dashton

Trust me - I would love to get rid of the surburban. With a 42 gallon gas tank @ $3/gallon = $126 to fill. Ouch. But until the travel trailer and snowmobile trailer go we don't have many options. Plus we drive into our cabin in a couple of feet of snow all winter. Interesting - I've brought up the Tribeca with my wife and she really likes the way it looks. I about barf everytime I see one. Maybe it will grow on me. But maybe an option once the kids are all out of car seats and can climb in the back. That's what's so enticing about the minivan - so easy to get little kids in and out. Hopefully by the time the kids are a little older the Tribeca will have matured from the ugly duckling to a beautiful swan. Dave

Well, I think I’m committing the unpardonable sin. I’m selling my ’90 legacy wagon and buying a minivan. We now have four kids under the age of 6 and we can’t all fit in the legacy anymore. My wife’s been driving them all around in our suburban, but with gas prices the way they are it’s killing us. So we’ve made the decision to sell the sube and get a Honda Odyssey. That way she can have the convenience of the van, better fuel economy, but I’ll have to take the suburban to work. I only work 3 miles from home and I usually commute by motorcycle anyway, so it won’t make too much difference to me. But I’ll miss my sube and I don’t look forward to having to drive the pig. But we need it to pull trailers and get to our cabin in the winter, so I’m stuck with it for a while. So – just wanted to thank everybody on this site for all the help. This is definitely the best auto forum I’ve ever seen and it’s helped me out immensely. I’ve been looking for a similar website for Honda Odysseys, but haven’t seen anything even comparable yet. Any suggestions? And does anybody have any comments or things look out for on a ‘00 Odyssey? And my legacy is now officially for sale, so anybody who might be interested is welcome to contact me. It’s a ’90 legacy wagon LS, all the options except the air shocks (which I replaced with struts) and everything works perfectly. The car is in excellent condition with no rust, dents, and only the usual dings & chips you’d expect for 185k miles. It does have an auto tranny which still works great. I was thinking of eventually swapping it to a manual. Perfect car to do it on because of the great condition of the rest of the car. Thanks again – hopefully I’ll be back in a subaru someday. Dave dashton@wencor.com

I have the same problem with my '90 legacy wagon. Anybody out there experienced this or found a way to fix it? The sunroof will work perfectly sometimes, and then not at all others. I'm assuming there's a short or bad connection somewhere, but I'd like to get some advice before I tear it apart. Thanks. Dave

I wish I could find where the short is. I’ve checked everything – speed sensors, FWD fuse voltage, TPS, etc. All the inputs are good and I don’t have any error codes that show up on the TCU. But, the voltage to the Duty C solenoid is always the same 12V. So it never goes into four wheel drive. As I mentioned before, my quick and easy solution was to put a switch in the wire that goes from the TCU to the Duty C solenoid. My car originally came with the adjustable air suspension. I ripped it all out about two years ago when it died. I just used the space where the height switch was and put in another rear defroster switch from the junkyard. When I push the new defroster switch in, it connects the TCU to the solenoid and I’m in front wheel drive. When I push it again it comes out and disconnects the TCU for four wheel drive. I think the only way to find the short would be to take to a dealer who can hook it up to a select monitor and actually see the inputs and outputs from the TCU. But I hate dealers so I haven’t done it yet. Besides, I kind of like my switch – it really makes the car go in the mud and snow.

Don’t worry about the clutches just yet – first make sure the electrical system is working properly. When I bought mine I was all wigged out that the clutches were bad and that’s why I took the whole thing apart – to replace them. When I pulled off the extension housing everything looked brand new. Then I started chasing the electrical and found the voltage wasn’t changing. By the way – if the clutches are bad they are relatively easy to replace. I’m just not sure if you can buy them separately from a whole rebuild kit. I think the kits for the whole tranny run about $150 so it’s still not that much. The only trick is getting the extension housing off and back on. I did mine in my garage and didn’t think it was too hard. You don’t even have to remove the transmission. Good luck and let us know what happens. Dave

I would start by doing some searches on this site for users with similar problems. One I know of was posted by patcal titled "starting to hate this car (tranny) Help!!". I have the same problem with my '90 legacy w/auto and 180k. Here's what I've done: Tore apart the transmission – nothing wrong. Replaced the TCU (transmission control unit) – nothing wrong. Inserted and removed the FWD fuse – no difference. Checked the voltage going directly to the Duty C solenoid which controls the AWD – problem found! I’ve fixed it by putting a switch in the wire going to the Duty C solenoid. For some reason my car ALWAYS has 12v going to the solenoid, which keeps it in two wheel drive. When I break the connection it puts it in full time four wheel drive, when it’s connected it goes back to front wheel drive. So far it’s worked great – I love it in the snow because it stays locked up all the time. The only thing I have to be careful of is not to drive with it locked up on the pavement. I think the post by Patcal has all the references to which wire to look for and what he did to solve his problem. You might just have a bad transmission control unit. Good luck. Dave

Josh, Thanks for the reply. Is it really normal for it to do this? The reason I ask is because it used to do it just occasionally, now it's almost all the time. I changed the fluid last year, and it seemed to help back then. Maybe I'll try again. I'm wondering if the solenoids are a little plugged or sticky and maybe new fluid helps. Also - what do you recommend lubing the speedo cable with? Thanks - Dave.

Just curious if anybody out there has any experience with this. My ’90 legacy w/ auto trans is really starting to shift strange. About 75% of the time it will start out in second gear gear from a rolling stop and sometimes even from a dead stop. Other than that is drives ok, it doesn’t seem to slip and it doesn’t set any fault codes. But it’s driving me crazy every time I come to a stop sign and don’t sit there for 30 seconds to let it shift. Here’s an example: I’m driving along and come to a stop sign. I stop for about 2 seconds and then take off again. Just about every time it starts out in second. If I’m easy on the gas it will eventually just shift into third. If I give it more gas, it will shift down into first after about 5-10 seconds. This has happened in the past to a lesser extent and a fluid change seemed to help, but I think it’s past that now. Here’s all the tech info: tranny has 180k miles on it. Both speed sensors check out ok. Have swapped the TCU and it seems ok. The fluid is clean and not burned. The only possible thing that I have noticed is that my speedo cable has been starting to buzz a little. I’ve taken it out and lubed it, but it still buzzes. I know the front speed sensor is in the combo meter and is driven by the cable. Could it be the cable causing the problem? Any help is greatly appreciated. Dave.

I left the belt on when I did mine. That way I didn't have to hold the sprockets to keep them from spinning. Worked like a champ and I recommend it. Good luck.

Hi Pat, I just replaced my timing belt a month or two ago and it was pretty easy. I posted a write up on it you might want to look at. I loosened the cam sprocket bolts before I removed the belt. To be exact I used a big screwdriver to lock the transmission/engine in place, and then just loosened the sprocket bolts. The timing belt holds them in place and the bolts came off pretty easy. There's a little access cover right on top of the tranny bell housing that lets you put a screwdriver in to keep the engine from turning. Good luck. Dave

You should try a couple of things first - a flush and the 2WD fuse under the hood. I would try the fuse first, if it works then you know the solenoid is still functioning. And if you do decide to flush it, I've used seafoam trans-tune with good results. If neither of these work and you've determined that it is the solenoid itself, it's not hard to replace. There are no special tools required to get the extension case off. You have to drop the exhaust and rear drive line, disconnect a couple of electrical lines, and then the housing just unbolts and comes off. The solenoid is in the housing itself and is easy to get to. The only real trick comes in putting it back together - you have to line up all the clutch pieces to get the housing back on, and it can be frustrating. Look at Legacy777's website for the service data on the housing and solenoid, I think it has the disassembly instructions as well. Good luck. Dave.

Do a search in this forum and over at legacy central and you'll find lots of info on how to get the glass out. I took mine out a few months ago and it's real easy. You also might want to re-seal the rails while you have it out. They're what usually cause it to leak. Good luck.

My '90 legacy has done something similar thing before - I also replaced plugs and wires only to find out it was a plugged injector. My fix was easy - just a can of Seafoam in the tank and drive it. Fixes it every time - it happens every year or so. In my case it was amazing, pour the stuff in and drive off with it missing like crazy. In about 5 minutes it started smoothing out and after 15 was totally gone. Might be worth a try. Dave.

Thank you for the explanation. It makes perfect sense to me to have a clutch pack back there to adjust the power distribution. I've put a switch in my legacy that locks that center differential when I need 4WD (my AWD is broken). I've been wondering lately if I can put in some type of variable potentiometer to manually adjust the voltage to my Duty C solenoid and get the same results as I saw is his STI. Might have to get more serious about it now. By the way, I was absolutely impressed by the STI in every way. Never had a car impress me like that. Thanks for the replies. Dave.

Took my first ride in a 2005 STI last night. Wow - what a car! I could sure get in a lot of trouble driving one of those. Good thing I just have my old legacy. But as my friend was showing me all the features of the car, I had a few questions he couldn't answer. There is a switch and dial on the center console to control the power distribution of the AWD system. He can switch it to "auto" to engage the AWD as needed, or he can put it into a manual mode to lock it up or send more power front or back. This is on the six-speed manual tranny. I was under the impression that all subaru manual tranny's have a viscous coupling to the rear wheels. The switch is his STI seems to be activating something more like what's in my legacy's automatic - a rear clutch pack. Is this true? Does the STI's manual transmission have a rear clutch pack like the automatics? And if it does - how does it engage? Electrically? Hydraulically? I didn't think manaul tranny's had oil pumps in them to engage a hydraulic clutch pack. Sorry for the silly question, but I'm an engineer and I have to know these things (you other engineers will understand). Thanks. Dave

Just wanted to add my two cents here. I have a '90 legacy w/ auto trans where the AWD has been broken since I bought it. Something's wrong with the electrical connections to the tranny, and the computer won't lock up the rear wheels. So I spliced a switch in to force the transfer case to lock it up. It works great - with the switch connected I have front wheel drive, and disconnected it's four wheel drive. And yes, it does lock up the transfer case. I will only get stuck if one front wheel and one rear wheel lose traction at the same time. And by the way - it's a blast offroad and in the snow. Always locked up and goes like crazy. Dave

You might want to check and see if you have a plastic radiator. My 90 legacy's original radiator had plastic side pieces and the passenger side cracked at about 170k. I had to replace the entire radiator - this time with a full metal one. Good luck. Dave

Finally finished changing the timing belt, water pump and all the front oil seals in my '90 legacy. I really appreciate all the good advice and info on the board, I don't think I could have done it without it, at least not so easily. Here are a couple of comments that I hope will help anybody else doing the same thing: 1. The worst part of the job was just getting the timing belt covers off. Of the seven cast inserts, five had cracked and just spun with the bolts. The best solution I found was to cut a slot in the ear with the insert to get it really loose, then pry it apart with a screwdriver. I put the covers back on with nuts and bolts, so far seems to work pretty good. I think the inserts failed because the shop before me tightened them too tight and stripped them out. I strongly recommend putting oil or anti-seize on the bolts when you re-assemble them and then carefully tighten them so they don't strip. 2. When I loosened the bolt holding the harmonic balancer I just removed the rubber access plug on the bell housing and used a screwdriver to hold the flywheel. 3. I loosened the bolts on the cam sprockets before removing the old timing belt - that way I didn't have to worry about clamping or holding them. Worked great. 4. The harmonic balancer fell off in my hand, but the crank sprocket was stuck tight. I had to use a generic steering wheel puller to get it off. 5. You don't have to remove the radiator, but it sure makes it easier. Highly recommended if you're also doing the oil pump seals and water pump at the same time as the belt. 6. To pull the old cam seals and crank seal I had to drill a small hole in the seal and thread a small screw in. Then I could grab the screw with vice grips and pull it out. I tried using a seal pick, but it didn't work - the seals were really stuck. Just be careful drilling the hole so you don't damage the sealing surfaces. 7. When putting the crank and cam seals back in make sure you use a lot of grease on the seal lips. I've even been told to pack the back of the seal full with grease to keep the spring in. I found the only way I could get the crank seal on without it folding was to pack it full. 8. While I had the back plastic belt covers off, I decided to file in new notches for aligning the sprockets. The original marks are difficult to see from the top of the engine, and the new marks made it easier to line it up the marks on the sprockets and belt. 9. To tighten the cam sprockets I used a bar with some holes drilled into it. I put bolts through the holes to catch the sprocket, and then was able to tighten the bolt in the middle of the sprocket. 10. When I intalled the timing belt I removed both lower idler wheels first. Then I rotated the three sprockets to line up with their corresponding marks on the covers and oil pump. Then I put the belt around all the top sprockets and idlers with the lines on the belt lined up with the marks on the sprockets. Then I installed the toothed idler next to the water pump, and finally the smooth idler at the bottom left. This makes it real easy to get the belt on with just one person, and you don't have to stretch it over the pulleys at all. The Subaru belt has all the marks you need already on it and makes it simple to line up. 11. If you also change the water pump you'll have to drain and re-fill the coolant. Make sure when you re-fill it you disconnect the hose from the top of the radiator and fill the engine block directly. I wasn't careful enough the first time and got an air bubble in the system. List of tools you'll need: Metric socket set (10mm - 19mm) Most of the bolts are 10,12 and 14 22mm socket for balancer bolt Breaker bar or equivalent for the balancer bolt Metric end wrench set Screwdriver set (flat & phillips) Torque wrenches: foot-lb for the idlers, sprockets and balancer bolts. inch-lb for the water & oil pump & covers For seals: drill + pliers or a seal pick or equivalent Might need a steering wheel puller for the crank sprocket 6" C-clamp or equiv for compressing the belt tensioner Here's a couple of other quick references to some timing belt info: http://www.endwrench.com/pages/home.html (go to the archives section for engine) http://www.endwrench.com/pdf/engine/FtCamBeltReplaceW01.pdf Also see legacy777's website for electronic scans of the factory manuals: http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8080/subaru_manual_scans/ Just as a final note: all of the tips above came from this board or the reference info. None of these are my original ideas. I just thought it might be nice to put it all together in one spot to help anybody else. Mechanically the job's easy to do, it just takes time and patience. Thanks again to everybody who's posted this in the past on the board. My sube's up and running great again. Dave

Oops - you're right Josh, I got that backwards. M6_Broke_Me, you mentioned you are thinking about disconnecting the AWD electrically. You can do it, it's easy, and it's what I have on my legacy. I just found the duty C solenoid wire coming from the transmission connector and spliced a switch in. I did it because my AWD didn't work, and now the switch forces it on. In theory, you could wire a three position switch in place that would allow you to choose between FWD, AWD, and 4X4. FWD = continuous 12V (with 15a fuse) AWD = connected to trans computer output 4X4 = 0 volts (no connection) Please check me on this Josh, but I think it would work. At least it works for me between FWD & 4X4. Good luck.

No, the solenoid doesn't need to be working to put the car in 2WD. Putting the fuse in cuts the power to the solenoid, and it closes on no power and releases the clutches. If your car is binding try a couple of things first: Check all your tires and make sure they're the same diameter - that's the biggest problem. Change your tranny fluid. Put the fuse in. If the fuse fixes it you may have a problem other than the solenoid. By the way, it's not too tough to get in and replace the solenoid and clutches. You just have to remove the extension housing on the transmission and it's all easy to get to. Do some searches on this subject, there's some good info in the older posts. Good luck.

I have a coolant leak in my '90 legacy like I've never seen before. When the car is running (cold or hot) it doesn't leak. Sometimes (not all the time) when it's parked overnight, there will be a puddle and antifreeze right under water pump. The car has 180k on it and is due for a timing belt and water pump. I've never seen a pump only leak when it's cold, and then only leak sometimes. I'm assuming it's a seal in the pump, and I'm planning on replacing it one of these weekends. Anybody else have any ideas what it might be? Thanks.

Pulled into the driveway yesterday and noticed my ’90 legacy is dripping a little coolant from the water pump. Seems to be coming from the gasket between the pump and block. I’ve found all the info I need to repair it, but first I need to figure out how to get the covers off the timing belt. I tried to remove the two outer covers to check the belt a few weeks ago, and every single screw was frozen and just broke the inserts loose in the plastic covers. Is there an easy way to get the screws out without destroying the two covers? I really don’t want to replace them. Right now I can turn the screws all day long and the inserts just spin in place. I’ve also tried prying the covers off (since the inserts are loose), but they feel like they’ll break if I pull too hard. Any suggestions? Thanks. Dave

Josh, Here are the part numbers off the TCU: EE 31711 AA911 A64-000 822 Which part of the number determines if it's 2WD or AWD? Do you have some type of decoder you could post? I forgot one thing to check - I tested all the inputs to the TCU and they all are in spec. But I checked them all to a common ground - oops - need to check them to their specific grounds through the TCU. Could have a bad ground that's ruining a good signal. Another project for tonight. Thanks. Dave

Mike, Just finished checking ALL the inputs to the TCU that I think could affect the it - everything checks out perfectly in range. The TCU has a couple of inputs that see the throttle position and all of them check out. I also verified that the AWD switch is working properly, which it is. One last question before I give up: Is the 2WD TCU different from the AWD TCU? I think I've heard they're the same, but I just want to be sure. Just wondering if some idiot before me replaced the TCU with the wrong one. I've replaced it again from a wrecking yard car, but I found one with exactly the same part number and letters. Maybe I need to try one more TCU - I think he's got another he'll swap me for that's a little different. Anyway, thanks for all the help. Dave

1. Yes, the car has ABS and it seems to work just fine. 2. I think the TCU does interface with the ECU. At least it would make sense that it did. I think that's how it knows when to shift - by the throttle position, etc. 3. I like my manual switch too, but would like the regular AWD as well. I'm going to check one more thing this morning. I'm wondering if I'm possibly getting some voltage in the line from the FWD switch. There's no fuse in, but I wonder if there could be a short somewhere that could be holding it in FWD, but not lighting up the indicator in the dash. Dave