Engine hesitation/flat spot (Liberty 2.0R)

[adrianluii]

still interested on how your car turned out Kormoran.

i've been following this thread for a while now. i do realize this is the 2.0R thread and i have a 2.5i. so i just got a new clutch in and everything felt perfect for the last 2 days, acceleration was real light and easy. but then just as i was about to turn into my street, the hesitation hit, and this time hard. when i got home, i told my parents, took my dad for a drive and the hesitation had almost disappeared. dad couldn;t notice it, but i could since he had only driven my car 4 times before, therefore having no frame of reference to how it drives. the acceleration isn't as eager and light as it was, it's back to feeling heavy with no real range where it feels flat. i do feel the car come out of the flat spot at around 3.5-4k revs but im not sure if that's just cause the revs are so high

i do drive with the cruise control quite a bit and when i took my dad out for that drive i didn't have the cruise on. he's now parked his car behind mine so i can;t get it out of the garage to test it with the cruise on. though my mum has said she'd pay for a mech to take a look at it. will make an update after i take it to the mech.

so far i've been perfectly content with just resetting the ecu every month or two (sometimes its every week, sometimes it's twice a tank.) I'm used to it, it's kinda like when i get a tube puncture on my bmx, i get pissed but i know there is no real way of preventing these things from happening.

[Kormoran]

Not much has changed sadly. Still have the flat spot but instead of resetting all the time Ive decided to drive through it and see what its like in a month or so.
Haven't got around to taking it back to Subaru to double check that the update was performed either but its definitely on the cards.


If I can't fix it by the end of the year I'll probably trade it in or sell it through work Its disappointing really, when its going well its alot of fun.

[klam]

If I can't fix it by the end of the year I'll probably trade it in or sell it through work Its disappointing really, when its going well its alot of fun.

Exactly my thoughts, but I'm giving it more time with this new a/f sensor. get them cheap from sparkplugs.co.uk around 190$ delivered. (mine was dox-0308).

[adrianluii]

well after a day of driving my car feels quite fine(ish) if i drive 'slowly-normally', but if i try punch it it'll still only accelerate at normal speeds, my head will even move forward a bit anticipating the sudden kick back i'll usually get. i guess that's better than an annoying flat sport. so on monday i'll be taking it back to the mech to check my car battery as he instructed (the tow driver left the keys in the ignition and the battery was drained by the time it got to the shop.) so i'll be asking him to see if he can fix it. if not i think i'll also try drive through this. i think i'll be able to live without driving fast for a while.

and idk, i really cant be bothered with the hassle of selling and buying a new car, besides all my funds are going towards a massive holiday i'm saving up for so i'm not willing to spend any more unnecessary cash on my car. so looks like ill be sticking with this problem for the next 2 years at least

[adrianluii]

just took it to the mechanic and they found all this oily, sticky stuff in the air filter box. apparently it was coming from the throttle (i think that's what he said, the big silver thing in the middle) and possibly leaking through a hose. he said thats probably the cause of the computer going into a 'limp-home' home i think he said. (i tried to retain as much info as i could but i had just woken up). they're bringing in a specialist tomorrow to look at it.

[Kormoran]

Adrian, Im pretty sure I know exactly what you're referring to as I have seen the same thing but no 'limp-mode' associated with it. Keen to hear what they find!

[Kormoran]

I did a reset yesterday and today on the way to work I felt the car start to lose power (timing ) then bam no power and had to downshift. 5th gear at 2500rpm (around 90 kmph) going up a hill at maybe 75% throttle. Very frustrating!!! Time to go to Subaru again

[klam]

I did a reset yesterday and today on the way to work I felt the car start to lose power (timing ) then bam no power and had to downshift. 5th gear at 2500rpm (around 90 kmph) going up a hill at maybe 75% throttle. Very frustrating!!! Time to go to Subaru again

get a new sensor. might be worth of those 200$. Mine didn't have any issues since (last 2 weeks)

[adrianluii]

so the mechanics replaced all 4 ignition coils and spark plugs. they also went and cleaned inside the pipes and shit. cant remember everything they said since it's been a week, but i do remember them saying there wasnt enough spark... it cost around 630 for everything inc labor. so far car runs like a dream. it's been driven in all weather conditions as well (thanks to Melbourne). ive driven it to the airport and back (just over an hour each way with a full car load + luggage) and in heavy, stop-start traffic.

will update if the thing happens again or at start of next year if i remember. fingers crossed.

[alexeib7]

Dear Friends,

I own a 2006 Subaru Liberty 2.0litre with about 185,000kms and I had engine hesitation between 2000-3000rpms, I cleaned a valve located on the manifold near the alternator, loosen the belt holding the alternator and lift the alternator up to gain better access to the bolts of the valve, I think it's an Egr valve (exhaust gas recirculation) you can clean it with carburettor cleaner, reinstalled the valve and the problem was fixed.

Before I cleaned the valve I had changed fuel from Caltex 95 to BP Ultimate 98, added Nulon fuel injector cleaner, cleaned the Air Flow Meter without successful results, you can also try changing spark plugs- correctly gapped, ignition leads for any damage, fuel filter, etc if cleaning the valve has not worked for you.

About the Air Flow Meter- If you unplug the Air Flow Meter and drive the vehicle and it has no hesitation, then it could most likely be a faulty Air Flow Meter- (located near the Air Filter)

Safe journeys always,
Alex.

[davejones2]

That's very interesting.

I think this is the first recommendation that I've seen (across the English I language internet) that hasn't subsequently been tried by someone else and not worked.

My legacy is long gone due to this problem - would love to know if this turns out to be the answer!

How long has your car been running properly for since you cleaned the egr?

[alexeib7]

Hi,

It's been about 2 days since cleaning the EGR valve and no hesitation at all, and also there's more power.

[Kormoran]

Hi,

It's been about 2 days since cleaning the EGR valve and no hesitation at all, and also there's more power.

Hi Alex,

Just curious, did you perform a reset afterwards? Also I had a look but wasn't sure where the valve is that your referring too, can you be a little more specific or if you're feeling generous, a picture?

Cheers!

[alexeib7]

Dear Matt,

I did perform a reset, disconnect the negative battery cable for 10 minutes then reconnect.

The valve is near the lower rear of the alternator, below some railings, lower front of the intake manifold, it has an electrical connector at the top of the valve.

I could not download a picture, the file was too big.


P.S After cleaning the EGR valve, it's a good idea to spray carby/ throttle body cleaner in the openings of the manifold where the EGR valve connects.

Hope that helps.

[adrianluii]

wow alex, ill defiantly try that when the uni semester finishes.

but quick update.

so last week i was driving some mates into the city, i took the wrong turn so i did a u-turn, but i mounted a small curb onto a 'field' of grass and drove down a small slope (did not expect there to be a declination in the ground). the bottom defiantly hit the ground as i found grass hanging from the bumper the next morning, but immediately after that i had cruise control on while going up a really steep hill and it just failed. not sure if that was a result of my little detour or not. reset it and it was fine, but the rest of the week it was struggling to maintain its speed on uphills, constantly jolting.
Two days ago i was driving it harder than usual, then yesterday the hesitation returned on my way to the car wash, but this morning it was gone. the acceleration was smooth but i could feel it was a tad underpowered and cruise control uphill was smooth again. now from my drive from the train station to gym it was back to its normal power, but on the way home it started to feel a bit heavier again... again not sure if the 'underpoweredness' could be from my tank nearly being empty.