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rallynutdon

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Posts posted by rallynutdon

  1. Originally posted by alias20035

    Axles can do this from time to time, but usually this is preceded by the standard CV clacking sound.

     

    Some FWD cars are really bad for this, especially the ones with axle extensions from offset mounted differentials, or those with unequal length halfshafts.

     

    Sometimes the control valve in the steering rack will cause this too, but this is usually a consistant problem not related to a particular section of road.

     

    In your case the section of road likely set up a harmonic vibration in the CV joint causing it to have a great deal more friction than normal. With AWD this friction is distributed through the drivetrain and weird things happen like torque steer.

     

    I have only seen this on one Legacy, but one front outer CV joint had a broken ball cage and the balls were loose. It essentially became a three wheel drive car with substantial torque steer in one direction when accelerating and the other direction when braking. It was easy to diagnose since the axle shaft moved a 1/2 inch in any direction within the CV joint and the grinding noise was horrific. When we pulled the axle off the CV joint housing came off and fell on my foot, and the loose CV balls rolled across the floor. We actually got the standard core return amount for the mangled axle shaft!

     

    This particular car was a 5MT, I imagine the problem would be a lot worse in the 4EAT since it spends most of its time sending 90% of the torque to the front wheels.

     

    No clacking preceeding it. Obviously no offset diff. I don't think road surface had anything to do with it as it would happen in a perfectly smooth parking lot at <15 mph. No torque steer. It was not a constant pull, the wheel twitched back and forth. No obvious play in the joint when I pulled the shaft (have not taken it apart yet, got a WRX trans in the rally car ro pull out that's more important). I say I'm going to find one ball that's badly mishappened and when it rotated the wrong way it would momentairly seize BTW, 5MT not 4EAT.

  2. This is one for the books. If there's a new problem that no one has ever had before, let it up to me to have it. This morning I got about 1.5 miles from home and the pull was so bad and consistent for 10 seconds I was about ready to turn around and go home. Then I went around a curve and it went away and stayed away for the remaining 10 miles to work. Came back periodicallly as before on the way home. The pull was to the right. Everyone said it's probably the right side. Last night I swapped out the right side half shaft. So what's left? The left side half shaft. So I put the shaft that was on the right on the left and BINGO. The problems has gone away (so far, I put about 5 miles on the car afterwards).

  3. Not tie rods. Nothing loose in front end. Car just went thru PA state inspection 2 weeks ago. Tires are 3 or 4 years old but still in good condition. Stored properly when off the car.

    How about dirty power steering fluid? Anyone ever change theirs?

     

    Or better yet, bad/binding outer CV joint (yes all the boots are intact)? At low speed it seems to occur with the frequency of the tire rotation. And it always twitches to the right. I think tonight I'll swap out the right side half shaft before I even start on the steering system.

  4. 91 Legacy, 240,000 on steering rack, 180,000 on power steering pump. Driving down the road, in town, 35-40 mph and it pulls/twitches one direction or the other for 1/2 second then is okay. On one stretch of road, I took my hands off the wheel for 5 seconds and just watched it twitch back and forth. Doesn't do it all the time. First started 2 weeks ago when I put the snow tires on. I thought I failed to tighten the lug nuts. Hasn't acted up for the last several days until today. Fluid level in PS is okay. Seems like a surge in hydraulic fluid? Anyone else experience this? I've got to take the car on a 100 mile trip tonight :mad:

  5. If you unbolt the line from the caliper, you'll have to anneal the copper washers if you plan on re using them (there's 2, one will stick to the caliper and you might not even realize it's there). If you unscrew the hose from the metal line, you may have issues after 8 years getting them off without rounding the flats and have a real mess. You can still bleed the system regardless. I wouldn't disconnect and take the risk of introducing dirt into the open system either. It's so much easier to cut the metal bracket and bend half of it out of the way and keep the system closed.

  6. Originally posted by alias20035

     

    Pump the brakes slowly about 10 times to push the air and some fluid in the bleed kit. When you release the brake pedal some fluid and no air should be drawn back into the brake caliper. Retighten the brake bleeder screw and reinstall the dust cap.

     

    [/b]

     

    I DO NOT understand the people that suggest this method and think it is very bad advise. The objective is to replace any/all fluid and/or air that is in the line between the master cylinder and slave cylinder. If you have the bleeder open and press on the brake pedal, fluid/air will be moved thru the line. When you release the pedal without closing the bleeder you draw fluid an/or air back in to the line. If conversely you do as I have been taught and do, you draw NOTHING back into the line which should be your objective.

     

    Procedure: With bleeder closed, pump the pedal 3-4 times and hold it. You've now pressurized the line. Slowly open the bleeder until the brake pedal goes to the floor. Close the bleeder. You've now moved a "section" of fluid and/or air completely out of the system and drawn nothing back in. Repeat this several times until no air bubbles come out (or the fluid color changes if purging old/dirty fluid out of the system). The longer the line, the further away from the master cylinder ,the more times you will need to repeat this procedure. Out of curiosity, I need to read the manual and see what it says. I can't imagine any manual suggesting what I keep hearing here.

  7. Originally posted by Legacy777

    Did you do the work on the block, or was this an engine you hadn't messed with?

     

    I'm pretty sure the factory uses and anerobic sealant to seal the two blocks.

     

    The blue silicone could have come from the oil pump.

     

    I hadn't touched the block or the engine at all. I had just bought the car 2 months before with 116,000 miles on it (BTW, the engine lasted till 220,000!). I think it was blue silicone. It was 7 years ago so I'm not sure of the color.

  8. I've never replaced a cam seal except when doing a complete engine rebuild. I've replaced the crank seal once or twice when they've leaked. I've had several engines with 220,000 miles, 180,000 miles (just last weekend replaced the water pump and t-belt but didn't touch seals) and such that I've owned (or my kids have owned). Just my experience. It's not that big of a job to get in there and do it when need be on a 2.2

  9. 91 with 220,000 miles before somthing started "rattling" in the bottom end. Never did pull the case apart to see if it was a rod bearing. Another with 180,000 miles with no problems. Another with 160,000 in the rally car was run with no water when the radiator "blew" apart. Tore it down to rebuild and the piston bores all miked to within .0005 of spec. They certainly have the oiling down correctly. Best motor they ever built. BTW, never heard of or had any head gasket problems.

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