Auto differential problem

[joecefnhedog]

Hello

I floated my 1998 2nd gen automatic Subaru today, I put it in drive and noticed that only three wheels were spinning. The front passenger side was stationary; My friend put his foot on the gas and I could see the wheel inching around but never anything near a rotation. The wheel moved freely by hand.  What do you think I need to check first? I'm going to be flushing out the front diff oil in the morning, see if that helps. 

 

Back story: I have been trying to find out why my car has been pulling to the left ever since owning the car, checked all the brake calipers, pads, discs etc. alignment is all fine. I didn't expect this to be the cause, so this must have been a problem ever since I bought the car.

Thanks for any help, 

Goodnight.

[1 Lucky Texan]

I'm not certain I follow everything in you post but, our cars have open differentials in the front and, most, have an open differential at the rear. So, you won't see power at all 4 at the same time.

 

This is not to say there may not be a problem with a broken axle or bad differential, but what you observed seems normal.

 

with all wheels in the air, no parking brake applied and the trans in neutral, if you turn one front wheel, the other side should turn the opposite direction. If the car has a VLSD in the rear, turning a wheel will cause its mate to turn the same direction. If the rear is also an open diff, the other side will turn backwards.

[GeneralDisorder]

You need remedial training on differentials. 

And take the car in for an alignment. 

GD

[idosubaru]

15 hours ago, joecefnhedog said:

Hello

I floated my 1998 2nd gen automatic Subaru today, I put it in drive and noticed that only three wheels were spinning. The front passenger side was stationary

Back story: I have been trying to find out why my car has been pulling to the left ever since owning the car, checked all the brake calipers, pads, discs etc. alignment is all fine.

That's normal operation of an open differential, they only drive one wheel (so one in the front and one in the rear). 

FWD = 1 driven wheel
4WD = 2 driven wheels (1 front, 1 rear)

With nominal driveline drag you may *incidentally* get rotation of both tires with an open diff.

Get an alignment.  If you already got one - get one somewhere else that does a better job.  There's no shortage of alignment tech's blazing through procedures and not dialing it in.

Check tie rods for any looseness

If the car had an incident (accident, light hit to a curb, etc) before you got it then the control arm likely needs replaced or possibly the strut.  Check them - an alignment tech should pick up on this. 

[joecefnhedog]

https://youtu.be/gY_WSqwjneg

 

Just so you can see what is happening.

[GeneralDisorder]

So you do know how to use YouTube. Look up how differentials work. 

There is nothing wrong with your car. 

GD

[1 Lucky Texan]

Joe, what are you expecting to see?

 

most subarus would look the same as yours in the same test - indeed, many would only spin a single front and a single rear wheel.