'97 Legacy L questions

[CER]

If anyone can clue me in on the following two issues for my dad - I would be very grateful. He owns a '97 Subaru Legacy L with 2.2L and 5sp Manual, AWD.

Here are the issues:

 

1. There is noise and some backlash when shifting in lower gears and in the neighborhood of 45-55 mph it makes a noisy and annoying whine. He has changed both the rear differential and the front trans axle (one at a time and in that order) and neither have resolved the problem.

 

2. Someone engaged the child safety latch on the rear driver's side door. Now the door cannot be opened from either the inside or the outside. Any clues how to open the door?

 

If you are knowledgeable on these issues your reply would be most appreciated. And, if you would consider allowing him to call you please send your name and phone number to my e-mail djr060886@verizon.net or call him at 434-929-8888

[OB99W]

1. There is noise and some backlash when shifting in lower gears and in the neighborhood of 45-55 mph it makes a noisy and annoying whine. He has changed both the rear differential and the front trans axle (one at a time and in that order) and neither have resolved the problem.

Any vibration noticed? Any difference going straight versus left or right turn? Drive shaft checked for U-joint play?

 

 

2. Someone engaged the child safety latch on the rear driver's side door. Now the door cannot be opened from either the inside or the outside. Any clues how to open the door?

The child safety latch should only prevent opening from the inside. If the door can't be opened from the outside, make sure the door is unlocked (either electrically via switch, or manually at the door).

[johnceggleston]

'97 Subaru Legacy L with 2.2L and 5sp Manual, AWD.

 

1. There is noise and some backlash when shifting in lower gears and in the neighborhood of 45-55 mph it makes a noisy and annoying whine. He has changed both the rear differential and the front trans axle (one at a time and in that order) and neither have resolved the problem.

 

i hope you mean he changed the axles, not the transaxle which is the transmission. is the niose engine rpm speed related, wheel speed related or does it make the noise at certain sppeds or vibrations? the exhaust heat shields are known for making noise and this could be it , if it isn't rotation related.

 

 

2. Someone engaged the child safety latch on the rear driver's side door. Now the door cannot be opened from either the inside or the outside. Any clues how to open the door?

 

i take it the electric lock does not work on that door. you are probably going to have to pull the interior door panel and manually operate the mechanism. there is one screw at the door pull handle and another at the latch pull for opening it, but with the door closed it will be tricky to work lose from the door.

 

do slim jims work on these doors??????

 

a good tow truck operator might be able to open it, or a locksmith???

[GeneralDisorder]

Someone that knows the internals of a Subaru door could probably pop it open with a slim jim. Otherwise you are going to have to probably destroy the inner door panel to get at the outer handle mechanism and work it from the back. Sounds like one of the actuating rods has come loose or broken away from the outside door handle.

 

The noise could be a variety of things really - u-joints, heat sheilds, transmission input shaft bearings, wheel bearings..... the list is almost endless. You'll have to get under it and start shaking stuff, inspecting stuff, and maybe hanging out the window while driving to see if you can isolate where it's comming from. I could make guesses all day as to what some strange noise might be and when it's found I would probably still be wrong .

 

GD