Cold Morning Start Prob 96 Legacy

[bos20k]

Hello. My wife has a '96 Legacy L AWD sedan (5 speed) with 130k miles. This morning it didn't want to start. My wife said she turned the key and nothing happened. After a couple minutes it did start normally. It was probably 29 degrees outside so it was cold but not that cold. Past winters the car would start with no issues no matter how cold it was. Is this a symptom of a starter going bad? Is there anything else I should check? The battery should be good, it is relatively new. The alternator was replaced a year and a half ago so the battery should be charging correctly too. I don't know much about these cars except how to change the oil. My car is a '03 Ford Crown Victoria so all the knowledge I have of it doesn't help me any. Thanks!

[phi11]

Is there fuel in it?





Not to sound dumb, but .........

my car didn't start up right away this morring because it was low on fuel,
when I say LOW, I mean empty. That's all.

(was it in gear?)
(electrical?)

[bos20k]

It did have fuel. Was not in gear. She said that the radio turned on but the engine didn't turn over. So, there was power getting at least to the radio. Like I said the battery should be good. Maybe I'll have to get it checked but I doubt the battery is the issue. After a few minutes it started like normal. Strange. Only thing I can think of is the starter but like I said I don't know these cars.

[shazapple]

is it an auto? Sometimes in mine Ill have to hit the shifter, because its not quite in P (if its in anything but P or N then it wont turn over) You also need to have the brake engaged. If its a manual, it wont turn over if the clutch is engaged.

[bos20k]

It's a manual. I'm sure the clutch wasn't engaged since she's been driving the car for almost 10 years now. One time I accidentaly tried to start it with the clutch engaged and it actually moved the car. Hehe. Anyway, the clutch is the original clutch. It will need replacement in the next couple years since it's pretty worn but I assume that doesn't have anything to do with it.

[Huffer]

Sometimes you have to wait for the fuel pump to prime. When you turn the key you can usually here a small "eeeeeee". If that doesn't happen, the fuel system isn't getting anything.

Also, lower temps make it harder for the battery to send a charge. Might want to check if the battery has the right amperage. It should, never hurtst to check these things.

In winter in Ohio, I quickly learnt the best way to do things was to start the car with no accessories on - I can guarantee to hear all the pumps, starter etc. firing up. Plus, there's no electrical drain.

If the car is running/performing now as you expect, put the entire thing down to an "odd thing happened the other day" incident. :)

[bos20k]

It would still turn over even if the fuel pump wasn't primed/operating though wouldn't it? The engine didn't turn over at all. I would find it strange that it wouldn't turn over due to a fuel pump issue unless there was some type of safety mechanism that wouldn't let it turn over without fuel.

[bos20k]

I guess I could chalk it up to a 'strange thing'. My wife is pregnant so I don't want her getting stuck with a cold car that won't start somewhere though. My brother-in-law is a mechanic so we can have him check it out but I don't think he knows anything more about Subarus than I do. It also would be cheaper to fix it myself or have the brother-in-law do it than having to get it towed when it doesn't start.

[Huffer]

Here's another idea - sometimes the key barrels get a little messed up, the older the car is.

Friend of mine can have his car running, and pull the key out. Car keeps running.

Similar thing might be happening, except the keybarrel is turning, but it's not turning the engine over.

If it happens again, that might be something to worry about. Maybe switch cars with your wife over the winter...

[Plays_with_Toys]

Did she try once or twice and then try a few minutes later? If so, my bet is she didn't have the clutch all the way down. Maybe the floor mat slipped forward under the pedal so the clutch didn't go all the way down. I hate the floor mats in these cars, mine is always moving under the pedals, so i don't drive with it in unless I have been in a wet muddy area. If she's pregnant, I imagine her body changing like that could affect her seating in the car, so where she normally thinks the clutch engages maybe wasn't far enough.

Oh, and my key is rounded off enough to remove it from the car while its running. The master key won't slip out in the same manner though.

[Wiscon_Mark]

if you do end up driving her car to be safe...be warned....you may get addicted :lol:

I agree with PWT, it could be engaging the clutch is a little different, because she is seated different, although the clutch isn't that picky about how far down you have to be. It could also be an ignition thing, the key is worn, or something like that. Subarus aren't too much different than most cars, the block is just oriented a different way :D

[Plays_with_Toys]

My clutch is touchy. If you're like .5" off, it won't start up. I liked my yota. It had a clutch start cancel button. Push the button, start the car (without the the clutch in), and gas it! Its a feature for starting a car thats stalled out on a hill where rolling back is not an option. But if you had it in neutral, it'd start up no problem.

[gil_ong81]

i agree with the finicky clutch pedal deal.

i just make it a habit of pumping the clutch once before keeping it in and turning the key to crank.

[Huffer]

This clutch in deal confused me - there is no such feature on NZ cars. You just hop in, start the car.

A few times I've parked with the car in gear, and forgotten, so I suppose it's a good feature to have. :)

[bos20k]

Well, the battery was replaced a couple weeks ago since it was testing bad. New battery is in and the problem happened again. This time I was the one trying to start the car on a cold morning, not my wife.

I turned the key to the start position and all I heard was a click. The engine didn't turn over, there were no usual starting noises, just a click. Turned the key back then turned it to start again, same thing, just a click. I turned the key back and forth about ten times before it started. When it did start, it started normaly. Any ideas? Thanks.

[gil_ong81]

if turning the key back and forth worked, then maybe you'd like to start by giving the ignition a shot of WD-40. quick, cheap, easy.

I'm a firm believer in process of elimination, and tackling the easiest problems first.

who knows? that might just do it for you.

[Huffer]

Graphite spray is what the locksmiths use.
You use the same stuff in normal door locks to loosen them up/clear debris/reshape the key barrel internals.

Kinda like KY Jelly. :lol: