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Transmission seized, how to move?


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I just bought a 2000 RS but it's currently non-drivable since the transmission is "seized" up in 2nd gear and the clutch doesn't seem to do anything, can't even start the engine. The car is still on the former owner's ranch (maybe 1/4mile up a dirt road) and I need to figure out a way to get it back to my city 100miles away. Any thoughts if I can get it rolling at least so it will be easier to load/unload from a trailer? It's also sitting on the side of a grass/mud hill right now so I don't now if I could actually jack it up or not. Maybe I could remove the axels one side at a time?

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Start it in gear, will it let you do that? I've done it on older Subaru's, but never a newer one.

 

Bypass whatever you need to in order to let the starter turn the engine over. Make sure the ebrake and anything else (blocks, etc) are taken care of and use the starter to move the car. You can use the starter to load a car onto a trailer, i've done it.

 

A good winch will probably be your friend to load it.

 

Disconnecting the driveshaft and front two axles is one way to get it to move. They also make car "dollys", and I don't mean tow dolly's. They're like little wheeled "cups" for moving cars. Not sure how that would help you on a dirt road and 100 miles though.

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This might be the rare case where I'd pay to have it flat bedded to me.

 

Them maybe chain it to a tree to get it off.

 

Then you can work on it, jack it up, remove axles, whatever you want when you are at home, have the tools, and there is no sense of urgency.

 

I'm just talking about effective use of your time. Let alone any safety issues.

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There is good chance that if you disconnect one of the front axles from the transmission and unbolt the rear drive line from the rear diff; you can get it rolling. You then should be able to tow it on a dolly or put it on a flat bed and get it home.

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I do have extra axels, even a rear LSD that I was planning on putting on my 00 L wagon. What's a blue wrench?

 

No truck, just a 93 and 00 Impreza wagons, once I get this RS home I'll have 3 Imprezas, and will have owned 7:) I could ask the former owner to drag it out to the road with his tractor but while it's a country road it's still a fairly busy state highway so I don't know if I'd want to be working on the shoulder.

 

Isn't the driveshaft held to the rear diff with 4bolts, and you have to be able to rotate it to get all of them? I didn't spend too much time looking but I don't know if I can rotate it at all.

 

Engine won't start at all, just kind of turns and grinds like it stalls immedidately.

 

So I guess as long as I can get it off, just getting it on a flatbed would be the quickest/safest way to go and deal with it at home. Any idea what would be a fair price to offer, would be about 100miles/4hours round trip? (I figure I'll try advertising on craigslist first)

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It sounds like the clutch has jammed. Possibly a broken shift fork. I wouldn't go dragging it too far for fear of destroying the tranny. Jack up the front wheels one at a time and then detatch the ball joint and then pull the axle from the tranny. Put the ball joint back in and you will have steering back. Take the carrier bearing down and you can probably get the rear drive shaft off the tranny. Once you have that done you can put the car on a trailer without damage to the driveline and diagnose the difficulties at home.

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