milty60 Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 Tight circular turn front end noise and odd sensation in steering wheel. What is this? https://youtu.be/E-N4K76KhlE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3ghtNkihVA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCyIbmSyVK0 Thanks Milty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 torque bind. all your tire sizes, diameters need to match. otherwise you need a new viscous coupler. it's in the rear of the transmission but is done without removing the trans. remove exhaust, driveshaft, remove rear housing of trans, swap in new VC. $300-$700 labor plus the part depending on your locale/shop. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 also make sure it's not the power steering - does it feel like the steering is bad or is it noisy or loosing fluid at all? is the power steering fluid bubbly and foamy after making these symptoms/driving? any check engine lights? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milty60 Posted May 24, 2020 Author Share Posted May 24, 2020 Power steering fluid is normal. No check engine light. Most recent behavior after a half an hour of car driving (does not occur when car is cold) when I back out of a parking spot, I don't hear any noise but it feels like I have a bubble in the tire every six inches around the circumference. This happens each time I back out of a parking spot with steering wheel turned right or left - never a noise or sensation when backing out straight - only on moderate to tight right or left turn. Advice? Thanks, Milty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 1 hour ago, milty60 said: Power steering fluid is normal. No check engine light. Most recent behavior after a half an hour of car driving (does not occur when car is cold) when I back out of a parking spot, I don't hear any noise but it feels like I have a bubble in the tire every six inches around the circumference. This happens each time I back out of a parking spot with steering wheel turned right or left - never a noise or sensation when backing out straight - only on moderate to tight right or left turn. Advice? Thanks, Milty You need to replace the viscous coupler in the transmission. The first two words I responded were right, torque bind. You need a new viscous coupler. make sure your tire sizes all match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 Confirmed - bad center diff in the transmission. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milty60 Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 I should replace the entire center differential - the viscous coupler is a component in the diff - when that component is bad it causes the torque bind? Found a youtube video - looks doable - take some time been working on cars since I was 16 - almost 60 - my son will help. Here's the video. How much time do I have? - its been doing this odd behavior for a few months - no other drive-ability issues. Thanks, Milty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milty60 Posted May 27, 2020 Author Share Posted May 27, 2020 So the viscous seizes up once the car is at 30 min plus drive time. Do the plates lock up and cause the torque bind issue? $500 bucks new one out my way. Saw a couple on Ebay. Are there rebuilds, chancy getting a junk yard one. Not rebuild-able by a Diyer? Thanks, Milty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 It won’t catastrophically destruct, fail, or strand you. The binding strains the the drivetrain so it’s not advisable to drive it long that way. The ujoints in the driveshaft are usually the weak link that fails and can take out the rear extension of the trans in epic fashion if it happens while driving and flails around. Not rebuildable, it’s a sealed viscous unit and not a clutch pack or other accessible mechanical unit. Used is a gamble as it could do the same. New Subaru is the way to go. The only frugal option is to convert to 2WD - FWD or RWD. once it’s locked up completely, remove the driveshaft, configure a plug so fluid doesn’t leak out the back of the trans and you have a FWD vehicle. Or remove the front axles. Disassemble the axles and bolt the outer Cv joint in the hub to keep the bearings together, and use the inner joint in the trans as a place holder to seal the diff fluid in place. Then you have RWD. Those are “free” repair options. The FWD is the better option, it’s easier, simpler to return to 4WD, and my recollection of what style inner joint the front 09 Forster axle has is foggy at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 (edited) 9 minutes ago, idosubaru said: It won’t catastrophically destruct, fail, or strand you. Not true. They absolutely can do that. They lose the snap ring that holds the VC together and that will go through the gearset like an oak tree in a wood chipper. Usually shreds the transfer gears and sometimes destroys the tailshaft housing and slip yoke bushing. Chipped teeth, etc. Just did one on a WRX that was totally shredded and the dealer told the guy he needed a new transmission. It had to be towed to the shop. It would lock up if you tried to move it. We managed to repair it by replacing pretty much the entire transfer section, center diff, shafts/gears, and all the bearings. GD Edited May 28, 2020 by GeneralDisorder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 (edited) Right on GD. “never” is often overstating. Id guess it’s less likely and wonder if more likely on tricked out Impreza platforms that are driven as such. Edited May 28, 2020 by idosubaru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 23 minutes ago, idosubaru said: Right on GD. “never” is often overstating. Id guess it’s less likely and wonder if more likely on tricked out Impreza platforms that are driven as such. Early stage failure is often pretty light on collateral damage (often none at all). But the longer you drive it the more the risk. I'm sure more power doesn't help but that car was basically stock. I have seen just basic NA models have similar failures. It's a matter of paying attention to the signs the car is giving and addressing it in a timely fashion. Allowed to go on though it will eventually lead to a deadline failure mode where the car will require a tow. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milty60 Posted May 30, 2020 Author Share Posted May 30, 2020 Appreciate all the info - may spend money to get a suby center diff (AWD is best in Northeast but part here is $500) also like the idea of making it a FWD - do you guys agree that's doable? No harm to the tranny? Son is thinking about getting a replacement car - this ones got 250K on it - not sure how long its going to last. May dump in $500 now and something else goes in a number of months. Thanks, Milty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 Not possible to make it FWD. 250k is pretty well done. I agree with your son. Replace the vehicle. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 (edited) On 5/30/2020 at 5:22 PM, milty60 said: Appreciate all the info - may spend money to get a suby center diff (AWD is best in Northeast but part here is $500) also like the idea of making it a FWD - do you guys agree that's doable? No harm to the tranny? Son is thinking about getting a replacement car - this ones got 250K on it - not sure how long its going to last. May dump in $500 now and something else goes in a number of months. Thanks, Milty your issue for FWD may be that it’s not failed to a continuous “locked” state. Keep in mind this is a DIY hack that would only be reasonable for a small number of situations and people who like to tinker. This isn’t a good option in general for most people. An 09 is newer than any I’ve seen. One could wonder if you’d have sensor issues due to speed differences, though with rear output tied to front and rear wheels rotating like front, my guess is there’s no issue. And in the end you’d probably just loose cruise control or VDC which for a car destined for garbage doesn’t much matter sometimes anyway. If the VLSD is totally locked all the time, I’ve seen MT Subaru’s with it done, though I think they were RWD. If I haven’t seen a FWD, it’s the same concept. They just left the failed locked VLSD in place and removed the axles or driveshaft. A member of this forum did it with EJ stuff and I’ve been in the car, though he’s not active here. Remove the rear driveshaft and plug the output so it doesn’t puke fluid. its obviously not ideal and I don’t know what longevity would be like. but for a free repair on a quarter million mile vehicle it might suit some situations. and the next time you go in for tires like I did, maybe you’ll hear the mechanics argue when they get it up on the lift: “Hey man that’s Subaru is FWD!” “Nah, no way, dumb &@&, none of those are” ”Come here and look then!” ”well, look at that crazy thing” Edited June 2, 2020 by idosubaru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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