suba1 Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 (edited) Hi, I am wondering just how difficult it would be to change my 2000 Subaru Outback Limited Wagon 2.5L from an AWD to a front wheel drive? I have a small shop (including lift) but I have never taken this manual 5 speed transmission out nor do I know much about this particular unit. All indications are that the VISCOUS coupler is shot. When I bought the car, I had need for the AWD on top of a mountain but have since moved to the flat lands and do not really need the AWD. My feeling is if I remove the drive line from the back of the transmission to the jackpot (Differnatial) or and perhaps take off the modual rear of the transmission and remove the guts (VISCOUS coupler) and replace the housing, affectively disconnecting the back wheels from the drive front wheels. Not sure just how this will work or what my approach should be and hoping someone there has gone before me in doing this kind of thing? Any help or understanding would be greatly appreciated. Thanks :-\ Edited June 11, 2009 by suba1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 To do this you have to open up the transmission. It would just be easier to get a used transmission. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 Install a pre-'96 2WD transmission and rear end or replace the transmission. Without making custom parts you won't be able to transfer power to only the front wheels. The center differential (before the VC) will just turn if it isn't connected to anything and the car will not move. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 you could definitely pull the rear housing off, and weld up the center diff. been done many times (usually for RWD....but the effect is the same). not for the faint of heart, though. especially when subaru made FWD 5MTs.....just grab one of those and drop it in. done and done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 you may have a much simpler option that all of them did not mention and requires no transmission work at all. if the center diff is indeed shot and essentially "locked" right now then you have a very simple option. remove the rear driveshaft and run it FWD. that takes 30 minutes and you don't have to do anything to the transmission. i know folks doing this right now and that have done it - you even have a choice of FWD or RWD, one guy I know is running RWD right now! if the center diff is in permament torque bind you're golden. if not, just run it until it is then do it :lol: otherwise, replace the center diff. transmission does not need to come out to replace the center diff and a guy in cincinatti or something mentioned about a year ago a shop charged him $500 to fix. probably better than swapping transmissions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 I've never heard of one binding up enough that you could drive the car on it. and even if I had one that was totally locked, I wouldn't trust it to get me to the end of the driveway and back in 2WD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 (edited) I've never heard of one binding up enough that you could drive the car on it. and even if I had one that was totally locked, I wouldn't trust it to get me to the end of the driveway and back in 2WD.there are folks that i know that have been driving like that for years on a center diff with torque bind. quite a few miles and at least a couple years service on them. i'd run it. torque bind doesn't seem to go away, so it seems legit on those grounds. for the average daily driver I wouldn't worry that a hosed 5MT center diff is going to cause problems. one of the guys that is still running it is even doing it behind an H6 in RWD so it's getting some hp and torque pushed through it. Edited June 11, 2009 by grossgary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suba1 Posted June 13, 2009 Author Share Posted June 13, 2009 (edited) Hi all, and thanks for your responses. My apologies for not getting back with you all right away, I was not well yesterday and the last thing I wanted to do, last night, was pound on a keyboard. GeneralDisorder …. This option would be OK I guess if it were my only option. My question would be: is this a direct bolt-up replacement or would I have additional changes to make? Install a pre-'96 2WD transmission and rear end or replace the transmission. Without making custom parts you won't be able to transfer power to only the front wheels. The center differential (before the VC) will just turn if it isn't connected to anything and the car will not move. GD Numbchux …. At this point, not knowing what this transmission’s future holds, I would hold off on this option for now but I am NOT apposed to doing it. you could definitely pull the rear housing off, and weld up the center diff. been done many times (usually for RWD....but the effect is the same). not for the faint of heart, though. especially when subaru made FWD 5MTs.....just grab one of those and drop it in. done and done. grossgary …. Your point is well taken, in fact that is exactly what I thought I was going to do but others have pointed out to me that I need to lock down the drive shaft after disconnecting from the differental. you may have a much simpler option that all of them did not mention and requires no transmission work at all. if the center diff is indeed shot and essentially "locked" right now then you have a very simple option. remove the rear driveshaft and run it FWD. that takes 30 minutes and you don't have to do anything to the transmission. Numbchux …. I agree with you I would not trust it either. I've never heard of one binding up enough that you could drive the car on it. and even if I had one that was totally locked, I wouldn't trust it to get me to the end of the driveway and back in 2WD. grossgary …. When I turn hard, as in parking space, to the right or left I get clump, clump, clump and now even on some mild turns after the VC is up to normal operating temperature. there are folks that i know that have been driving like that for years on a center diff with torque bind. quite a few miles and at least a couple years service on them. i'd run it. torque bind doesn't seem to go away, so it seems legit on those grounds. for the average daily driver I wouldn't worry that a hosed 5MT center diff is going to cause problems. one of the guys that is still running it is even doing it behind an H6 in RWD so it's getting some hp and torque pushed through it. Edited June 13, 2009 by suba1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 H/member.php?u=6800"]grossgary[/url] …. Your point is well taken, in fact that is exactly what I thought I was going to do but others have pointed out to me that I need to lock down the drive shaft after disconnecting from the differental. just remove the rear section of the driveline. Leave the differential in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amk Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 Just a quick question, how would one convert AWD to Rear wheel any got pics which can help me out, got a Ej20G in me leone with a STi gearbox Thnks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 …. This option would be OK I guess if it were my only option. My question would be: is this a direct bolt-up replacement or would I have additional changes to make? Yes - should bolt right up. Minimal changes required. Only thing I'm not sure about is if the FWD tranmissions came with cable clutch's or hydraulic. I would think the 95/96 models would have been hydro. 90 to 94 would be cable. But they might have continued on with the cable in 95 and 96. I would ask over on legacycentral.org - someone there will likely know. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Yes - should bolt right up. Minimal changes required. Only thing I'm not sure about is if the FWD tranmissions came with cable clutch's or hydraulic. I would think the 95/96 models would have been hydro. 90 to 94 would be cable. But they might have continued on with the cable in 95 and 96. I would ask over on legacycentral.org - someone there will likely know. GD The AWD cars were Cable clutch until 97, so I doubt the FWD would be Hydraulic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 The AWD cars were Cable clutch until 97, so I doubt the FWD would be Hydraulic Ah - didn't know that! I haven't owned a Gen 2 or newer Legacy. I assumed they adopted the hydro's from the Gen 1 turbo in the Gen 2's.... guess not. And that's only correct then for the NA models. All the 91 to 94 Turbo sport sedan's were hydro clutch. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 yea, anything 2.2 or smaller until at least 97 are cable. I think '97+ 2.5s are hydro, but 2.2s are still cable.....but I'm not positive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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