1992 Subaru Legacy IDLE PROBLEM

Tiny
SMITH2016
  • MEMBER
  • 1992 SUBARU LEGACY
  • 4 CYL
  • AWD
  • MANUAL
  • 180,000 MILES
I have a 92 subaru with a 2.2l. Recently when started when cold. The idle will jump up to around 3000rpm then fall to about 500 rpm. It will continue to due this until it reaches a good opperating temp after about 10 minutes. The engine then will idle around 300 to 400 rpm. Just enough to barely run. It has died a couple of times at a stop light, but runs fine once warmed up as long as Im off the idle and have a little gas peddle to keep it up around 1000 rpm at a stop. Will operate fine for normal driving around town just a problem when cold or at idle. Thanks for any help. Dan
Sunday, March 9th, 2008 AT 11:42 AM

1 Reply

Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
You may have a vacuum leak, get a can of spray gumout, spray the vac lines and maniflod area, when the idle changes, youve found the leak! You want the engine running and spray on the outside but do direct the stream onto the hoses, if it is a vacuum leak, the engine idle will change speed, then you have detected a leak, repair the vacuum leak and see how it runs!
Check for codes!
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, March 9th, 2008 AT 11:45 AM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Related Engine Idle Erratic Content

Vacuum Leak Test and Repair
VIDEO
Vacuum Leak Test and Repair
Instructional repair video
Idle High
GUIDE
Idle High
Intermittent sensor failure or shorting can cause the computer to act strange with unusual side effects, these problems are particularly tough to diagnose. The computer...
VIEW MORE