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Posted

Ok - automotive question for the folks who know cars.

 

I have an old Subaru Outback - runs great, 150K+ miles.

 

Check engine light went on about a month ago so I brought it into the shop. They hooked it up and read the error code - a misfire on one of the cylinders and told me I needed a tune up. I was way overdue for a tune up, so it all made sense.

 

So yesterday, 3 weeks after getting a tune up I'm sitting at a stop light and the car starts to run rough for a few seconds as I'm idling at the light - then the check engine light comes back on and before I know it, she's back to a smooth idle. I'd bet my house I had another misfire and that's what caused the light to come back on.

 

Is it another misfire? If it was, why did it happen on a newly tuned up car? What should I check or do about it?

Posted

Sounds like a Fetzer valve. Gonna need some 3-in-1 oil and some gauze pads. And 'bout ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No, no make that Quaker State.

Posted

Do you have the receipt showing exactly what parts were replaced? There are three things I can think of, plug wires, cap, rotor. After that the plugs themselves or the camshaft position sensor.

Posted
Ok - automotive question for the folks who know cars.

 

I have an old Subaru Outback - runs great, 150K+ miles.

 

Check engine light went on about a month ago so I brought it into the shop. They hooked it up and read the error code - a misfire on one of the cylinders and told me I needed a tune up. I was way overdue for a tune up, so it all made sense.

 

So yesterday, 3 weeks after getting a tune up I'm sitting at a stop light and the car starts to run rough for a few seconds as I'm idling at the light - then the check engine light comes back on and before I know it, she's back to a smooth idle. I'd bet my house I had another misfire and that's what caused the light to come back on.

 

Is it another misfire? If it was, why did it happen on a newly tuned up car? What should I check or do about it?

Take it back to the shop and let them worry about it. It's called a comeback.

Posted
i might have missed it but what year is your car?

 

It's a '99 Outback - been a great car, never had any major problems with it. It's running fine now, but I want to figure out what's causing these misfires and end them.

Posted
It's a '99 Outback - been a great car, never had any major problems with it. It's running fine now, but I want to figure out what's causing these misfires and end them.

 

I'd say they're caused by 150,000 miles.

Posted
Ok - automotive question for the folks who know cars.

 

I have an old Subaru Outback - runs great, 150K+ miles.

 

Check engine light went on about a month ago so I brought it into the shop. They hooked it up and read the error code - a misfire on one of the cylinders and told me I needed a tune up. I was way overdue for a tune up, so it all made sense.

 

So yesterday, 3 weeks after getting a tune up I'm sitting at a stop light and the car starts to run rough for a few seconds as I'm idling at the light - then the check engine light comes back on and before I know it, she's back to a smooth idle. I'd bet my house I had another misfire and that's what caused the light to come back on.

 

Is it another misfire? If it was, why did it happen on a newly tuned up car? What should I check or do about it?

 

Here's some chit-chat about the Idle Control Valve (ICV). According to these folks, a malfunction (evidently carbon and crud build-up) will cause an idle speed drop, and generate an engine misfire code.

 

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/showth...?threadid=14747

Posted
Here's some chit-chat about the Idle Control Valve (ICV). According to these folks, a malfunction (evidently carbon and crud build-up) will cause an idle speed drop, and generate an engine misfire code.

 

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/showth...?threadid=14747

 

 

That is what I was thinking! Since he said it happened at a light. I had a 1998 Isuzu Rodeo (which I believe is part of Subaru?? Or do they just make parts for Isuzu)... I changed the ICV if I recall and it was really jazzed up with gunk... It wasn't really the problem... But helped to change it.

 

Avenger... Is it throttle-body fuel injection? Did they do the throttle body service and clean the plenon?

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