Nomad_Brad Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 I was out at teh junk yard today getting some RX springs for my car and I hit the button to kick it into awd, did a little dirft, back into 2wd for the highway, later the same day, kicked it into AWD no problem, then I clicked it out for 2wd, and CLICK,...it makes a kinda hard shift or something when going back into 2wd, did it a copuple times and it pops/clicks every time.......am I low on some fluids? something about to go out? Kinda sounds like its coming from the axles/close to the tranny......... -Nomad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 (edited) Are u putting it into "4wd" (not awd) on the pavement. If so...dont. Its not designed to work on pavement. Its only designed to work in limited traction such as slick roads (sand, snow, rain..u get the drift). Edited August 13, 2010 by hatchsub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nomad_Brad Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 yeah it was on the road, but at low low speed, I have done it before with no problem OR NOISE, but now its making a pretty bad noise.....nothing is wrong with the tranny is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nomad_Brad Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 Are u putting it into "4wd" (not awd) on the pavement. If so...dont. Its not designed to work on pavement. Its only designed to work in limited traction such as slick roads (sand, snow, rain..u get the drift). I believe AWD, I don't have the high low box.....just on the fly button on the stick..... -Nomad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 yeah it was on the road, but at low low speed, I have done it before with no problem OR NOISE, but now its making a pretty bad noise.....nothing is wrong with the tranny is it? Are you saying the trans is making noise all the time or just going into and out of 4wd? If its making noise all the time now then i would say you did something. If its only going into and out of 4wd ill let someone who actually owns a 4wd subaru chim in here lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nomad_Brad Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 Are you saying the trans is making noise all the time or just going into and out of 4wd? If its making noise all the time now then i would say you did something. If its only going into and out of 4wd ill let someone who actually owns a 4wd subaru chim in here lol. It goes IN just fine, but when coming OUT it "clicks" or "pops" just one time and then its fine again... -Nomad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Im pretty sure a click or pop are fine as long as its disengaging. Be thankful you can get it to disengage lol. There are people on this board for years that complain of not being able to disengage their trans from 4wd cause they engaged it on pavement. Engaging on dry pavement is a no no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nomad_Brad Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 Im pretty sure a click or pop are fine as long as its disengaging. Be thankful you can get it to disengage lol. There are people on this board for years that complain of not being able to disengage their trans from 4wd cause they engaged it on pavement. Engaging on dry pavement is a no no. thats scary!!!!!, but I have disengaged it MANY times and never experienced this noise.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Txakura Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 I dunno, my S/R 5 clunked for years when disengaging... I'm sure it could have been looked at and some money spent, but it always worked and seemed otherwise okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nomad_Brad Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 I dunno, my S/R 5 clunked for years when disengaging... I'm sure it could have been looked at and some money spent, but it always worked and seemed otherwise okay. Like a pretty nasty clunk? Its just like 1 soild clunk. kinda like the cv joint is catching up or something.....you would think it would make a noise engaging, not disengaging -Nomad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nomad_Brad Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 bump...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo5speedgl Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 If your tires are worn differently or tire pressure could it be binding cuz of the tire size differences? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Txakura Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Like a pretty nasty clunk? Its just like 1 soild clunk. kinda like the cv joint is catching up or something.....you would think it would make a noise engaging, not disengaging-Nomad nope just disengaging, listened to it for many years, still worked fine when I pulled it for a d/r 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 My d/r clunks a bit when I engage/disengage 4wd. It's pretty normal for any 4wd tranny to clunk when going in and out of 4wd. But NEVER USE 4WD ON DRY PAVEMENT!!!! that's the first rule of 4wd in any vehicle!! There's no reason to anyway. And you yours is 4wd even on the s/r. The orange button clearly says "4wd" on it and you get the 4wd light on the dash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricearu Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 my d/r does it, especially if I turn right before i disengage. I learned my lesson about 4wd on pavement when my trans and diff played "you are the weakest link" with my axles. The passenger front lost. Then exploded, literally. Right in the middle of the tax office parking lot. sounded like a grenade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nomad_Brad Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 my d/r does it, especially if I turn right before i disengage. I learned my lesson about 4wd on pavement when my trans and diff played "you are the weakest link" with my axles. The passenger front lost. Then exploded, literally. Right in the middle of the tax office parking lot. sounded like a grenade. Maybe this is about to happen? cuz it kinda seem to beem from the axle right there, my tires are just little stock guys and should be up to pressure, so you guys are saying its pretty normal or should I go play with it on some dirt/mud? changing both cv's might reduce this noise, yes? (and not laying off fry pavement switches) -Nomad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricearu Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 unless they click when turning, the cv's are fine, what i meant by my little story was that the stress of winding up the drive train by turning hard on dry pavement can brake stuff and shouldn't be done. As long as it disengages, I would ignore the crap out of it personally. wait, I already ignore the crap out of it. Mine clunks just about every time I disengage. (184k mi stock d/r 5spd) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nomad_Brad Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 oh I got a BADDD cv joint, getting new ones on Saturday, 2 of them, gonna keep the one thats good still for the spare. might get some new bearings while I'm at it........ -Nomad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robm Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Your car has 4WD, not AWD. Using 4WD while turning on pavement will do nasty things to the drivetrain, as other have posted. On the straight, it is not too bad, but why bother? The clunk you are hearing is because your front tires are worn, and not the same diameter as the rear ones. Even a slight difference will cause this. Rotate your tires, and don't use that button until snow falls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 If everything is in *decent* shape - mostly meaning the axles are halfway decent, etc - and the tires are the same brand/size/inflation, you can use 4WD on dry pavement all day long. As an example - I have an '83 Hatch that is my daily. It has ~260k on it. The transmission has basically no thrid gear syncro but otherwise functions alright. If has newish EMPI axles in the front - OEM originals in the rear. Good tires with 33 to 35 psi in each - I check them most every day since a few leak. Since I have no third gear - I use 4th gear but in 4WD low range. When making sharp parking maneuvers or hard turns I go back to 2WD and generally I want 2nd gear for those anyway so it works out fine. The only time I have broken ANYTHING on pavement is when I've had bad/worn axles - and those will break even in 2WD. I broke a front axle in 2WD on my lifted wagon just pulling out onto a highway once - I threw it into 4WD and kept on going with 1WD to the welded rear (one axle removed). All my 4WD dry pavement breakages have been in lifted rigs and usually is a rear axle on something with huge tires and a welded diff. Don't be afraid of 4WD for pavement - not on a stock height/stock tire EA Subaru anyway. If you break an axle then very likely it was going to need replacement in the near future or was overdue anyway. If you are binding then you don't have it setup right. It should only bind in tight turns and it should chirp the tires long before you damage anything. I just remember to take it out of 4WD if I'm going to turn and it drives completely normal. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricearu Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 If everything is in *decent* shape - mostly meaning the axles are halfway decent, etc - and the tires are the same brand/size/inflation, you can use 4WD on dry pavement all day long. As an example - I have an '83 Hatch that is my daily. It has ~260k on it. The transmission has basically no thrid gear syncro but otherwise functions alright. If has newish EMPI axles in the front - OEM originals in the rear. Good tires with 33 to 35 psi in each - I check them most every day since a few leak. Since I have no third gear - I use 4th gear but in 4WD low range. When making sharp parking maneuvers or hard turns I go back to 2WD and generally I want 2nd gear for those anyway so it works out fine. The only time I have broken ANYTHING on pavement is when I've had bad/worn axles - and those will break even in 2WD. I broke a front axle in 2WD on my lifted wagon just pulling out onto a highway once - I threw it into 4WD and kept on going with 1WD to the welded rear (one axle removed). All my 4WD dry pavement breakages have been in lifted rigs and usually is a rear axle on something with huge tires and a welded diff. Don't be afraid of 4WD for pavement - not on a stock height/stock tire EA Subaru anyway. If you break an axle then very likely it was going to need replacement in the near future or was overdue anyway. If you are binding then you don't have it setup right. It should only bind in tight turns and it should chirp the tires long before you damage anything. I just remember to take it out of 4WD if I'm going to turn and it drives completely normal. GD oh yeah, I needed a new one before hand. lol, but it made sure to let me know which one it was when i turned into that parking space. I just shoved the axle back into the cup and put it in 4HI Man I love these cars. Cant do that with AWD! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 I believe AWD, I don't have the high low box.....just on the fly button on the stick..... Believe whatever you want, but....... Your car is NOT AWD. And yeah, using the 4wd on pavement will cause all kinds of stress and eventually damage things in your trans and certainly will be hard on your axles. A bit of a pop when disengaging is kinda normal........but will always be more prominent if you have stress in the drvetrain. I always make sure to disengage my 4wd before I leave the low traction (gravel, snow) and get back on pavement. That way there isn't any binding of the drivetrain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robm Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 I use my 4WD a lot like GD does: OK on the highway, not turning at parking lot speeds unless the parking lot is loose surfaced. And not if the parking lot is icy (guaranteed skid). I drive like this in the winter, as road conditions may change around the next blind corner. There is no point in the summer. Driving in 4WD with tires that are more worn on one end will rapidly wear the tires on the other end the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nomad_Brad Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 I guess it could be the tires but I think they are pretty even, might be time to rotate them but i have never heard this noise before and thats why it worried me, It doesn't bind or anything when I turn just "POPS" when I take it outta 4wd.....New axles tomorrow:banana: -Nomad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted August 14, 2010 Share Posted August 14, 2010 but i have never heard this noise before and thats why it worried me, It doesn't bind or anything when I turn just "POPS" when I take it outta 4wd..... This is probably because you've damaged the rear output engagement collar or the gear or both. When you use the 4wd on pavement, espescially with mismatching tires, you create alot of stress in the drivetrain as the front and back try to turn different amounts. That built up stress releases in that "pop" when you take it out of 4wd. It's pretty simple. Use the 4wd in gravel, mud, snow, or even heavy rain(standing water)..............and you will not have any binding. Use it on pavement, or forget to disengage it before leaving mud, gravel, etc...... and you will have the resulting pop. Or worse yet, it may fail to disengage someday (had it happen on my first subaru, stuck in 4wd) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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