1996-1999 axle ratio question

[whynot]

are all of the subaru leagcy outback wagons in the 96-99 models the same gear ratio? Can I just swap a rear diff with another one? or do I have to find a specific one, and how do I tell?

Trying to find a care to rebuild using parts from my wrecked 99

 

Thanks

[dp213]

Automatics have different ratio than the manuals. Other than that they are the same.

[idosubaru]

I'm assuming you mean *final drive ratio* of the front and rear diff?  (your title says "axle" and second sentence says "gear ratio" which implies transmission?)

 

If you're talking about the 1999 Outback in your sig - then your final drive ratio is the same as all 1996-1999 Automatic EJ25 legacy/outbacks.

 

 

Automatics have different ratio than the manuals. Other than that they are the same.

 

There are different final drive ratios even amongst automatics and manuals:

 

No EJ22 (or EJ18) vehicles have 4.44 final drive of the outback.  EJ22's/EJ18's are 4.11 and 3.9.

 

Automatic Phase I EJ25's have 4.44 final drive ratios.

Manual Phase I EJ25's have 4.11 final drive ratios.

[whynot]

Thanks, Yes I was asking about the diff. I was thinking of getting a car that had a bad diff, or something else wrong in the rear drive, but would run Front drive fine. I decided to go with one that needs head gaskets instead.

Thanks

[idosubaru]

That's the way to go headgasket needing ones are a dime a dozen, Subaru rear diff failure is so rare you're not going to find one for sale.

[whynot]

Found one that he said needed a rear diff, but not sure that was the issue. The guy would not go below 650. The one that needs HG was 500. They are getting hard to find here, maybe it is the time of year.

[idosubaru]

probably is partially time of year.  patience is very helpful.  as soon as you commit to a B grade vehicle you'll see 9 A grade ones in the coming weeks. 

 

if someone said it was the rear diff - it wasn't.  they're misdiagnosed all the time, very very common.  it's usually wheel bearing, torque bind (center diff), or driveshaft ujoints. 

[whynot]

Thanks, 

This one needs HG bad, it is steaming out the tail pipe, and the water in the radiator is boiling so to speak, and a salvaged title, but the car looks good and drives good, so I will do the HG, it is 198K any reason to do rings and bearings while it is out of the car? Anything else I should look at? it is an automatic.

Thanks again.

Edited November 17, 2016 by whynot

[idosubaru]

severly overheated engine are prone to loose rod and main bearings in the future.  there's no way to verify or tell though.  the heat cyling ruins the bearings and oil supply.

 

so it sort of depends - if you dont' mind doing that labor for what might end up as a boat anchor by years end, have at it.  

if you can do a little discerning - like have an idea how badly it was overheated - that can help you gauge risk. 

if it's as bad as it sounds - overheats immediately like this - i'd guess it was severely overheated and i wouldn't want that block myself, but i'm picky and if i spend time on an engine it better have a very good chance at 100,000 more reliable miles without coming out again. 

 

theoretically you could mail the oil off to an oil analysis place and see if there's metal/bearing material in it - but that's not perfect and has downsides too.  

 

in general very few people split subaru blocks but a few folks do it. 

[whynot]

So my car that was in an accident has bad HG on it, it drove fine but would get hot enough to turn off the ac at 80mph, in 90F temps. So I could pull that one and put it in, the car was in a front end hit, that smashed the radiator to the front of the engine. The pulley above the left cam pulley is broekn, but I may have done that when I tried to pry the front of the car away from the engine. 

I turned the car over before that, it was slow but turned over, so I thought it was due to the drag from the radiator. I did not try after I found the broke pulley and the timing belt off. But I should be able to tell when I remove the head if there is a bent valve or anything correct? I am leaning to using this engine that I know the history of, as opposed to the unknown one.

Why do so few split the block and do main and rod bearings? is it difficult to get correct? 

 

Thanks

[idosubaru]

bearings aren't cheap, machine shop work isn't cheap, checking clearances, over or undersizing - it just gets labor, parts, and $$$ intensive.

 

main bearings, rod bearings, piston rings, honing.

 

people do it, it's not necessarily difficult, typical bolts and engine stuff, nothing complicated or abnormal. 

 

I've always wondered why can't you take a nominal block with no current issues, otherwise unknown, and install new rod and main bearings?.

[matt167]

You can just ring and bearing a good engine. I even considered it with my car. Ring and bearing kit for a 2.5 is in the realm of $350. Some even include gaskets for that. It would be a lot for a novice though. Case has to come apart several times for checking clearances. Not like pulling main caps on a normal engine

[whynot]

I did the rods mains and rings on my dodge neon. Nothing except changing them as I was replacing the head gasket at 135000 miles. They were cheap. Just dropped the pan and did it all right there in the car. 

I have never done anything except valve cover gaskets to this engine. I can not just split the case, replace the bearings and bolt it back together like I did the neon? If not, then I gues I will just do the head gasket and maybe rings. This car has a little over 200K on it.