1998 5-speed Legacy Outback starting problem

M

Mike

I have a 1998 Legacy Outback with a manual transmission and 163000
miles.
I have been having the following problem starting the car and wanted
to see if anyone had any insight.
95 % of the time, I turn the key and it starts right up.
4% of the time I turn the key and can wait 3-10 seconds, with the key
held in the IGNITION position, and then the car starts...during this
time, its quiet, except for a click when I first turn the key for my
silent desperate prayer to start.
1% of the time it does not start at all, no matter how long I wait or
hard I wish. However, if the car is rolled forward or back (in gear
with the clutch depressed) and then release the clutch as the car is
moving, the car will then start right up. I have described this to my
mechanic but its not been reproducible, and if the car is moved, it
eliminates the problem. However, the day is surely coming where i will
parallel parked somewhere and not able to self-rescue. Anyone have any
ideas on what this is, how to remedy, or even how to better explain to
my mechanic?

Thanks
 
I have a 1998 Legacy Outback with a manual transmission and 163000
miles.
I have been having the following problem starting the car and wanted
to see if anyone had any insight.
95 % of the time, I turn the key and it starts right up.
4% of the time I turn the key and can wait 3-10 seconds, with the key
held in the IGNITION position, and then the car starts...during this
time, its quiet, except for a click when I first turn the key for my
silent desperate prayer to start.
1% of the time it does not start at all, no matter how long I wait or
hard I wish. However, if the car is rolled forward or back (in gear
with the clutch depressed) and then release the clutch as the car is
moving, the car will then start right up. I have described this to my
mechanic but its not been reproducible, and if the car is moved, it
eliminates the problem. However, the day is surely coming where i will
parallel parked somewhere and not able to self-rescue. Anyone have any
ideas on what this is, how to remedy, or even how to better explain to
my mechanic?

Thanks

I'd try tapping on the starter when it doesn't start, and see what
happens.
 
Mike said:
I have a 1998 Legacy Outback with a manual transmission and 163000
miles.
I have been having the following problem starting the car and wanted
to see if anyone had any insight.
95 % of the time, I turn the key and it starts right up.
4% of the time I turn the key and can wait 3-10 seconds, with the key
held in the IGNITION position, and then the car starts...during this
time, its quiet, except for a click when I first turn the key for my
silent desperate prayer to start.
1% of the time it does not start at all, no matter how long I wait or
hard I wish. However, if the car is rolled forward or back (in gear
with the clutch depressed) and then release the clutch as the car is
moving, the car will then start right up. I have described this to my
mechanic but its not been reproducible, and if the car is moved, it
eliminates the problem. However, the day is surely coming where i will
parallel parked somewhere and not able to self-rescue. Anyone have any
ideas on what this is, how to remedy, or even how to better explain to
my mechanic?

If the battery is more than 5 years old,
replace it and see if the problems goes
away.
 
Thanks for the responses...battery is fine, been checked
so in the interest of my ongoing edubication, what does rolling the
car in gear do to the starter....?
I am visualizing a dead spot that rolling the car moves it just far
enough past that spot to turn over?
Any suggestion of what the long delay before sometimes starting is?
 
Mike said:
Thanks for the responses...battery is fine, been checked
so in the interest of my ongoing edubication, what does rolling the
car in gear do to the starter....?
I am visualizing a dead spot that rolling the car moves it just far
enough past that spot to turn over?
Any suggestion of what the long delay before sometimes starting is?

I still say change the battery if it's older
than 5 years. The problem is intermittent
and the test might have just not caught the
battery misbehaving.

I had a very similar problem. I swore it was
the starter, it was the battery. It's up to
you....
 
Moving the car manually with the transmission in gear should change the
orientation of the flywheel teeth to the pinion gear on the bendix drive of
the starter motor. The pinion gear teeth may not line up properly any
longer for some reason and instead of meshing, click against the flywheel
when you turn the key to the start position.

Do you get a "click" for each time you turn the key to the start position?
If possible, listen to where the click originates. Of course, you don't
want to jump, or have your fingers somewhere unwise in case the motor
decides to turn over when you are trying to determine just what is going
"click" when your motor doesn't turn over.

Tapping the starter can help loosen a stuck solenoid or bendix drive and
possibly shift internal bits just enough to get current flow for another
start, if the plunger contacts are worn. Don't overdo the tapping /
beating, as there is always the possibility to damage internals such as
motor magnets.

~Brian
 
Brian-
Thanks for your time and careful explanation.
I will post a follow up when we figure out how to remedy.
Cheers!
 

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