hanyou Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 To get right into things, I have a 1998 Lancaster that is acting strange. When I shift into gear, then let off the brake the vehicle slammed into gear a bit. I threw codes for a knock sensor but nothing else. The threads for the sensor got stripped so it was left alone and the ecu wires around the pedals were unplugged to pass a Japanese inspection since the car was running fine with good mileage. It is not plugged in at the moment because of this. After roughly 700 miles or so on supposedly new tires, it stripped the tread off. Assuming the tires were not balanced or alignment off, I put in a new set of tires of the same size. Stock tires are 16s, the tires on it when I got it/just replaced are 215 60 17s. I now have a bit of a slapping sound at very low speeds that I assume is rocks stuck to the tire sticker residue. More importantly, my power light continuously flashes and really slams into gear having messed with nothing but the tires. Today is the first day it has actually been driven and my wife said it would not even shift out of 1st gear, even getting up to 60kph. I suspect a combination of speed sensor and knock sensor messing with the timing/shift points. I am limited to using the on base hobby shop so cannot mess with it as much as id like. I intend to jack up the vehicle with no tires on and see how it works that way. Any wiser thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 just some thougts; if those are green connectors, pretty sur ethey should stay disconnected for normal driving. checked the transmission fluid? do it while idling, if the car's at operating temp - level should be between H and L for the HOT marks. You may need to wait a minute or 2 after pulling the stick to get decent readings. I believe folks have found another site on the block where a knock sensors can be connected. Try a search or hopefully someone will reply with more details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanyou Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share Posted April 14, 2013 The green should be the test connectors.. this is the black connectors. The pos that sold me the car had them unplugged already to hide the issue. The knock sensor is currently mounted on an empty hole above the torque converter until I find a better location. Tranny fluid looked good and full. Tranny filter next if I can track one down, parts are ungodly expensive over here. ($60 for a paper air filter? wtf) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 In another thread, Ivan mentioned dented trans pans causing problems. And mikleda mentioned the possibility of clogged trans cooler lines in the rad. You temporarily bypass those line for testing purposes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikaleda Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 It sounds to me like the TCM is in limp mode since its not shifting and you can still get to 60mph it's not in first it's probably stuck in third wich is part of the limp mode. Vss or vehicle speed sensor could be at fault, but it sounds like it might be something more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikaleda Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 (edited) The green should be the test connectors.. this is the black connectors. The pos that sold me the car had them unplugged already to hide the issue. The knock sensor is currently mounted on an empty hole above the torque converter until I find a better location. Tranny fluid looked good and full. Tranny filter next if I can track one down, parts are ungodly expensive over here. ($60 for a paper air filter? wtf) These trans have an internal screen that lasts the life of the trans it just needs to be cleaned, have heard of people putting knock sensors in other holes when the bolt snaps of, that shold be fine. The knock sensor only controls engine timing, the TPS is the only sensor on the engine that has anything to do with the trans. Black connecters are for read memory mode and should only be plugged in koeo. What Ivan mentioned in another thread is an o ring on the filter than can get ripped or damaged and caus ethe fluid to get air bubles and cause shifting and other problems Edit: you trans may have an external spin on filter if it is a phase 2 4eat Edited April 14, 2013 by mikaleda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanyou Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share Posted April 14, 2013 It is 60kph -- 37mph, fastest road in Japan that I know of around here. Wife said the rpms were rather high, 3k or more. Taking it to work tomorrow to see how it goes, though it sounds about undriveable. It only has 92,xxx km on it so id imagine its never had the filters or tranny fluid replaced, air filter was definitely the factory one anyways. Just seems odd that it had that size tire, got replaced, then all of the sudden decided there is an issue. I have heard of codes from the power light, but I am not sure which model to go by since the 98 Lancaster is roughly the 2000s model Outback stateside rather than the 90s one. Not to mention that its a steady equal on off on off without pauses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikaleda Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 (edited) It is 60kph -- 37mph, fastest road in Japan that I know of around here. Wife said the rpms were rather high, 3k or more. Taking it to work tomorrow to see how it goes, though it sounds about undriveable. It only has 92,xxx km on it so id imagine its never had the filters or tranny fluid replaced, air filter was definitely the factory one anyways. Just seems odd that it had that size tire, got replaced, then all of the sudden decided there is an issue. I have heard of codes from the power light, but I am not sure which model to go by since the 98 Lancaster is roughly the 2000s model Outback stateside rather than the 90s one. Not to mention that its a steady equal on off on off without pauses.Ahhh kph my bad sorry, ya try cleaning the filter check that o ring on the filter and drain and refill three times with a drive cycle in between drains. That shold get most of the fluid changed, as for the power light codes that would probably be the TCM codes and I believe you get those through the OBDII scanner.That tire size should be okay as long as they are all the same size Edited April 14, 2013 by mikaleda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanyou Posted April 18, 2013 Author Share Posted April 18, 2013 Slapping sound turned into a bit of a thunking sound.. lug nuts backed out a bit so had some tire wobble, everything is golden for that now. Power light is still flashing and thunks into gear but it varies about how much based on temp outside it seems. Tranny fluid was almost see through clear color so I am assuming it is factory fluid from 98. I intend to swap it and the filter out tomorrow (<3 Subaru for having a drain plug on their tranny) and take a look at the differential fluids. Barring that I am a bit lost, I would think speed sensor with the different tire size, but with the power light flashing nonstop once I turn the car on it seems unlikely. Hoping I can find a different spot to mount the knock sensor as well, hate having christmas tree dashboard. On the bright side a newer turbo is being sold for cheap(?) at work so worst case I can part this one into the new one and junk this one, though I've hardly the heart to junk a Soob... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikaleda Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Hopefully the filter change and flush will fix the problem, it could, but the flashing power light seems to suggest something to do with the TCM. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanyou Posted May 5, 2013 Author Share Posted May 5, 2013 Messed around a bit more and ended up with code 75 for line pressure duty solenoid.. When I jacked up the car to mess with the tires I had jacked on the tranny pan and the rear dif, so I dropped the pan and took a look before swapping fluids. Everything looked fine so I reseated the connectors and gave it fresh fluids. The shifting is going smoother but still noticeable and the car utterly lacks power going up any sort of incline. I am also getting 120km (75 miles) for half a tank of gas compared to 100km per 1/4 tank now. Unhooked the battery for the night and finally cleared my CEL codes I previously took care of, but the power light is still there. It feels like I am finally shifting outside of 3d though. I have been drudging the internet for a better picture of the solenoid as I have heard it is in/on the tranny as well as in the engine bay but I have yet to find anything remotely helpful. Mechanic off base thinks the transmission is toast (didnt know about the solenoid) but as I said, the car only has 50k miles on it and doesnt seem likely for the condition/location. I did pull a code for the IACV at one point but I cleaned it up really well (again) and it seems the code is gone. PCV valve also previously cleaned. When I plug in the ECU cable I just get a flashing CEL with no codes. Cant find a single air leak and it has a fresh air filter/oil/tranny fluid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 Green connectors are for test mode and as far as I know do not cause the cel to blink any specific codes, it will only cause the light to blink. The black connectors are clear memory and and erases codes when the key is turned on when connected. Both sets of plugs should be UNPLUGGED for normal operation. They should only be plugged in temporarily for testing purposes. An I reading this correctly? You raised the car by putting the jack under the transmission pan?! That's a problem, and would certainly cause internal damage to the transmission. There is a plate not even a foot away (forward of the transmission) in the center on the bottom of the front cross member that Subaru calls "jack plate" which can be used for jack placement when lifting the vehicle. You should never lift a vehicle by jacking under engine transmission or drivetrain components, such as the rear differential. The only exception to that is if its a vehicle with a solid rear axle, such as a pickup truck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikaleda Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 (edited) I don't think you trans is toast, Id replace that cylinoid and see what happens, but before you replace it check the connection for corrosion. Edit: did you jack it up on the trans pan? That could cause problems. Edited May 5, 2013 by mikaleda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanyou Posted May 6, 2013 Author Share Posted May 6, 2013 Not the green connectors, the black ones. Messed around with it a bit today and the power light went out. Once I started driving it kicked back on but it does still need a bit of tranny fluid. Hoping topping off the fluid will do it, slightly below the cold fill now that its been driven a bit. Should know in two days when the stores open again :s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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