re. Lugging

[brian_miller]

I earlier posted the message

"I have a 1999 Suburu Legacy, standard transmission, with about 130K
miles. It has been a very good car. But lately, when the engine starts
to lug, it goes berserk. Instead of the gentle lurching I've
experienced with every car I have owned, it lurches wildly at the onset

of lugging. It did not do this until recently. Has anyone experienced
this behavior. Better yet, does anyone know how to fix it? "

Apparently my use of the verb "lugging" was a poor choice. I am not
actually lugging the engine. Imagine driving up a steep hill in 4th
gear. If the hill is long enough and steep enough, eventually you will
have to downshift. We all know the feeling; the car isn't yet lugging
but you can tell that you are running out of power. It is at this point
that my Legacy starts to spasm. I could not think of a simple way to
describe this condition, so I called it lugging. I have driven standard
transmission equipped vehicles for over 30 years, I don't lug the
engine before downshifting and I maintain that my car's behavior is
abnormal (and irritating). So any advice more constructive than "Don't
lug your engine?"

 

[Rick Courtright]

of lugging. It did not do this until recently. Has anyone experienced
this behavior. Better yet, does anyone know how to fix it? "

Hi,

Have you checked air/fuel delivery: fuel filter, pinched lines, run a
can of cleaner thru the system, clean air filter, etc.? I won't say
that's your problem, but I've had a couple of cars that acted somewhat
like your description when there was some kind of restriction.

Rick