[Occy]

I have a Subaru Outback 1997 and it had never missed a beat over the two years I've owned it up until about a month and a half ago when the engine started to cut out randomly while driving. As soon as it cuts out it generally starts straight up again, except for a few times it's taken a few moments of cutting out and re starting to start and not cut out again. I can drive it one day and its completely fine no issues and then the next day it cuts out again and again and again. So it doesn't always happen. It's been to three lots of mechanics who can't find anything wrong with it. They've all said that no codes are coming up. One mechanic thought it was an alarm a previous owner had installed into the petrol tank that was faulty so they disconnected it but my car still continued to cut out. Another mechanic thought it was the air flow meter so replaced it but my car still continued to cut out. I was putting E10 in it but read on another forum that E10 could be the cause of engines cutting out so I put some premium unleaded in it along with some fuel injector cleaner and this seemed to help a bit as in it doesn't cut out as often. It seems to cut out when it's in idle or when I back off the accelerator. Sometimes it cuts out straight away with no warning and other times I feel it loose power and then it eventually cuts out after a few moments and other times when I feel it start to loose power I can stop it from cutting out by slamming my foot down on the accelerator to keep it going. Could it be just all the crap from the E10 working its way through my engine which is causing the engine to cut out?

Any help if someone's had a similar problem and what they did to fix it or if someone knows what it sounds like the problem might be would be hugely appreciated. Thanks

 

[smn]

My '96 Camry had a bad coolant temperature sensor that read 485F. When coming from exiting the interstate the car would want to stall and sometimes did. I could generally restart it and it would be fine for a while.

Recorded data from the car would be of great help in your instance. It could be something similar, such as a sensor.

 

[Occy]

Like a faulty petrol sensor. I know little about cars. Would that have something to do with the cars computer? One of the mechanics said his next guess as to what the problem might be would be computer related

 

[cardoc]

Has anyone checked the battery and cables? A loose or corroded ground will cause this. I would check there first.

 

[Occy]

I'm not sure. Will check them out. Thanks.

 

[Boxxerace]

Fuel-pump-pressure. Check it. Cardoc could probably tell you what the proper pressure is. Off the cuff, I'd guess about 45psi.

I had a truck once that had a small slit in the hose between the pump and the tank pickup tube. It would idle fine but not hold pressure. Really odd circumstances, but the installation of a fuel pressure gauge (you can simply use a tool to read it, you don't need a permanent installation) pointed me in the direction of the pump or a bad hose.

In another truck of mine, I had the fuel pump simply go out. It would stumble and almost start, but the pressure just was not there. A new pump = running truck with more power than I had before the failure.

In your case, you might have a bad connection to the pump, a shorting wire or other problems as the others in the group have pointed out. It's likely either fuel or spark related, so start by eliminating one of them.

Hint: There should be a fitting or two on the fuel rail of your car that you can screw on a gauge. Where your eye protection!

 

[cardoc]

43-45 psi idling and should rise when the vacuum hose is pulled from the regulator at the end of the fuel rail.

 

[H-D]

How about a balky IAC valve? Would only cost you a couple of gaskets, some solvent, & your time to try cleaning it & the throttle body. This WAG based on the stabbing of the throttle effecting a recovery. Might check the TPS voltage, while you're in the vicinity.

 

[mtpaddler]

I have the same problem did you ever figure it out?