Cason Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 The wife and I both Drive Subaru Outbacks a 2010 and a 2012 and both with Manual Transmissions. The 2010 started making a poppins sound when making slow sharp turns. The nearest Subaru Dealer is an hour away, so I took it to a local guy and ask him to check the CV axels. The could not find anything wrong. Foward a couple months and the popping got worse, took it to another local place and the said yes the CV axels needed replacing. They replaced them and when I picked up the car the popping was gone, when I got back home about a 30 minute drive I heard the pop again when making a sharp turn in the drive way. We live on gravel drive so I was not positive if I was hearing something or not. After getting to work the next day I could definitely say it was popping. Took it back to place that made the repair and they could not get it to pop. I went back to try and show them and could not get it to do it. I have since noticed that it will not pop when "cold" but after about 20-30 minute drive it pops loud and as much as before the CV's were changed. Any Ideas as to what could be causing this. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 If a much older model I would say "ball joint". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thook44 Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 i've had all kinds of popping sounds crop up in the front end over the course of a couple of recent years on my '94 legacy wagon. and, in that time, i've had to change ball joints, control arm bushings, sway bar end links, and most recently i need to change out the motor mounts. i don't know how many miles on your vehicle, but i will say any of these parts can make popping sounds when bad. i'd say if you're not having steering/control issues, then perhaps look at the motor mounts or end links. neither will effect steering/control, but can/will pop when the vehicle leans. and, i'm speculating here, but perhaps the rubber....motor mounts..are getting softer as the engine heats??? i should also say, atleast in the case of motor mounts, i could not replicate the motor mount popping noise unless i was driving...eg, bouncing the suspension with body weight did nothing to make it pop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 (edited) when warmed-up, will the car buck/jerk in tight circles on dry pavement? OK turning sharp when stone cold, popping or binding/jerking in sharp turns when warmed-up is 99% gonna be the transmission's center differential. mismatched tires, very odd carrier bearing, wheel bearing or u-joint failure should be ruled-out but, sounds like the trans. Edited August 16, 2017 by 1 Lucky Texan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cason Posted August 17, 2017 Author Share Posted August 17, 2017 New tires replaced within 200 miles before CV axles. The popping only occurs after about 15 minutes or more from cold (8hrs or more off. Don't know the cut off I just knows this is enough to be "cold") It can and does happen on wet, dry paved or gravel. The shop that replaced the CV axles said before replacing that engine mounts could cause the CV's to fail. But they also don't want to replace random stuff guessing. The outback in question has just over 100k. I'm willling to spend some on updates that could be considered PM but also need to be reasonable and fixing the problem is paramount. If engine mounts are a highly likely candidate and can be done fore a reasonable amour and are likely to go bad with in a reasonably close time frame lest do it now. But I'm also a tight wad and other stuff sucks my funds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golucky66 Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 (edited) It still sounds like a bad axle. Did they use new? Remaned? Used? A lot of people have problems with new aftermarket axles. Either get a remaned one, or see if they'll install a used OEM one. I've rarely see motor mounts go bad on subarus. And the ones that do have 200k+ on them. Edited August 17, 2017 by golucky66 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 yeah, may not be torque bind as you keep saying popping. Torque bind would cause a binding feeling in tight circles/turns. It may cause a sound as well. could you get the car to do this in a parking lot at slow speeds? if so, have someone pace the car and listen for it to be central, or louder on one side than the other. aftermarket new or rebuilt axles are 'iffy' ,aftermarket rebuilt the worst. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 I'd guess axles, aftermarket axles are atrocious, I can't exaggerate how bad they are. But first - Some important details are missing: 1. "pop" sounds pretty descriptive and I think we all get it - but honestly a clearer description would be good given the circumstances, the obvious has been touched on already with limited results. Axles would be the most likely, particularly if they were previously replaced. But if you replaced them - usually even if you have symptoms they will at least be different, location, clicking instead of popping, blow apart, etc. No change makes blaming axles a little more amibiguous - but aftermarket axles are ***so*** bad, it can't be ruled out. 2. Any wrecks or damages? 3. Any major trans, differential, or suspension work in the past? 4. left, right, center or what? have someone help - ride in both seats and listen with windows up/down. Stand outside the car while slowly driving past/making the sound while standing on both sides of the car? A couple of minutes like that and it usually doesn't take long to get a hunch that it's emanating from the left/right/or center. 5. drive in a circle on dry pavement with the wheel turned to FULL lock, you will feel weird but just keep drifting in circles barely touching the gas. what happens? 6. shop can swap CV axles and see if the noise abates or "moves". they're the same on both sides and interchangeable. 7. aftermarket axles suck. you shouldn't have replaced both axles with the cheap garbage you now have in the vehicle. the original axles easily last 200,000 miles if greased/rebooted. i can almost guarantee those axles will not make 100,000 miles, they often have issues of fail in just a year or two. Simple google a combination of axle/aftermarket/subaru/failure/break/@I$U)(T*)(@ and you'll see zillions and zillions of examples. i have no idea how many blown apart on day one, clicking, vibrating, failed aftermarket Subaru axles i've seen over the years and I'm not even a shop/mechanic. it's crazy how bad they are. I'd ask the shop if they still have your old axles and try to get them back. But i realize most people can't do that and they're probably already turned in for a core. engine mounts could cause the CV's to fail. But they also don't want to replace random stuff guessing. Not on Subaru's, unless maybe it's a lifted rig and you're rocking crawling it with locked differentials? Good on your shop not wanting to guess - they would have been wrong. If someone not familiar with Subarus needed confirmation it wasn't the mounts - that it does it only when warm does not sound like typical engine/trans mount/bushing symptom. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike104 Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 If it does it when warm (after driving) it could the the Center Differential in the MT extension (also known as a Viscous Clutch). I have the same issue on an 03 Forester with 5MT. Does yours have the 5MT or the 6MT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cason Posted August 17, 2017 Author Share Posted August 17, 2017 Ok a few more details in responses given. It is a 6 speed Manual. The popping occurs in very tight turn such as when pulling into parks. It's a very tight turn. Does not really exhibit the popping at driving speeds or when making most turns when driving. It has to be extremely tight turns. You also very much can feel the car jerking/ jumping when it's popping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cason Posted August 17, 2017 Author Share Posted August 17, 2017 to answer some of the other questions as well No wrecks, no transmission differential or suspension work done since we have owned the car we got it with 54,000 miles on the odometer AS to left, right or center I have not been able pin point it myself. It does it at full lock on the steering wheel, and like I said in the post above it does buck/jerk when it is making the noise and you can very noticeably feel it in the steering wheel. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 my fear is, its the center diff. have read several posts and the MTs seem to always exhibit the symptom when warmed-up, but not stone cold. I don't really see how an axle would behave this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cason Posted August 18, 2017 Author Share Posted August 18, 2017 thay does not sound cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 (edited) check car-part.com or LKQ for a used trans. wonder if the car was abused in the past? different size tires or towed with 2 wheels down? Edited August 18, 2017 by 1 Lucky Texan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cason Posted August 18, 2017 Author Share Posted August 18, 2017 My guess is probably a tire issue before I replaced tires I was showing signs of uneven wear. And after looking up viscous coupling it sounds exactly like what's going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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