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Thread: I am a NURSE, NOT a Mechanic!!!

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    Basic Member

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    I am a NURSE, NOT a Mechanic!!!

    Hey!! Ok, not sure where to start here........ I have a 1997 Subaru Outback Legacy..... Had the head gasket changed about 2 years ago, Spring 2012....... and then a bit later the car was acting odd again, rattling and shaking, etc.... took it to the dealer and I was told that MOST of the bolts that hold the engine in place had not been put back in when the (probably) the head gasket was changed... And the dealer told me last Spring that at some point, the "oil pan gasket" would need to be replaced.... and since I am basically housebound.... (long story, don't ask...... PTSD, etc.....) Anyway...... I have not replaced the gasket because I barely drive anywhere........ but in the past month or 2, since the weather got cold...... while I am driving, and especially after driving normally for me, which is rather fast, at least 3 times when I have stopped at a stop light or something, the car just looses power and poops out... It usually starts up again...... and doesn't do it again........ UNTIL the next time I drive...... which truth be told could be over 2-3 weeks sometimes..... This PM it totally lost all power and I just coasted under a street light as I was getting on a freeway.... And I smelled GAS.... so I opened the gas cover and then took off the cap..... put it back on and closed the door...... I also checked under the hood, and the antifreeze was fine...... my car had not overheated..... and the oil was a tiny bit low, but not enough to worry about right then...... I checked the fuses under the hood and one was a bit loose..... then I tried to look at the ones in the car, but could not do it due to the traffic whizzing by....... but I did see ONE white wire just hanging there and not attached to anything...... have not see that before in any car.... after about an hour of checking everything I could think of, the thing started up again...... and I made it home..... It did the same thing, just ran out of power and shut off when I got to the top of a fairly steep hill near my house....... but it did start again, and I am home now.......... ANY IDEAS what could be wrong??? I know it's old...... but it's all I have and it's paid for......... Oh, and there was no smoke or water coming out of the exhaust when I checked...... I had only been out of the car for about one hour so it was not totally cold when I started the fun trip home...... So, any ideas???? I am not totally helpless, and have even changed the alternator in a Chev S-10 Blazer I used to have..... And I can change a tire........ But THIS CAR is so full of GADGETS, that it's difficult for me to figure it out, and I used to love to help my step dad work on cars........ OK....... if anyone has any ideas, please send them...... and yes, it does need a new air filter.......... Thanks!!!!

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    ShiftHappensLTi's Avatar

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    I am a NURSE, NOT a Mechanic!!!

    To me it sounds like a fuel issue. Have you ever had the fuel pump changed? If you smelled gas there may be a small hole in the fuel line. The cause of the loss of power could be air in the line. If it small enough it could only accumulate air while it sits. When the air reaches the engine. Boom problem. But while you are driving the pressure the fuel pump creates is enough to keep from being sucked in. Does this help?
    Last edited by ShiftHappensLTi; 03-11-2014 at 09:33 AM.

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