My96 imported impreza WRX classic with EJ20...I appreciate its almost impossible to diagnose a fault without being there but thought id just see if anyone had any ideas. My classic was struggling to start and getting more and more frequent to cut a long story short the starter wasnt engaging the flywheel (elec side of starter circuit is absolutely fine) i spaced out the starter to assist the angled drive on the gear and it started 9 times out of 10 however more and more frequently it will crank but not fire 1st or 2nd time? then itl go and when running its absolutely fine. could it be the crank sensor dicking about? theres no lights on and when running its spot on...

any help much appreciated.

regards dale.

 

my classic import had a bad starting issue.

would take several minutes to start. would turn over and over until it eventually fired.

replaced the spark plugs and its been fine ever since.

 

I was going to suggest that the battery was on the way out (not powerful enough to 'throw' the gear assy) --- but, u say to elecs side is fine.......................................

 

yeh voltage/volt drop is fine even tried another batt as i had a new one in the garage for the mothers car, ive not looked at the spark side of things yet not enough time in the day!! although the plugs that are in there arent even 6 months old yet....

 

Id be 99% sure in saying its the crank sensor. very common. exactly the same symptoms for when i had my classic, an mine went.

As for the starter. The bushes had gone which caused problems too. get another from a scrappy, millions of them about