TheBigJ Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 This is my first post in USMB :-) Right now I have 3 subarus - 82 GL 2WD, 88 DL 4WD and 90 Legacy AWD. Today I'm asking about my 88. It has 200K+ on the clock and a few weeks ago started making a really loud growling noise. It does this at idle, when I rev in nuetral, and in any gear. Louder with engine speed. Background info: I start the car some morning to go to work. I notice a tapping noise that I haven't noticed before, but head to work anyway. A block down the road my oil light comes on. Knowing this light only comes on when the oil is really low, I head home and put two quarts in. I start driving again, takes a while for the oil light to go out, but I think the tapping is still there. I get on the highway and travel a few minutes at speed. Suddenly, something changes. The car starts making a very loud GROWL. I pull over and check oil, gear oil, etc. Everything is ok. I limp to work at low speeds and at low RPM to keep the noise down. I limp home the same way. So, first I think the timing belt(s) have slipped or broken and I am getting no compression. I take the front of the engine apart and everything looks ok, but I replace them anyway. I check the ignition timing with a timing light, it looks fine too. I check compression and get 150/150/150/100 which is basically what I got the day I bought the car. I pull the distributor cap off and check it's position with the 0 degree mark, which also looks fine. Any idea what this could be? I can't tell if there is a loss of power or not because the noise is so loud and scary I don't want to drive it hard (no tach either). I did a search and someone had stated that a growling noise can be tranny gears - I am guessing this means the transfer gear because I don't even have to be IN gear to hear it. Any help is appreciated! PS anyone want to buy it? It starts and runs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
82GLF Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 I would change the oil and inspect the filter and oil for metal....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HattoriHanzo Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 Main bearings and such might be on the way out, sometimes they make a low tone sound like that, I second the oil filter idea, if you catch this early you can save yourself alot of trouble and $$$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breaffyaviation Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 Change oil ,change filter .If your noise is still there check the oil pump pressure.If there is no working gauge in your car ,just a light,connect a gauge directly to the sender unit.Usually bearing damage is a knock rather than a tick,a tick is more like oil starvation at your lifters.You shold be getting in the region of 40 pounds + of oil pressure if your pump and engine are healthy.You might be lucky and just need a pump. Jude Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBigJ Posted March 15, 2005 Author Share Posted March 15, 2005 Thanks for all the help everyone. I did pull the engine and gear oil and found no bits of metal in either (possibly something in the bottom of the oil pan which I felt with my finger, but no metal splinters like I was expecting). I couldn't get the oil filter off and couldn't find the filter wrench (embarrassing) so I just replaced the fluids and put in some Lucas stuff to no avail, the noise is still there. Last night some creepy guy came over cause he thought he wanted to buy it. He said it was definitely a rod and he wasn't interested. I realized after he left that this is an OHC engine so there aren't any rods (right?). I will check the oil pressure as recommended but I dunno - wouldn't my oil light come on if it wasn't pumping? Cause the oil light is definitely off now that I filled it back up again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanky_pete Posted March 15, 2005 Share Posted March 15, 2005 How does the clutch feel? I had a problem like that with one of mine, turned out the clutch wasn't fully disengaging. Is this the one on Craigslist for $300? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyromanic Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 Thanks for all the help everyone. I did pull the engine and gear oil and found no bits of metal in either (possibly something in the bottom of the oil pan which I felt with my finger, but no metal splinters like I was expecting). I couldn't get the oil filter off and couldn't find the filter wrench (embarrassing) so I just replaced the fluids and put in some Lucas stuff to no avail, the noise is still there. Last night some creepy guy came over cause he thought he wanted to buy it. He said it was definitely a rod and he wasn't interested. I realized after he left that this is an OHC engine so there aren't any rods (right?). I will check the oil pressure as recommended but I dunno - wouldn't my oil light come on if it wasn't pumping? Cause the oil light is definitely off now that I filled it back up again. s I think your potential buyer meant connecting rod, when he said rod. OHC is for overhead cam. The rods he was probably talking about are the rods which connect the piston to the crank shaft. When when a rod bearing,at the crank shaft bites it, it knocks. As can a wrist pin. Or a main crankshaft bearing.. The growling you hear could be "spun bearing", which is bad. If that is the case you need to overhaul the bottom end. Good luck. Pyro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 You need to change that filter for a new one. Theres no piont in checking the oil pressure before you do that, cos the filter may be the problem. If its REALY stuck, and you cant get it out with an oil filter wrench, whack a screw driver into it and turn it out like that. You really shouldn't have to resort to that though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 I am wondering if the noise could be coming from the oil pump somehow. You also have a problem with one of the cylinders. The compression is pretty low in one of them as you most likely noticed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBigJ Posted March 16, 2005 Author Share Posted March 16, 2005 Yeah, I will be able to get the filter off somehow. On my 90 Legacy I actually had to drill through the filter and stab a screwdriver through the hole to get it off, so I will find a way. I was just in a hurry to get it out of my garage that day. But it's a good point and I have an extra filter sitting around anyway. Compression is low on one of the cylinders. I'm pretty sure I was getting the same compression when I bought the car so that was a pre-existing problem - I think unrelated to the noise which appeared suddenly. Is it possible that a crank journal slipped off and the piston rod is slapping agains the crank? Yes this is the car on craigslist for $300. Interested? I am negotiable of course The clutch I did notice feels "gritty" when I push on the pedal. It grabs hard, I think harder than before this happened. I was wondering about a couple bent fingers or something. Ok, say the oil pressure IS low. Given that my compression is "ok" could it be anything else besides the pump (or a gaping hole somewhere)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 One of the things you mentioned makes me think of the oil system with this problem. You stated that the pressure was slow to come back after you put the two quarts in. This may be due to a blockage in the filter. To me, the warning light shouldn't have come on at that level. I may be wrong though. I am now wondering if something has failed in the oil filter and may be causing these things. I have been there also with a screwdriver through the filter. It is not a good deal. If you can't find your wrench I would purchase another one that you can place on a socket wrench and remove the filter that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanky_pete Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 Yeah, I will be able to get the filter off somehow. On my 90 Legacy I actually had to drill through the filter and stab a screwdriver through the hole to get it off, so I will find a way. I was just in a hurry to get it out of my garage that day. But it's a good point and I have an extra filter sitting around anyway. Compression is low on one of the cylinders. I'm pretty sure I was getting the same compression when I bought the car so that was a pre-existing problem - I think unrelated to the noise which appeared suddenly. Is it possible that a crank journal slipped off and the piston rod is slapping agains the crank? Yes this is the car on craigslist for $300. Interested? I am negotiable of course The clutch I did notice feels "gritty" when I push on the pedal. It grabs hard, I think harder than before this happened. I was wondering about a couple bent fingers or something. Ok, say the oil pressure IS low. Given that my compression is "ok" could it be anything else besides the pump (or a gaping hole somewhere)? Actually, I am interested in it. Just a little worried about getting it home and then telling the wife I have to put a motor in it right off the bat. Does it have a d/r 5 speed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBigJ Posted March 16, 2005 Author Share Posted March 16, 2005 Actually, I am interested in it. Just a little worried about getting it home and then telling the wife I have to put a motor in it right off the bat. Does it have a d/r 5 speed? I don't know how far away you live but it's very noisy. I would recommend a tow but that's just a recommendation. I drove it to and from work which is like 15 mi each way in this condition. Oh, and I was driving VERY gently and slowly - we're talking 35mph in 5th! It has the pushbutton 4WD on the shifter knob. When I was recently shopping for my new ride I never saw any dual range 4WD newer than like 1984. Most people selling 4WD drive subarus didn't even know what the hell I was talking about when I asked. But they weren't members of this forum either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanky_pete Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 I don't know how far away you live but it's very noisy. I would recommend a tow but that's just a recommendation. I drove it to and from work which is like 15 mi each way in this condition. Oh, and I was driving VERY gently and slowly - we're talking 35mph in 5th! It has the pushbutton 4WD on the shifter knob. When I was recently shopping for my new ride I never saw any dual range 4WD newer than like 1984. Most people selling 4WD drive subarus didn't even know what the hell I was talking about when I asked. But they weren't members of this forum either. Bummer, single range 4wd isn't what I'm looking for. I'm quite a ways south of you, no way would I try driving it that far if there's an engine gremlin. Thanks anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 couldn't really toasting a bearing make the pressure drop? Replace the oil filter first, may be a cheap fix. It may be time for the engine to be retired. Got a big field anywhere near you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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