Driving the 84 wagon, Ej22/5 DR, in 2wd and all of a sudden I can't get into gear. Pop it into 4wd, drives fine. Pull over, axles in one piece, nothing that I can see is broken.

 

Drive home in 4wd, put it in 2wd...nothing.

 

Did I blow my transmission???

 

This is no bueno.

Sounds like the front diff went. If it was the trans it would do it in 2wd or 4wd I would think.

broken axle or stripped hub. if the diff failed, you would have had problems over some time beforehand

 

Set the parking brake, put the car in gear, ipen the hood, and see if the axle is turning. then look and see if the axle nut is turning. if the nit is turnoing, you have a stripped hub.

 

If only the axle, or one of the axle cups is turning, then replace the axle

broken axle or stripped hub. if the diff failed, you would have had problems over some time beforehand

 

Set the parking brake, put the car in gear, ipen the hood, and see if the axle is turning. then look and see if the axle nut is turning. if the nit is turnoing, you have a stripped hub.

 

If only the axle, or one of the axle cups is turning, then replace the axle

 

Explain why it wont go into gear.

Explain why it wont go into gear.

explain how it goes in 4wd.

 

what the OP is implying is that the car will not go, when in gear, in 2wd, but does in 4wd.

 

This one is so obvious

I agree. Stripped hub splines. Put it in gear (2wd) and then let out the clutch and watch the axle nuts on the front. The one with the stripped hub will be spinning.....

 

GD

I dont wanna start anything, especially definitely not knowing more than anyone who's given the advice...

 

but the OP needs more info...

 

"CANT GET INTO GEAR" doesnt say much.

 

Can you be IN the gear spot (say shifting into second gear) and not drive in 2WD but then you pop the lever into 4WD and in the same gear spot the car will move?

 

or

 

Can you be trying to go into gear and nothing happens at all, it wont shift into gear unless its in 4WD?

 

Just wondering out of interest

"Can you be IN the gear spot (say shifting into second gear) and not drive in 2WD but then you pop the lever into 4WD and in the same gear spot the car will move?"

 

Yes. I snapped a front axel. It does the same thing. And when this happens you're in RWD.

 

Doug

goes in 4wd is a dead giveaway. I broke an axle in arkansas, removed it, put in 4wd, ad drove another 600 miles. I managed to get another car home 15 mile on a stripped hub(fwd). I had the rear diff fall out of my sedan, and drove it another 250 miles before fixing it(now i am bragging) You can literally drive a subaru with the axles dangling off the ground.

 

My answer is based on what is MOST LIKELY to happen and is usually the culprit when this situaion arises.

 

So if it is a stripped hub, it is caused by improper torque or installation of the axle nuts(washer on backwards)

 

and based on all of this, what may or will happen as a result of this is a compromised wheel bearing.

 

i suppose i could direct to an article on how to do the axles and wheel bearings, what tools to use, etc

 

Have fun and enjoy the subaru!

Edited April 25, 201114 yr by MilesFox

Thanks everyone for your input. I hope it is an axle and not a diff.

 

Maybe I didn't give enough info, but it is all I have: Driving in 2wd, went to shift, won't go into gear. Pop into 4wd, gear is good, drive home. Nothing broken that I can see. Did not tear into it or anything, just parked it and felt lucky to get home without a tow.

 

Thanks, I will start diagnosing when I get the time.

Thanks everyone for your input. I hope it is an axle and not a diff.

 

Maybe I didn't give enough info, but it is all I have: Driving in 2wd, went to shift, won't go into gear. Pop into 4wd, gear is good, drive home. Nothing broken that I can see. Did not tear into it or anything, just parked it and felt lucky to get home without a tow.

 

Thanks, I will start diagnosing when I get the time.

 

Based on my experience, a subaru is the only car that can break down, and still drive home:banana:

I think its also possible its a linkage or trans mount broken and the selector isn't really going into 2wd position, just that no mans land in between.

I would beg to differ that if the shifter would not go into gear, the car will not be in gear for the 4wd. And i also would say that if the front diff was shot, the 4wd still wont go, since it drives the PTO to the rear.

 

I do like shawn's idea of the 2/4 wheel engagement being stuck n the middle, but i still maintain that a stripped hub is the likely acute culprit.

I have had this same excact problem... Seems to be it wont shift into gear just like what was said. Now this doesnt mean that the splines are stripped or the trans is bad... (which it could be). But what he failed to say is if he didnt shift gears and just engaged the 4wd. So IMO it could be just a broken CV joint! This happened to me before. The joint broke, and with no load on the trans with shifts smother and feels like it doesnt do into gear. This would also explain why it didn't move in 2wd. The axle can just spin inside the boot or cup and not make any noise... (had it happen) I popped the hood, left it running in gear and seen the CV cup off the trans spining and the axle staying still, once again... no noise and no movement. Put it in 4wd and continued on my way.

Now that I can see as a possible cause.

It is looking like a broken axle. Put in gear and looked under hood to see entire R front axle spinning. So I think it broke at the outside DOJ. Never had that happen before.

 

I so hope that is the problem and relative easy fix. I have been having transmission/differential nightmares.

 

Thanks all for your suggestions, i wouldn't have thought to put in gear and look under hood.

That is a very easy fix. Axles are pretty cheap and easy to do. I am glad to see you found out what happened.

lots of people on here have come across dirt cheap on craigs ones, that the owners say wont' move unless in 4wd and makes bad noise not moving in fwd. drive home in 4wd, put in new axle, golden.

Is there any danger to running around town in 4wd until I get around to replacing front axle? Would I do damage to transmission/diff?

It won't hurt anything, just be careful to watch out if the cv axle tears the boot. Then you can have an axle flopping everywhere. That would cause some damage.