Warm Weather, Faulty Parts, Kicking the Ninjas Out of Subie.

Or we could try to fix the car again....

A couple of days ago,   Cheryl and I were on the edge of a cliff;  fully considering a fatal jump that would end all of our suffering...   But then,  after a little discussion with beer,  we decided that it might be easier and less painful if we try another approach with the Car.

Inside the throttle Body.  

So I set about cleaning the throttle body... again! I know I did it a few months ago... during the summer.   But there was a break in the cold and I seized the moment.    Sure it was raining and sleeting.   But what else were the options?   It appeared that the local mechanic was as stumped as we were.   He pretty much held onto the car for all of Friday only to return it in the same condition.

Odd Symptoms. 

The symptoms are odd.   A high idle,  a low idle,  a random acceleration,  sometimes a stall when starting.  We tried fuel pump o-rings, power steering flush and sensor replacement, cleaning of the idle control valve, belt replacement, O2 sensor replacement,  And perhaps other things I no longer remember.
The trouble is that I have to do all the work, because every time we bring it to the mechanic,  the symptoms go away!  (Typical, in my experience.)  You would think that all of these things are unrelated... but newer cars  in their quest to keep LA smog free and the polar icecaps intact, have these crazy emission systems that intertwine.   If one of them goes,  all of them pretend to be broke at the same time.  Hurray for Technology!

Lets try to run.

Slightly warmer days...

After cleaning the throttle body ( which was not that dirty, by the way...) I decided to add one of the many sensors Cheryl bought out of desperation. The Throttle Body Position Sensor!  Easy enough to install.  I added it on and reassembled the system.   BOOM FIXED!  ( Um, Not so fast...)

We took it for a test drive and everything seemed fine.   I was elated!  And then....

Look closely for the defect!

"New" Throttle Body Sensor.

Fast forward 12 hours.   What happened in 12 hours, I have no idea.  (ninjas in the engine!) But as we Start up the Subie....  All those symptoms come back.   Irregular idle,  hiccup acceleration....  Just plain wrong again!  The only thing I did other than clean things was replace the Throttle Position Sensor.   I pull it out and take a closer look...

Checking the voltage. 

The "Old" TBS is right where it should be 

DISCOVERY!   I see that the metal plate near the flap had been bent.  (not my doing!) It was subtle enough that I did not notice it out of the box.   It was registering low voltage as I tried to adjust it.   Normally, they are centered and register normal, but this part was adjusted far outside of spec and STILL did not get  voltage between 0.45-0.55 volts.  I possibly could have "fixed" the metal plate a bit, but I did not want to damage it and then be unable to return it.   So,  reinstall the Old one,  (Which was still apparently good.   So I guess that was not the issue)

Let's replace something else!  Alternator! Old vs New.

Now Subie runs like normal.   I admit my definition of "normal" is slightly skewed now,  but he runs, idles, and has smooth acceleration and deceleration.  So far,  no stalling. No codes,  No problems.  I'll hold my breath for the next shoe to drop.

Installing the New Alternator.

So with an afternoon free,  Cheryl and I decided  to also replace the Alternator.  (Why?  Because that was one of those "maybe causes.")  Besides,  the alternator is OLD.   We have over 135,000 miles on this one and, having both experienced a bad alternator before, decided to swap it out before any serious issues arise and strand us.  (We read somewhere they average about 80,000 miles.) 

Check out the broken bolt... again!

Hopefully the bolt will hold. 

I have a skill at breaking the tension bolt when removing the Alternator.  This is the third one I broke trying to remove it. ( I do not over-tighten or strip things!) The NAPA guys asked if there  was a cause.  It is possible that the Alternator WAS going bad.  (It sounded rough when I removed it from the car.) And that sloppy movement is putting forces on the bolt  causing it to weaken.   Either way, it is out now and working perfectly.   (I bought a second bolt, just in case...)

Are Ninjas Breaking things?

So that is where we are currently.   Subie runs....  Smoothly for the time being.  I gave up on chasing ghosts and decided to kick out the Ninjas.  Whether the ninjas are bad parts, or old and dirty assemblies.

My car is afflicted with Ninjas?

  Cheryl still has a handful of sensors I could replace,  but after that last experience, I think I will let sleeping dogs lie.  I have no idea how to tell if those sensors are even good right out of the box!

Let's throw them out for good this time! 

They are not necessarily cheap either!  It is possible that I will have to schedule "Throttle Cleaning" as part of my maintenance regiment.  Maybe after ever three oil changes.  I hear some people just do things like that as a matter of course.  We shall see....  Fingers crossed.

And this is what happens when I wait too long between blog posts.   One long rant...  ( With Pictures!)

Running On Glass...

Cheryl is Ready to Run!

A slightly warmer day today.   Cheryl decided that a casual run would help her feel better about the car, the cat, and life in general.   So off we went on the flat trail in Coralville.

Except on the Ice.

The warmer weather we had helped melt much of the ice and snow on the sidewalk.  For the most part, we were able to navigate 70-80% of the trail in its entirety.  The places where the ice was overflowing the sidewalk forced us to walk around.   Maybe the warmer weather will eventually melt it before it freezes things up again.

River of Broken Glass...

Like someone Dropped a Window

On a slightly different note,  we were able to see some of those phenomenons that you only see when outside in the cold.  Namely,  the natural ice sculptures that happen randomly.   I remember when we were kids and used to hunt for rabbits or late season squirrels and see these beautiful snow and ice murals that no one else was privy to.   Like seeing a magic, mythical world that you only read about in stories.  Moments like that are one of the things I miss about hunting.

Shatter!

Ice covering the fields

But now we run and bike in the winter.   It is true that we stay on trails for the most part,  but sometimes we are still able to see things.   I call this one the "River or Broken Glass."   Perhaps you will see why.

He was difficult to film.

Cheryl sees a mouse under the ice

Along the way,  we saw a small vole or mouse or rodent of some kind,  running around under the ice.   I wanted to see if I could grab him,  being the wild school boy that I am...   But Cheryl did not want me to scare or  "torture" the poor creature.  ( I only wanted to pet it..... No damage done there.)  I'm guessing he might have been protected from Owls or Hawks... but not a fox or coyote if one was in the area.   That ice  was not very thick.

You can see his fur against the ice.

I wanted to pet him.  Cheryl says "No!"

The Ice did not offer much protection.

The temps are currently hovering just above freezing.   Cheryl even had to take off her outer coat to finish the run. ( 7 miles today!  Yeah!) I'm hoping that the 35 degrees is enough to remove what little ice is left on the sidewalk.   Anything that will allow Cheryl to avoid hills for a while is a good thing in my book.  And if she can remain pain-free while she prepares for her next run,   that would help as well.  Fingers crossed.

Tracking down the Idle Issue.  Like chasing a Ghost!

And one small note.   24 hours without the Check engine light on.   I think that is a milestone somehow.  I know that it is possible that it will flash again,  and I'm trying to prepare for it mentally.   We continue to chase ghosts in Subie as he hesitates and surges as we run around.   Cheryl has several more sensor ideas to replace before we throw up our hands in defeat.  Actually, we have done that several times over the pas year....  but those don't count. 

Solving The Subie Problems One Sensor At A Time...

I can fix the car again! And why not? 

Replacing "Cheap O2 sensor" with New

I just finished installing a new Oxygen Sensor in the Subaru.   And for the first time in YEARS....  the Check engine light has gone off.   Even after installing a new O2 sensor a year ago,  the check engine light did not stay off for very long.  I was informed that the Heater in the sensor was always going to fail...even on the new ones.   And that it was not that big of a deal.  What can I say,  I'm no mechanic.  I'll defer to their judgement.

I guess Subie's Prefer this brand.

But then we read that Subaru is pretty specific in his O2 Sensor brands.  Cheryl thought that it was time to finally see if that was one of the reasons the strange idle was happening.  And if we could finally fix that annoying Check Engine light... all the better.

Hmm,  Kinda Dirty. 

It was not to bad to remove.   It was nice having done it before, so I had a running understanding of the job.   And I knew that I had put the anti-seize on the threads last time, allowing for easy removal.

Say goodbye to the Check Engine Light.

Upon pulling it out I could see that it was, indeed, dirty.  I'm not sure if that was because of the heater element not working or something else.   However, I tested the sensor on my desk and discovered that it was not offering any resistance!   I wonder how long it had been really broke?

My New Subaru Toy.

Swap out the old with the new and start it up.   Things are working as they should and the check engine light is finally off!   In addition, I also hooked up a cheap car reader to see if there were any other problems.   So far... so good.

We shall see for how long...

I'm not sure how long the check engine light will stay off.  Or if the new brand of O2 sensor will continue to last.  But for the moment,  the idle, steering, front head light and check engine light are fixed.  (Or at least running better than they were...)

Replacing Burned out Console lights

And while I'm on the subject,  Cheryl told me I had to confess to all my transgressions while dealing with the car problems.  Like a doctor who dropped a junior mint into a patient,   I always end up doing something "bad" while operating on the Subie.   Case in point,  I had to replace a console light in the dash. (It ended up being two lights that were burned out.)

To get there, I have to remove all this stuff!

Careful not to drop any fasteners... DOH!

I still manage to screw things up though.

 In the process of taking the dash apart,  I cracked one of the panels.   Nothing big,  but I was being so careful....  I also always lose a screw or a clip whenever I work on body parts.  No matter how careful I am,  a screw or clip fall into the abyss behind the dash.  Grrr!

Where did I put that thing? 

Also,,  I purchased a special tool to help get that O2 sensor off last time.  And would you guess it,  I managed to "misplace" it before I had a chance to use it again.   So yesterday we bought another "O2 Removal Tool" and that is when I found the old one.  It figures that I would tear the house apart looking for it, only to find it after I had already spent $13 on a new one.

Maybe after all parts are in. 

So we shall see how things go.  Cheryl has some additional sensors arriving in a few days, so that will another opportunity to fix or break things further.

Subaru Secret Handshake. I feel so special...

  I'll hold off on the "Secret Subie Handshake"  until all of the parts are on and assembled.  I love secret handshakes.   It makes me feel like I'm part of a secret Subaru society that set us apart from Ford and Chevy people. 
 Like a silent form of snobbery that I normally can't display in public. 

Subie's Power Steering Flush On A Rainy Iowa Day.

It really was Easy.  Quick?  Kinda. 

Cheryl has finally succumbed to my nagging and allowed me to touch the car once again.  Today, I attempted my first Power Steering Flush.  Similar to a coolant flush, oil change, and Brake shoe replacement, I have never attempted one of these "simple tasks".... until I DID!

Don't be this guy....

Now I can pretend to be one of those super annoying people who rave how "easy" it is and how you are wasting your money by not doing such a simple task yourself.  ( I hate those guys!)

The Drama Cat!

Between the car, the cat, and the Wife...  It appears as if I'm the only person with a solid footing on reality, here.   Everyone around me is so dramatic!   The cat coughs like he has a permanent hair ball, 

I should say: let's me FIX my Subaru.

  Subie hesitates and groans when he turns or the weather changes, and Cheryl complains about her legs being useless for running.  I can't fix everyone at once!  So I'll start with the one I care about most:  The Car!    
   (I should say,  Attempt to fix....Just want to clear that up.)

I think I can do it for less.  

It really is pretty straight forward.   Simply hook up a hose to the return line,  turn on the car,  turn the wheel until the fluid is empty, button up and refill.  There are a number of  different ways to do it.  Some more complex than others... But that is the gist of it. I chose to flush a little clean stuff through while turning the wheel, just so the system would not run dry.  But all in all,  I think it was a success.  Nothing seems broken.   The car turns smoothly.  No really loud sounds happen when I turn. And the hesitation seems to be gone once again.  Fingers crossed that it lasts this time.   So far.... so good.  (Did I mention I didn't break it further this time? I'm always impressed when I don't break the Subie more!) 

With 2 quarts of power steering fluid and about 6 feet of  3/4 inch clear plastic hose,  I'll say I invested about $7-8 bucks.  One of the main reasons for my DIY is to save money.  The Other is to not look like an idiot that can't fill his own gas tank or change his own tire.  (If you are one of those people,  Don't be offended...  just take the bus or subway.) 

Two days ago... SNOW!

Today!   RAIN!  with shorts.

Cheryl  soldiers on with her new rain gear.

Slowing down in the fog.

As for the Iowa Weather....  It's raining.   Two days ago.   Snow!   Today,   Rain and 53 degrees. Most of the snow is gone and I'll wager that there will be flood warnings before the end of the night.  Word has it it will drop back down below freezing two days from now.   That should be loads of fun! 

Avoiding puddles.

The pace and the rain pick up just as we finish.  

Still, the warm weather allowed Cheryl to dress up in her spring running attire.   Even though it was not exactly the perfect running weather,  the warmer temps were more  welcome when compared to the cold snow, ice, and wind.  We almost completed the run before the rain started back up, but it has been a while since we ran in the rain.  Luckily, we were dressed for it and did not have to experience the typical misery. 

I'm still impressed that I got the power steering system flushed before it started to rain again. I was almost finished when it really began to come down.  Perhaps there will be thunder and lightning tonight.   It's always fun to sleep during a thunder storm.   As long as there is no flooding going on.   Thanks for stopping in.