Hamilton Felix
Inactive
I have a 1987 Subaru GL 4x4 wagon with 5-speed.
It has recently been through various troubles. I forded water and bumped over rocks and debris during the October floods.
My Mechanic friend fixed a few things, including the "Y" style catalytic converter that had been thumped and plugged itself with dislodged carbon buildup until the engine would do no more than a fast idle.
The car sat a bit, then I picked it up. I have a horrible dragging/grating sound, like a brake dragging metal on metal or a bearing going bad. It's road speed related, not engine speed or gear connected. Couldn't find any hot hubs after driving for a while. Puzzled and fiddled for a while.
Finally put the car in the shop, up on four jackstands. Then I tried "driving" it with the wheels off the ground. The sound is there, and it doesn't need to be in four wheel drive. Put it in 4th, and a good fast idle shows about 20 mph on the speedo. Suddenly step on the clutch and turn off the engine, and the sound continues until the wheels stop turning. Have an assistant hold one front wheel while doing the same thing, so the other wheel is really turning at 40 mph: No change. Same if the assistant holds the other wheel.
The Subi has a transaxle, with a transfer case of sorts tagged onto the back, all in one gearbox (it has a low range with about 1.6 to 1 reduction). I think this test narrows it down to transmission output or past that, but before spider and side gears in the differential.
We drained the gear oil. If memory serves, I have Redline gear oil in it. Magnetic drain plug had only a little soft gray sludge. When pouring the clean-looking gear oil back in, I saw a few "sparklies" in the bottom of the drain pan, but not many.
The only thing I realize I might have tried but didn't: The Subi has a neutral position in the transfer case. It's not marked on the lever, but between 4 Hi and 4 Lo there's a neutral. I might try the above experiment with the transfer case lever in neutral. That might narrow it down a bit more.
My Mechanic friend suggested "LubGard" as being one of only two oil additives he believes in. He thinks it may help. I am willing to gamble a few bucks, but I think there's something serious going on. I suppose I can drive it until it self destructs, but that could be inconvenient.
Any ideas?
It has recently been through various troubles. I forded water and bumped over rocks and debris during the October floods.
My Mechanic friend fixed a few things, including the "Y" style catalytic converter that had been thumped and plugged itself with dislodged carbon buildup until the engine would do no more than a fast idle.
The car sat a bit, then I picked it up. I have a horrible dragging/grating sound, like a brake dragging metal on metal or a bearing going bad. It's road speed related, not engine speed or gear connected. Couldn't find any hot hubs after driving for a while. Puzzled and fiddled for a while.
Finally put the car in the shop, up on four jackstands. Then I tried "driving" it with the wheels off the ground. The sound is there, and it doesn't need to be in four wheel drive. Put it in 4th, and a good fast idle shows about 20 mph on the speedo. Suddenly step on the clutch and turn off the engine, and the sound continues until the wheels stop turning. Have an assistant hold one front wheel while doing the same thing, so the other wheel is really turning at 40 mph: No change. Same if the assistant holds the other wheel.
The Subi has a transaxle, with a transfer case of sorts tagged onto the back, all in one gearbox (it has a low range with about 1.6 to 1 reduction). I think this test narrows it down to transmission output or past that, but before spider and side gears in the differential.
We drained the gear oil. If memory serves, I have Redline gear oil in it. Magnetic drain plug had only a little soft gray sludge. When pouring the clean-looking gear oil back in, I saw a few "sparklies" in the bottom of the drain pan, but not many.
The only thing I realize I might have tried but didn't: The Subi has a neutral position in the transfer case. It's not marked on the lever, but between 4 Hi and 4 Lo there's a neutral. I might try the above experiment with the transfer case lever in neutral. That might narrow it down a bit more.
My Mechanic friend suggested "LubGard" as being one of only two oil additives he believes in. He thinks it may help. I am willing to gamble a few bucks, but I think there's something serious going on. I suppose I can drive it until it self destructs, but that could be inconvenient.
Any ideas?