Club 80-90 Forums

Hi all. We’ve found ourselves stuck on a campsite with a van that won’t start.

Drove a 100 miles here no probs having just had oil + filter change and fuel filter change and recently passed MOT.

Went to start the van a couple of days ago and got a horrible grinding noise with it sounding like something had seized. Fully charged battery (it was down at 12.03v) and tried again the next day. Similar noise although sounded like whatever was seized had broken free and was now grinding.

RAC came out and diagnosed starter motor. The housing fell apart when he removed it. He suggested a bump start for when we wanted to leave and a new starter motor when we got home - I actually have one in my garage so didn’t want to fork out £200 (only one available in the area) for him to fit.

Bump started today (plenty of attempts) and the engine wouldn’t take. Got sort of hollow sound pushing out through the exhaust with the engine putt putting but no power on the accelerator. Didn’t sound good. Now looking at going home on the back of a tow truck.

Ignition coil is less than a month old. Picture of the oil we put in below. I also put some Wynns engine cleaner in before we drove here.



Any suggestions/thoughts would be really helpful. Thanks, John

What engine do you have? Is it the subaru one still?

Yeah. EJ22 from a Legacy circa 94-96.

No idea on subaru lumps personally others might be able to help.

where are you currently ? If you are in mid wales I have a scooby manual starter available as a loaner. Have you checked for fault codes ? I am going to Welshpool 10.30 from the workshop, back after 1pm

Cheers Aiden, very kind.

At Hillend in the Gower. Family ended up getting train home last night and I slept in a lay-by on the beach access road. Not too bad in the but the RAC have some serious questions to answer after yesterday!

Getting a flatbed later this morning and ride home to Bristol (hopefully), so will tackle the van once home.

With regards the fault finder, I don’t have one. And from what I can remember, neither do any of the garages around me back home. Are they still available for this engine and set up? Ta.

early ecu has a flashing light diagnostic SubaruSelectMonitor1, there were two plugs (dangling on the loom under steering) that you joined together before switching on ignition, to make the check engine lamp flash the code(s) (long and short flashes), which weren't massively comprehensive but often useful, for example the CEL would only illuminate for lambda fault once engine fully upto temp, ie about 10 miles in average conditions - it doesn't flash when starting up or when cold, so you might get the CEL on a journey but next time you start vehicle it doesn't come up so gets ignored, and on a short test from cold drive the fault wouldn't be signposted, but you could check anytime for stored fault codes that hadn't been cleared so you could find out 'ah lambda fault', and check wiring or sensor output and fix it - later version was more exhaustive and then they went to normal OBD I believe. Not having CEL at start up for something like this was useful for MOT pass - other codes that weren't temp sensitive would show.
Not all engine installers would keep the necessary wiring on the loom and make it accessible, the good wiring loom modifiers do.
May not be helpful in this instance - hope you get home okay

Thanks Aiden. Yeah, got home okay in the end.

Fitted a new starter but to no avail. The engine gives it a go but doesn't actually fire. It sounds awful in the process and shakes like hell.

Sounds like it's coming from the alternator area and my usual mechanic has suggested starting with checking the timing belt hasn't slipped. Unfortunately, he's booked up for two weeks and the van's stuck outside my house, so on the hunt for a mobile mechanic in Bristol who'll look at an old Subaru engine in an old VW van. Not easy! 

Cheers for you help and advice.