So last night i bought myself my 4th Loyale. It is not in too bad of shape. Not too much body cancer, 5-speed, needs a bit of body work, and a new radiator.

 

I took it for a quick test drive and it handled well, as usual, but when i popped it into 4-hi, 1, it wouldn't come back out of it.. 2, my rear locks up occasionally. My question is oh mighty humble Subaru guru's! . Do i have a bad Transfer case, or a bad rear diff? like i said, it didn't start locking up until after i put it into 4-wheel. I haven't looked at it completely yet. I was going to start by removing the drive shaft and see if the rear still locks up. can anyone think of anything else? Thanks!

 

Edit: its a GL not Loyale

Edited September 21, 200916 yr by crazyman03

Locks entirely or just drags one wheel? One wheel only could be a wheel bearing. I've seen 3 lock solid.

 

Not coming out of 4wd could be a problem with the vacuum solenoid that operates the 2wd/4wd shifting mechanism. Or, it could simply be the wheel bearing locked is keeping tension built up in the driveline.

No an 88 gl would be cable driven right. No soliinode like in a single range. 4hi 4 low right.

actually, from what I've noticed, it was just the driver's rear. It occasionally locks up... not entirely, just enough to chirp the tire a bit.

 

i was thinking perhaps that because there is tension on the drive line that could be the reason why its not coming out of 4.

 

curious, would there be a vacuum with the "4-wheel shifter" i always thought they were directly linked to the transfer case.

Good catch.

 

I was thrown off by this first sentence

 

 

 

So last night i bought myself my 4th Loyale.

well, to me its a loyale. my first 3 subies were loyale's so the gl body looks just the same.

No an 88 gl would be cable driven right.

 

On a dual range GL the linkage is actually solid levers. Not cable or vacuum. Thrown off by this sentence

 

"

1988 GL rear locking up

So last night i bought myself my 4th Loyale. "

 

Anyhow. So just the drivers side huh? Yeah, I'll bet that you simply have a bad rear wheel bearing on that side.

hmm, I'll look at it tonight. Sadly I'm at work right now and can't work on it. I wanted to get a few ideas going so that i have a plan of attack when i get there.

 

would there be a easy way of checking the berrings without pulling it? I tried a "pull test" on the tires and they seemed solid.

well, to me its a loyale. my first 3 subies were loyale's so the gl body looks just the same.

 

Except, as this thread shows, that just cause YOU know what you mean, WE don't.

 

You will get better answers faster if you provide correct details about the car in question.

 

FYI, both models can be collectively referred to here as "EA82"

hmm, I'll look at it tonight. Sadly I'm at work right now and can't work on it. I wanted to get a few ideas going so that i have a plan of attack when i get there.

 

would there be a easy way of checking the berrings without pulling it? I tried a "pull test" on the tires and they seemed solid.

 

Put the rear end up on jackstands and try to spin the wheel.

I'll give that a try. Thanks.

And besides the GLs were better then the Loyales anyway. Everything past 90 was stripped down single range. Where in the late 80s GLs were the top of the line.

 

But back on topic.

 

Im having wheel bearing troubles also. Replaceing the ones on the back are no joke. Jack the rear end up and spin the wheel. If you hear the grinding or binding up then its the wheel bearing. But i dont see how this could possibly be the problem since it didnt start happening until you put it in 4wd. Do these require you backup a bit like on older 4wd trucks to disengage them from 4wd.

Do these require you backup a bit like on older 4wd trucks to disengage them from 4wd.

 

Actually, i still haven't been able to disengage the 4wd. That's why I'm still tossed between the diff and the t-case.

I just bought a 1991 loyale last month and im having awd problems too.

 

Its not the lever type shifter, its the buttor on top of the 5spd shifter, so i guess its the vacumm/solenoid type. Anyhow, when i pop it into awd it seems to drive alright in a straight line. However, when i go to make a turn, its like the rear wheels want to turn at the same speed, like the diff is locked. And also sometimes it doesn't pop right out of awd, i have to drive it around a bit and torque?

 

Is this awd a strictly off road use feature, or do i have something messed up in my transfer case..? Thanks

The last post brings up a good point. To my understanding, do not use the 4wd option unless on loose terrain. Like dirt, sand, snow, and possibly rain? But who really needs it in rain right? So if you have issues with the 4wd and are driving on the dry road, its user error.

I just would like to know if it is for sure a locked differential so that somethings not broken. I do want to use awd when i get into snow and mud, but not if im chewing up the driveterrain.

 

Anyone with a awd loyale have any info on this??

I have had 3. I guess the question is are you experiencing these issues when driving it on the road? I never engage mine on the dry road. Always for off road and winter use.

I bet 10 bucks one of the tires is different size or completely worn. Mine did the exact same thing, and wouldn't come out unless I made a slight right turn. It would hum and then once a while it would chirp a rear tire. Most people will put a oddball tire on the rear. I had 3 185 75 13's and a 1 185 70 13 on driver rear......

 

Put on a brand new set and VIOLA! No more problems!

 

****edit: Mine will still wind up and chirp, while hard cornering in 4wd. That is because our cars have diff-lock.

 

Check your tires closely

Edited September 22, 200916 yr by Ricearu

well the tire are totally bald haha. thanks your post answered all my questions!

 

the car is in the shop right now getting the heads rebuilt, should be running like a champ soon!

Did you have the car in 4wd on dry pavement? If you did, the chirping is normal. It is stuck in 4wd because you got things in a bind. Try putting the car in reverse, and pop the cluth while trying to go into 2wd. Otherwise get a wheel on somthing in can slip on a bit to unbind the drivetrain.

Torque Bind! Never heard of an AWD ea82 unless its a mod, they are 4wd and will bind when cornering unless there slippage i.e. snow or loose gravel. I hate it when dealers call loyales AWD. I've seen that slip too many times.

Put the rear end up on jack stands and try to spin the wheel.

 

I did this and the bearings seemed alright. No grinding. i even checked the diff. But when i did this.... it came out of 4wd. So I'm thinking that the Transfer case was causing the drive-shaft to lock up which was causing the rear to lock up.

 

Now all i need is to figure out where i can find a radiator for cheap. Also. do the ea82 alternator usually have the voltage regulator built into it?

I did this and the bearings seemed alright. No grinding. i even checked the diff. But when i did this.... it came out of 4wd. So I'm thinking that the Transfer case was causing the drive-shaft to lock up which was causing the rear to lock up.

 

Now all i need is to figure out where i can find a radiator for cheap. Also. do the ea82 alternator usually have the voltage regulator built into it?

 

Thats torque bind you experienced and the regulator is most commonly internal. I got a napa brand radiator and it sprung a leak after 9mos but it was replaced free due to the 1yr warranty. Cost me $130something? Solid copper no aluminum or plastic. I would do that again. Same "performance radiator" brand.

curious, is the transfer case necessarily bad? Is there anything i could possibly do to fix it aside from replacing it?

I bet 10 bucks one of the tires is different size or completely worn. Mine did the exact same thing, and wouldn't come out unless I made a slight right turn. It would hum and then once a while it would chirp a rear tire. Most people will put a oddball tire on the rear. I had 3 185 75 13's and a 1 185 70 13 on driver rear......

 

Put on a brand new set and VIOLA! No more problems!

 

****edit: Mine will still wind up and chirp, while hard cornering in 4wd. That is because our cars have diff-lock.

 

Check your tires closely

 

 

I just bought an '87 GL. The front tires have about 75% tread left and the rears are around 25%. Even on loose terrain, I have to drive in reverse about 40 feet while keeping slight pressure on the 4wd lever to get it back into 2wd. One thing this system needs to work smoothly is 4 tires with the exact same wear (as talked about above).

 

Oh, also, I bought one of those $104 radiators with plastic tanks from Auto Zone. Threw it in with a new thermostat and... bingo. Temp sits right at 190F and doesn't budge. It's plastic, but works great for me (it's a $600 car).

Edited September 24, 200916 yr by kanurys