Newbie needs help!

[Gayle]

Hi. My name is Gayle and I bought my 2000 forester in November.

Since I got it it's had the spluttery backfiring problem that I've read about all over the internet. Before I got the car, the previous owner had changed the plugs and leads within the last 6 months. When I plugged in the green plug the light flashed up a knock sensor fault so I replaced that, making sure the wire was at the right angle. It made no difference at all.

The problem seems to be worse when it's damp which it always is in scotland!

I then thought it could be the coil pack but don't fancy shelling out for a new one if this isn't the problem. Strange thing is, my car has the female coil pack with the built in plug (no part numbers either usefully) whereas when I put my reg number into parts suppliers pages, it pulls up the coil packs with male connectors. The coil pack has obviously been changed before but is it possible to fit the wrong one with different leads too?

I then attempted to plug the car into the laptop using my vagcom cable but that doesn't work either. Read somewhere that my car is too early for it to work though.

So all in all, this is a plea to anyone with either any good ideas or someone near me that could plug it in and see what the problem is. Sorry for my long winded first post!

 

[Greenmamba]

Confirm there is no oil around the plug boots? Are all engine grounds/earths OK, clean and tight? Has the check engine light come on at all?

[Gayle]

Hi,

Thanks for getting back to me. No oil around plugs, all earth's are tight. Battery is fairly new and straps are on and tight. No engine light has ever come on.

Tried another car parts website yesterday and it seems to think it should have a coil pack with male ends too. Would it make a difference if the wrong coilpack and leads have been fitted?

[Greenmamba]

Someone more informed/wise about Foresters will have to chime in. I don't know the answer to that one.