS2 - NA
LOAD_PCT (%) - 2.0
ECT (°C) - 85
SHRTFT1(%) - 1.6
LONGFT1(%) - 10.2
MAP (kPa) - 28
RPM(/min) - 688
VS3(km/h) - 0
SPARKADV(°) - 20
IAT (°C) - 40
MAF (g/s) - 2.70
TP(%) - 9.0
O2S B1S12--B2S----O2B1S2(V) - 0.850
SHRTFTB1S2(%) - 0.0
OBD - OBD2
EQ_RATB1S1 - 0.996
O2B1S1(V) - 2.121


(This post was edited by DrWorm97 on Aug 6, 2021, 3:17 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Aug 6, 2021, 4:41 PM

Post #2 of 6 (1195 views)
Re: Car Stalls Randomly Sign In


Quote
We had it towed back home and have no idea what caused it.


Quote
The engine starts fine


So, which is it. It runs or it doesn't run?



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



DrWorm97
New User

Aug 6, 2021, 6:26 PM

Post #3 of 6 (1182 views)
Re: Car Stalls Randomly Sign In

Both. The car stalled while at a red light. If we turn the car off and back on after a stall, it does turn back on but it won't run for more than 15 minutes before stalling again. I will add that it does drive, but again, it continues to stall within 10-20 minutes of it running and or driving. Hence why we assumed something with the fuel injector.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Aug 6, 2021, 6:33 PM

Post #4 of 6 (1178 views)
Re: Car Stalls Randomly Sign In

And why would you assume that? There is nothing to indicate that.

You're not going to find a random answer without testing anything.

All "crank, no start" conditions are approached in the same way. Every engine requires certain functions to be able to run. Some of these functions rely on specific components to work and some components are part of more than one function so it is important to see the whole picture to be able to conclude anything about what may have failed. Also, these functions can ONLY be tested during the failure. Any other time and they will simply test good because the problem isn't present at the moment.
If you approach this in any other way, you are merely guessing and that only serves to replace unnecessary parts and wastes money.



Every engine requires spark, fuel and compression to run. That's what we have to look for.

These are the basics that need to be tested and will give us the info required to isolate a cause.

1) Test for spark at the plug end of the wire using a spark tester. If none found, check for power supply on the + terminal of the coil with the key on.


2) Test for injector pulse using a small bulb called a noid light. If none found, check for power supply at one side of the injector with the key on.


3) Use a fuel pressure gauge to test for correct fuel pressure, also noticing if the pressure holds when key is shut off.


Once you have determined which of these functions has dropped out,
you will know which system is having the problem.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



DrWorm97
New User

Aug 6, 2021, 6:38 PM

Post #5 of 6 (1170 views)
Re: Car Stalls Randomly Sign In

Ok I'm sorry I'm not really a car guy, I'll see if I can look up a tutorial or instructions on how to do what you're saying and I'll try to reply with the results. Thank you.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Aug 6, 2021, 6:49 PM

Post #6 of 6 (1164 views)
Re: Car Stalls Randomly Sign In

Just judging off the symptoms, you might start with the fuel pressure. Remember, you have to be reading it at the moment the car dies.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







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