Ok so here's the deal, Picked up this car (2000 outback limited AWD, Auto trans) from a good friend (122k on it) did HG's and all that happy stuff... friend had transmission and front diff rebuilt by amco (35-40k ago) I'm getting a constant clicking from the drivers side output shaft area, its not a CV clicking but sounds internal, driving patterns don't make any chance to noise, going into neutral while coasting makes it go away and also does clicking when all 4 wheels are on jack stands, I also found that the drivers side wheel appears to be binding when the other 3 are spinning. 

 

 

 

Any ideas here? i'm not fond of amco but might take it back....its outta warranty

Edited October 19, 201510 yr by jackinthecrack

swap axles side for side to confirm it isn't the SOJ/tripod joint.

 

inspect brakes for binding caliper.

 

(woner why the front diff got rebuilt - anyway, there's tricky diff preload procedure I think and it may have had a short lifespan if it wasn't properly rebuilt.)

Edited October 19, 201510 yr by 1 Lucky Texan

axles on both sides are about a year old, when I had it off all 4s I was checking free wheel spin on front checking for noticeable binding or resistance, couldn't feel anything that way.

rebuilt axles are notoriously poor in quality. if they are truly 'new' (as in, new Subaru axles) I would trust it isn't a cv joint. But rebuilts often have the case hardening ground away, cheap over-size bearings dropped in, cheap grease added, etc. maybe 1 out of 10 will last.

 

 

just make certain it IS the diff before proceeding to swap the trans or w'ever..

well I was wrong on previous rebuild on differental, was Trans only.

 

I took it into a shop (amco) they said diff needs gone through, $1530!

 

so my cheapness has kicked in, what are my options at this point? I'm thinking of finding another trans, what year should I look for?

 

might do this myself, autos aren't my thing, I've rebuilt a couple suby motors, not afraid here

one option, you  might find an entire trans out of a wreck (LKQ or car-part.com) ,maybe with less miles.

looks like 99-04 outback Trans should fit? or?

everything at local wreckers is junk cores, a guy on Craigslist has a jdm motor and Trans doesn't know the year, also comes with a 2000 obw that's complete

You can use an '04 but need to swap out a few components inside the tail housing.

Don't use a 99 to 04 Legacy.I think you want the 4.44 not the 4.11. I only know cause I have a legacy and everything else was 4.44 from Impreza to Forester to Baja except Legacy.

One of these might be your transmissions here: http://opposedforces.com/parts/legacy/us_b12/type_21/automatic_transmission/at_transmission_assembly/

If one of them is your transmission then you need any tranny that starts with TZ1A4ZXXXX which as you can see all the 99 to 04 Subaru outbacks, Automatic with 2.5l engines have a TZ1A4ZXXXX number.

I'd take it to another shop and get a second opinion before dropping money on a trans.

 

Have you checked thefont diff fluid? How does the front diff fluid look? Drive the car a few minutes and drain the diff fluid into a clean bucket or catch pan and look for sparkly bits in the fluid.

I did drain front fluid before this happened, it did have sparkles in it...looked like brass though, and it was about half full, it had a strange smell to it kinda skunky, not the normal gear oil smell, I thought maybe someone put some magic punch in it. I'm thinking it was getting ready to crap the bed.

 

I snagged a 50k mile tranny off eBay from a localish jdm parts company, comes with a great unlimited mileage warranty for 1yr and I got it for 700 with tax

Yeah that seems kind of odd. Possible someone put the wrong fluid in at some point and it's just been downhill from there.

 

 

Not a bad price for a trans. Gonna take the old one apart and see what's in there?

probably a bad bearing - might be fixable if you have the time.  pull front diff off - retain every part/shim/orientation to retain backlash and preload. 

could've been wrong stuff, hmm.

 

yeah I plan on pulling old Trans apart and rebuilding front diff, being as the Trans itself has less than 40k on it

 

I snagged a 50k mile tranny off eBay from a localish jdm parts company,

comes with a great unlimited mileage warranty for 1yr and I got it for

700 with tax

 

what year?

hopefully not 04?

 

it sounds like you are working in the right direction.

 

good luck.

it's a 00, same part number even