MilesTolle Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 (edited) I am trying to figure out where this noise is coming from, I am leaning toward the torque converter being the problem, but not 100 present sure and it is a lot of work to remove the transmission just to be wrong once placing in a new torque converter, So would like to get everyone's thoughts and will add a video if after I am done writing this up it allow's me to. Here is some information on the car, as well what I have already tried and done. 1993 Subaru Legacy ls awd automatic transmission 2.2 engine... Here is things I thought it was.... replaced power steering belt, replaced power steering assembly... replaced rack and pinion... even took out the rack completely and took off belt to see if I still heard the noise and I did. The noise is coming if you are under the car really strong noise when it does it where the engine and transmission connect together..... Usually after starting up the car if i put the car in drive or reverse the noise starts without even moving forward or reverse just setting in place holding brake.... I can even sometimes get it to make the noise when pumping the brakes over and over and the noise will start. once it starts making that noise if you are in drive or reverse and then put back to neutral or park it will make the noise for a while then gradually stop after a while..... I seen a couple videos with the similar noise and they claimed they had to put grease on the real main oil seal and it fixed there problem... I was even going to try that but unlike there car I cannot get to my rear main oil seal by dropping the oil pan and seeing at least some of the seal.... so there is no way i can try that method by just taking off the oil pan to put some grease on oil seal I have never heard this type of noise before on a car so I am unsure of what the problem is and like I said its a big job now for me at the age of 55 to lay on hard ground in a carport to remove the transmission to replace the converter. So at least before I attempt to do that sort of work again I would like to be sure if possible that it is the converter making that noise..... So please if you have a thought on this please let me know Thank you.... 1_0.mp4 Edited July 12, 2018 by MilesTolle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosens Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 For kicks , can you rotate the engine by hand with a 22mm socket on the crank bolt and check the flex plate bolts thru the opening atop the bell housing ? The video doesn’t really sound like a flex plate but again just to be sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesTolle Posted July 12, 2018 Author Share Posted July 12, 2018 Hi thank you for responding I checked them a couple days ago I think it was, and the bolts were tight I tried to tighten them a bit more though. I could not see nothing wrong as well as I turned the engine over to view the flex plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 My advice is pull the engine and leave the transmission in place. Much easier this way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesTolle Posted July 12, 2018 Author Share Posted July 12, 2018 U think it could be the torque converter then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 I have no idea other than the noise appears to be coming from that area and once the engine is pulled, a visible inspection should show the source. TC failure is very rare and that greasing the rear main "solution" seems pretty far fetched to me. I would suspect a cracked felex plate way before a failing TC. Just recently pulled and reinstalled an engine in my 08 and not that bad a task and I have you by 15 more years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 Most subaru auto's have a thin metal cover under the lower bell housing access hole to the torque converter area. if that plate gets pushed or bent at all it'll rub the TC teeth and can make noise. as intermittent as yours sounds it doesn't sound like this is likely but it's an easy check. 1. Fluid level is all good? 2. No check engine light? 3. Is the AT light blinking 16 times at start up? TC's are hard to diagnose in my opinion - they don't fail very often so not many Subaru people are familiar with it. what we need is some of the Subaru shop specialists like GD or Gloyale to comment on how they diagnose failed TC's. They happen ocassionally and surely a subaru specific shop has seen it numerous times. completely ignore everything you saw or heard about "greasing the rear seal" - that makes absolutely no sense at all. Subaru's are sealed systems and there's no way greasing a seal could alleviate anything in regards to your issue. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 The rubber cover for the bell housing access hole has probably fallen in and is rubbing on the flex plate. GD 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesTolle Posted July 12, 2018 Author Share Posted July 12, 2018 (edited) well its not the torque converter after all, somewhere air is not getting out of the engine and its causing it to have to come though probable the rear main seal, air is building up inside the engine as you start the car and let it run for a few, then if you pull the oil dip stick a big sound of air comes out of the dip stick holder and the noise stops, then put back the dip stick when it builds up air again in the engine in like one minute the noise starts again till you pull up the oil dip stick again...........Anyone Know why air is building up inside the engine? When I drained the oil pan you should of seen it come out of it like a flood cause of the air inside the engine. Edited July 12, 2018 by MilesTolle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 Sounds like you need to address a clogged up block breather and PCV system. This what you get for running non-synthetic oil and/or not changing it frequently enough. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesTolle Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 (edited) I use castrol synthetic have used it from day one of owning the car 10w-30 and I change oil twice a year and only drive the car to doctors and to get gas for mowing......... I will check the pcv and breather tomorrow..... I do thank you it was kind of you to respond.... I had a guy that came by today that works on cars, that said he believed it was the head gasket causing air to get into the engine like that , I have not heard of that before in a blown head gasket usually car overheats I thought, Never heard of tons of air getting into engine to make that noise, then when I pull the dip stick out air comes out of the dip stick holder and noise stops..... have you heard of a head gasket causing that sort of problem where air builds up in the engine and causes the rear main seal to squeak, then if you pull up the oil dip stick you can hear the air come out hard and the noise stops Edited July 13, 2018 by MilesTolle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 blown headgaskets do not "suck air in" to the block.. they can cause exhaust gasses to build up, but that is usually into the cooling system, not the crank case, so I would take what that guy said with several grains of salt... R&R the PCV system - that is most likely the cause of your issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 was work done before this began? engine removed or a lot of parts removed for access? wondering if breather/PCV hoses are misrouted somehow or brake booster hose reversed or misrouted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesTolle Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 I do remember that a while back I had replaced the throttle position sensor and the idle air control valve.. so I had to take off the intake hose and some other hoses connected around the intake hose and along side the idle air control valve to replace them.. What you all are saying does make since and I am picking up another pcv tomorrow, and also going to check all hoses to make sure they are on correctly I will let you all know, thank you all so much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montana tom Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 Miles; Just a tip. Only buy a Subaru pcv, the parts store ones have been known to suck the oil right out. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesTolle Posted July 20, 2018 Author Share Posted July 20, 2018 I guess it was the pcv valve, never had one to do that before, the old one after taking it off i could hear it rattle inside when shaking it that usually means its ok and not stuck, got me... but that seems to of helped it I am not hearing that noise now, but when i remove the oil dip stick when letting the car idle for around 5 minutes i can hear air coming out of it still yet maybe its suppose to be so much that goes into the engine I am not sure... But at least so far it is not such a large amount that its causing the air to have to come out of the rear main oil seal to make that noise...... This sure is a new one on me never seen that happen before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesTolle Posted July 22, 2018 Author Share Posted July 22, 2018 is it normal for some air noise to come out of the dip stick after you have let the car run for a while? and check the oil when car is running? just to see if it makes that noise of course, cause i never check the oil level with car running, it is just to test to see if i hear air coming out of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el_freddo Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 You will always hear noise/feel air movements through the dipstick or when you remove the oil cap with the engine running. You might hear a slight change in idle. Cheers Bennie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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