chad millett Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 The car is a 97 legacy outback. There is an odd vibration while accelerating. It gets worse the more its driven. If you let off the gas it stops vibrating. Yesterday it got so bad that it was making noise while jumping the whole front end. After pulling over and checking things out I found nothing visable. Then after it sits it will go okay for a bit then gradually get worse again. It got so bad that we left the car for the day and then drove it the few miles back home where it will sit until I figure this out. Im sure its in the front. The fwd fuse is in. I was thinking it was a drive axel but now they have both been replaced with new ones and it still does it. Does anyone have any ides what this could be?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Check the gear lube in the front diff and check the axles for play at both ends. You may also want to try disconnecting the rear drive shaft. Check the trans fluid level as well. Where did you get the axles from? Some users have reported vibs after they replaced the axles with discount part store axles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 What he said, and check your universal joints and carrier bearing. If the issue is so bad you need the FWD in the car to drive it, you shouldnt be driving it. When was the last time the traany fluid was checked? Inspect the main pulley and the transmission mount. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 sounds like there's more details to this story that might help us out. exactly why is the FWD fuse in, how long, what were the symptoms then, etc. my first inclinations are: front driveshaft (most likely the inner joint) ujoints front diff you are positive that both front axles have been replaced with no change in symptoms? aftermarket or Subaru axles, replaced boots, or the entire axles? ujoints go bad on the driveshaft (the rear output shaft from the trans to the rear diff). check those. often a trained (or untrained if it's bad) eye can tell just by looking or grabbing/shaking the driveshaft by hand. but the only definitive way is to remove the shaft and check for play/lumpiness because a seized joint won't always show itself until removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chad millett Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share Posted August 25, 2008 The car had sympyoms this summer with the AWD. It was skipping on accell and turns. It went away when put in FWD. I thought that had something to do with the clutch packs. Now it has that vibration. I havent checked the front differential fluid in a couple of months. The vibration began after the second cv shaft was replaced. I thought this was this issue until we figured out it got worse the more you drove it or the hotter it got...... I will check some fluid levels the next time i see the girl who owns the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 The car had sympyoms this summer with the AWD. It was skipping on accell and turns. It went away when put in FWD. I thought that had something to do with the clutch packs. Thats torque bind, and needs to be adressed. Its possible that vibration you are telling us about is a failed Duty C solenoid, (which is what the fuse tells the puter to hold open). First thing needed is a fluid change. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chad millett Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share Posted August 25, 2008 Thats torque bind, and needs to be adressed. Its possible that vibration you are telling us about is a failed Duty C solenoid, (which is what the fuse tells the puter to hold open). First thing needed is a fluid change. nipper If it was a failed duty c solenoid it wouldnt go into FWD when I put the fuse in.....correct? I dont think the odd vibration and the issue while in all wheel drive is the same. I believe they are two seperate somewhat serious issues. Ive felt torque bind before and if this is what that is....then its so bad its seizing up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 If it was a failed duty c solenoid it wouldnt go into FWD when I put the fuse in.....correct?I dont think the odd vibration and the issue while in all wheel drive is the same. I believe they are two seperate somewhat serious issues. Ive felt torque bind before and if this is what that is....then its so bad its seizing up. NO Like i said, the FWD fuse tells the puter to HOLD OPEN the solenoid. In order for it to do that the solenoid must be operational. The solenoid is normaly closed when it is not powered (I have no idea why sooby did this). The default mode is full 50/50 torque splt. The car is not desighned to be operated for any length of time with the FWD fuse in place (though you can do it). Well you yourself have said this is two serious issues, and the AWD issue needs to be addressed first. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chad millett Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share Posted August 25, 2008 I just worked on a car that wouldnt do anything when you put the FWD fuse in. I thought that meant it had a bad duty c solenoid? Wouldnt that make the trans. temp light flash at startup or something? Yes both issues need to be addressed and the odd vibration is bad enough so that the car is parked. It goes good for a bit after it sits for a few days. I checked all the fluids and they are all good. I was thinking it might be a dry front differential or something........ Im leaning to a bad cv axel again. This all started shortly after the driverside one was installed and it does seem to be coming from that side more... Its hard to tell where its comming from except that it feels like the front. The steering wheel doesnt really shake and to look at the tires while in motion looks ok. U sually you see a vibration this bad...Im so confused. Im thinking if it turns out to be two issues all part of the tranny I should consider finding another one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 I just worked on a car that wouldnt do anything when you put the FWD fuse in. I thought that meant it had a bad duty c solenoid? Wouldnt that make the trans. temp light flash at startup or something? Yes both issues need to be addressed and the odd vibration is bad enough so that the car is parked. It goes good for a bit after it sits for a few days. I checked all the fluids and they are all good. I was thinking it might be a dry front differential or something........ Im leaning to a bad cv axel again. This all started shortly after the driverside one was installed and it does seem to be coming from that side more... Its hard to tell where its comming from except that it feels like the front. The steering wheel doesnt really shake and to look at the tires while in motion looks ok. U sually you see a vibration this bad...Im so confused. Im thinking if it turns out to be two issues all part of the tranny I should consider finding another one. I'm with the bad axle. When the inner (DOJ) fails it has all the symptoms you describe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chad millett Posted August 26, 2008 Author Share Posted August 26, 2008 I guess I will try changing the axel again. I have the reciept so they will cover it anyway. It is from Advace Auto. Its not a rebuilt part but it is aftermarket. If it was the inner joint......could it get worse then better like it has been? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chad millett Posted August 29, 2008 Author Share Posted August 29, 2008 I checked the axels and they both had play on the inner joint. One was worse than the other. I changed the worst first. It got rid of most of the vibration. I will change the other one tomorrow. They are covered under warrentee. The one I took out was very loose on the inner joint and the new one was stiff. These axels came from Advance Auto Parts. I hope these last longer than the others. They looked different. I guess there may have been a recall. They wernt sure. The old ones didnt even make it 4 weeks and the car sat for a week and a half of it with a blown engine. Ill post the results after I change the other axel tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chad millett Posted August 29, 2008 Author Share Posted August 29, 2008 Ok. I changed the remaining cv axel and it was also definatly bad! The vibration is gone! YAY! It seemed if the inner joints had no grease in them at all. It was dry sounding and loose with clunks and all. Now to address the skipping in the AWD. It does it even going strait. Im hoping its just a u joint or something less expencive than clutch packs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Ok. I changed the remaining cv axel and it was also definatly bad! The vibration is gone! YAY!It seemed if the inner joints had no grease in them at all. It was dry sounding and loose with clunks and all. Now to address the skipping in the AWD. It does it even going strait. Im hoping its just a u joint or something less expencive than clutch packs. Cool. Start another thread for the skipping issue nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subie94 Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 i'm glad i found this thread.. my 92 legacy 5spd has come down with what first felt like a wiggle(whole car),i figured that 99% is coming from the front.i'll have to crawl under and check the inbound cv joints.(along with trans mounts).i'm not hearing any noises to go along with vibration but the more i get on the gas,the more it does it. i'm starting to think that leggy is looking for attention...this new problem(wiggle),trans popping out of fourth(internal problem,got a spare trans to put in her),windshild replacement(did that today and have never been injured more times while working on my cars then today..(stupid metal clips along inside windshield frame + cutting wire braking = injuries):-\ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chad millett Posted September 1, 2008 Author Share Posted September 1, 2008 The way I checked the inner joints was to have an assistant (that you trust) hold the brake and shift from reverse to drive while you watch the inner joint. With the ones I just did you could see them move way too much! They actaull moved up and down. After I took them off you see, feel and hear how bad and loose they were. The vibration would go away when you let off the gas and get worse with acceleration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subie94 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 The vibration would go away when you let off the gas and get worse with acceleration. yup,that's exactly what mine's doing.. i take it you had 4 jack stands under the soob? (so all 4 wheels can move) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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