Thanks to all for the most insightful replies.

I should have been more clear in that I did not state that my 92 Subaru
Legacy has a MANUAL transmisison. If I might ask, where is the stamp that
has the engine size on it? It does not appear to be on the drivers side
door.

I have been looking through the Chiltons manual on this and the schematic
diagrams are very poor. Not sure that I have found the correct schematic for
the 92 but I only saw the Neutral safety switch shown in the older models.
Perhaps I missed it. Need to keep looking. Not used to working on the
Subaru. I do have a Toyota 84,4x4 pickup and I have the service manual, now
worn with use. Much better. That will teach me to get the service manual for
every car that I ever own.

Tom





"C. E. White" > wrote in message
news:47825882$1@kcnews01...
>
> "Mike Walsh" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> The neutral safety switch can keep it from starting.
>> The fact that it clicks but does not start and eventually starts after
>> several tries is what lead me to suspect the starter.
>>
>> miner_tom wrote:
>>>
>>> Mike,
>>>
>>> Thank you for the reply.
>>>
>>> I was doing some research and came across the possibility that it could
>>> be
>>> the "neutral safety switch". I had not heard of this before, nor do I
>>> know
>>> where it is on the Subaru, but it sounds interesting. I noticed that
>>> when it
>>> does not start, if I move the stick shift around, it then starts.
>>>
>>
>> --
>> Mike Walsh
>
> The fact that car starts after playing with the gearshift might be
> significant - or not. Does the car have a manual transmission or an
> automatic? If it is a manual, moving around the gearshift might move the
> flywheel just enough to correct an alignment issue between the starter
> teeth and the flywheel teeth. As far as I know, manuals don't have a
> neutral safety switch, only a clutch switch, so I think the OOP must have
> an automatic. If this is the case, it could be that starting after moving
> the gearshift indicates a problem with the neutral safety switch, Will the
> car start in neutral (as opposed to park)? However, the click indicates to
> me that the problem is not a neutral safety switch issue. I would bet the
> problem is a bad solenoid (on the starter).
>
> A bad starter solenoid will exhibit similar symptoms. If you are hearing a
> "click" it is unlikely to be the neutral safety switch. I would wager the
> "click" is the solenoid trying to engage the starter. I do not know if you
> can buy the solenoid separately, sometimes you can, sometimes you can't (I
> am talking about the solenoid mounted to the starter). The starter
> solenoid has two functions - first it moves the starter gear to engage the
> ring gear on the flywheel or flexplate, then it energizes the starter (by
> shorting across some terminals).
>
> The solenoid can be related to a failure to start for a number of reason:
>
> 1) - the wiring to the solenoid can be bad
> 2) - the actual solenoid windings can be bad, preventing the solenoid from
> engaging
> 3) - the solenoid slug (the moving part) might have restricted movement
> due to contamination, a problem with starter alignment, or bad teeth on
> the starter or ring gear. If the slug doesn't travel the full distance,
> the contacts aren't closed and no current is sent to the starter
> 4) - the wiring to the starter might be bad. It will carry enough current
> to energize the solenoid, but the wiring has so much resistance that it
> can't power the starter motor
> 5) - a weak battery might have enough current to activate the solenoid,
> but not actually crank the engine
>
> Ed
>