Hi guys.

 

96 legacy wagon 2.2  automatic.

 

Recently noticed what sounds like a noise from the rear end or the drive shaft.

 

Accelerating,, going up an incline usually,, but not always. 

 

I hear/feel what feels like going over concrete spacers,...  a fump...     if you will   sometimes in succession. / not like a machine gun,,   spaced out

 

feels like something slips and then catches..  I don't have a slow down or deceleration,, and I'm 90 % sure its not a tranny slipping.

 

Idk what it is. 

 

to me it feels like its coming from the rear.

 

 

 

i'm finding your description hard to follow, or it's just not like something I've heard. i'm not sure what you mean by concrete spacers and not sure about this: "I don't have a slow down or accelearation"

 

does it do it more than once?  

if so - does steering or braking make it change?

how about accerating or decelerating while the noise is happening?

 

is it rythmic?

left, right, or center (ride in the back/trunk with your head on the floor if you have to)?

 

i like to narrow down center (extention housing, driveshaft, diff) or left/right (knuckle, brake, bearing, strut)

Hard to tell from your description , but if it sound like the rear, then start looking there. Check the rear differential for gear oil ??? ok ??? then unbolt  the drive line , is the rear ujoint good ? smooth no tight spots ? If all looks good then proceed up the drive line,  the carrier bearing has rubber bushings that can go bad but more likely is the front ujoint is going out. I have replaced many many of those. They are hard to diagnose without hands on.  While your drive line is disconnected , rotate your rear differential to feel for rough spots.  After all that, your  up at the tranny where your 90% sure its not at.   Good Luck

well it was doing this noise/ feel,,  while I was on the gas.. then I let off and it doesn't  do it.

 

concrete spacers ,,   I mean when you go over  a concrete road that has expansion joints, you can feel them / hear it.

 

its a small thump  and its not consistent.  I can go miles and it doesn't happen.   Most of the time its when I accelerate,, and moreso when on an uphill grade.

 

"I don't have a slow down or deceleration"  meaning when it happens the car doesn't slow down.   or speed up.   I don't hear a transmission spinning with no movement.    Its just a "wump" in the rear of the car that feels like someone took a fist and banged on my rear quarter.

maybe rear bushings on lower control arm or some other mount/bushing?

blown rear shocks or mount

Update;   I checked my rear pumpkin..    it was low on rear end oil.   I put more in.  It seems it has a slow leak from the last 3 years or so.  

 

Nothing wet on pavement.  Some black oil seems to be seeping from the top of the rear end.. and leaking down across the face of the rear end.  But its not wet,  just blacker than It should be.

 

That aside.

 

Going up a grade/ hill  going about 45-50 mph.  If I let off the gas and  then step on it again, I get this fump from the rear of the car.  I can replicate it by doing the same thing again.

 

Doing some searching for parts without actually getting under the car and inspecting,   I don't have a lift and I didn't want to tear into the exhaust shield etc.  before getting an idea from you guys. 

I don't relish putting my car on 4 jack stands and lying on my back to inspect the U-Joints.     I'm not a mechanic, but I can do the work if I need to.  I just hate the not knowing what I'm looking for.

 

I haven't looked into the rear shocks or mounts yet, as it seems drive line related. 

 

I went looking for some parts, Specifically the U joints and  a center bearing.  These are not easy to find via online parts stores.   Rock auto is out of U joints, but I think I found some replacements on Ebay.

 

The thing I thought I might need to look at is the center support bearing.  I cant find this anywhere.  I haven't gone to Subaru as I was hoping to find it at a lower cost.  But I cant even find a part number for it. 

 

1996 Legacy wagon, 2.2 EAT

http://www.provenforce.com/center_bearing/subaru_center_bearing.html

i had tried that site,, i clicked on the bearing but it doesnt load.  But now i think maybe i have to call them to order.

 

Based on what i said,, do you guys still think it might be suspension?