Subaru Forester bucks at red lights (gasket, spark plugs, fuel, valve)

[Reneeme]

My 2001 Forester (65,000 miles) bucks when I stop (like it wants to go), and doesn't always accelerate when I need it to accelerate (like it wants to stop). There is also a very slow leak in the air conditioner that I was advised is not worth fixing (barely leaks and is expensive to fix).

The car accelerates better when I do not have the air conditioner on. The car may be worse in the heat but I am not sure. The engine light does not indicate a problem, and a repair shop friend looked at it quickly and said to add fuel injection fluid to the gas tank before putting gas in, which might have helped a little.

The problem with the car got better for a little while, and now seems really bad (I did forget to put fuel injection fluid in last time, not sure if that would have made a difference). Yesterday it stopped while I was going up the hill to our driveway and seemed to go backwards instead of forwards for a second, however, I am not sure if I did something while I was pulling in.

I am trying to get my husband to deal with this for me as I am clueless about cars. However, in the meantime, does anyone have any experience with this or thoughts on what it might be? Thanks!

[KoobleKar]

It's strange that the check engine light isn't coming on. If it did, you could go to an Autozone and get the codes read for free and at leats get some idea what's going on.

That said, I would put in 4 new sparkplugs and a good set of sparkplug wires on it. Subarus tend to act that way when they need them. I believe with that year Subaru, you'll need two new valve cover gaskets when you change sparkplugs because you can't change them without removing the valve cover.

It's normal for it to not have the same amount of power with the A/C on so don't let that worry you.

[njguy]

Originally Posted by Reneeme

My 2001 Forester (65,000 miles) bucks when I stop (like it wants to go), and doesn't always accelerate when I need it to accelerate (like it wants to stop). There is also a very slow leak in the air conditioner that I was advised is not worth fixing (barely leaks and is expensive to fix).

The car accelarates better when I do not have the airconditioner on. The car may be worse in the heat but I am not sure. The engine light does not indicate a problem, and a repair shop friend looked at it quickly and said to add fuel injection fluid to the gas tank before putting gas in, which might have helped a little.

The problem with the car got better for a little while, and now seems really bad (I did forget to put fuel injection fluid in last time, not sure if that would have made a difference). Yesterday it stopped while I was going up the hill to our driveway and seemed to go backwards instead of forwards for a second, however, I am not sure if I did something while I was pulling in.

I am trying to get my husband to deal with this for me as I am clueless about cars. However, in the meantime, does anyone have any expereince with this or thoughts on what it might be? Thanks!

As I'm not experienced with Subaru's let me ask you to check these things: Check the oil pull the dipstick and examine it, see if there are signs of antifreeze leakage into the oil (could look like a milky color or spots in the oil), if so the head gasket is leaking and is most likely fouling up the spark plugs as well, also check the spark plugs for wear and especially wetness which it shouldn't have. Those years of Subaru's I hear have head gasket failures.

Someone else with a better knowledge of these cars will probably chime in, but in the meantime I would check these two things out.

[njguy]

Originally Posted by KoobleKar

It's strange that the check engine light isn't coming on. If it did, you could go to an Autozone and get the codes read for free and at leats get some idea what's going on.

That said, I would put in 4 new sparkplugs and a good set of sparkplug wires on it. Subarus tend to act that way when they need them. I believe with that year Subaru, you'll need two new valve cover gaskets when you change sparkplugs because you can't change them without removing the valve cover.

It's normal for it to not have the same amount of power with the A/C on so don't let that worry you.

But the bucking hmmmm....., I guess it could be something quite minor..............hopefully.

Also, OP please let us know if you find anything and or the outcome as this may help others in the same type scenario.

Thanks

[KoobleKar]

Yeah....we have 3 Foresters in my family. My Daughter's 2000 model (before she totaled it recently) acted exactly that way when the plugs and wires were going south. It completely stopped with new ones.

I thought it was something a lot more serious too.

But in her case the check engine light was coming on saying it was an O2 sensor. We didn't replace the sensors and the new plugs and ignition wires stopped it all. This makes sense because the forward and the rear sensors were getting different readings due to the poor burning combustion.

[njguy]

Originally Posted by KoobleKar

Yeah....we have 3 Foresters in my family. My Daughter's 2000 model (before she totaled it recently) acted exactly that way when the plugs and wires were going south. It completely stopped with new ones.

I thought it was something a lot more serious too.

But in her case the check engine light was coming on saying it was an O2 sensor. We didn't replace the sensors and the new plugs and ignition wires stopped it all. This makes sense because the forward and the rear sensors were getting different readings due to the poor burning combustion.

Hopefully this is the case with the OP's car, but the 98-02 models were notorious for head gasket failures.

Let me add that it could be just a pin hole in a vacuum line causing this problem.

[KoobleKar]

Originally Posted by njguy

the 98-02 models were notorious for head gasket failures.

You're right about that.

65,000 on a Subie isn't much though.

My Daughter's had 150,000 and the plug wires were actually arcing which obviously would cause some problems....LOL

[TheViking85]

O2 sensors are cheap enough though, if that's a possible problem. I had mine actually fall out on my Corolla once, hehe. I thought I had a big gaping hole in my exhaust.

[sunsprit]

The SOHC motors returned to the USA market in year 2000 models, and did not have the internal head gasket failure common to the 4-cam predecessor motor of the late 1990's. The OP's motor, if it had a head gasket failure, would be an external coolant seep. Not only would the OP see the puddles under the car, but there would be a fairly constant smell of hot anti-freeze in the engine compartment, with coolant loss ... and eventual overheating of the motor.

More likely, this car needs sparkplugs and ignition wires, which do fail with age. Additionally, if the air filter, O2 sensors, and fuel filter have not been recently replaced, they will contribute to this problem.

I once bought a Subie Outback wagon (far back of book wholesale) that had lots of flat spots in it's running ... and had been continuously dealership maintained per schedule ... and the entire problem was a plugged up air filter, which nobody had noticed was plugged up with leaves due to the owner parking under a bunch of trees in their yard. I knew the car had the running problem from my test drive and the owner's candid story ... and replaced the air filter on the way home with the car. The running difference was immediate, and resolved the problem. It ran beautifully all the way home, although it did get a major tune-up and new timing belt/water pump due to the mileage. My wife is still driving the car ... with over 250,000 miles on it.

[KoobleKar]

You're right! I forgot that my Daughter's Forester also had a almost completely plugged-up fuel filter as well. When I removed the old one...it was absolutely disgusting the much that was in there!