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How was that wire broken? They usually break due to improper maintenance or an impact of the transmission pan.

 

The solenoids easily crack as well. Is it possible that another wire or solenoid is also cracked? Clearly one can break but so far all the ones o have seen have been multiple solenoid and wire breaks.

 

Also that bad wire may have damaged the torque converter - someone more versed in them should comment on that. It is imagine it could generate additional ATF heat.

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Sorry still dealing with a house fire next door so can't answer so quickly. And why was the car running perfectly prior to installing new axle. Other than check engine light for torque converter switch solenoid perfect running car. I decided to replace axle only cuz of clicking sound bad axle makes and torn CV boot. Tried posting pic will try again

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Here is my issue. Unemployed. I live in area where if I don't drive I can't get to a job. Been wasting a week and a half and can't get it home and until I rip it apart I really won't know what really happened. Losing my faith in Subaru real quickly. I still don't know what blew up. Suddenly wouldn't accelerate without flooring it then wouldn't move without RPM over 3000. I think new motor is also needed. I will see tomorrow

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tough spot - try priceline.com for cheap car rentals in Phoenix. (brief search seems like rent-a-wreck is closed) and get acquainted with valley metro and the bus services?

 

 

Subarus definitely have their quirky problems and even bum years for major issues, but, ANY 20 year old car could break.

 

 

maybe post in a new thread here asking for some guidance. An experienced member near you might take a look at the car for pizza and beers.

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low fluid can cause that symptom as well - but there's still a lot of gray area in all of this so who knows.

 

Warranties explicitly deny coverage for anything other than the part, that's widely known and common. 

 

But even still this:

 

I dunno that folks reading the story on the internet are well-suited to recreating how the failure occurred. I think dealing with the issue now present will be the best use of your attention.

 

get the engine running, shop for a trans.

 

That - is well said.  We can't explain it, but it's not likely the axle.

 

Ideally you learn from this situation and set yourself up to be in a better place in the future by making better decisions than the ones that got you to this point.  First start with getting a good diagnosis and information about what's going on so we can help....but i totally get that transmissions are hard to diagnosis if they're failing internally.   There are some really talented folks on this forum that could offer some great advice but they need good information since they can see, hear, or touch the vehicle. 

 

But at least start by unplugging the TCU like I said earlier, and check the fluid level. 

 

Beyond the car - I would suggest getting around some people and a community that can help you as well.  Friends, family, church, hobbies, or something along those lines - if you're surrounded by great people everything changes.

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Got car towed home. Whatever we xploded I can't directly see as skid plates are in the way. I use delvac 15w40 engine oil, have in all my Subies, Az heat etc leaks slow, but engine dumped all the engine oil out. Started and ran before I cut it off cuz oil is all dumped out somewhere. Looks like coolant and engine oil haven't pinpointed the explosion but rear main I guess on glance without removing skid plates.

 

Back to trans issue. Before I swapped the axle for the wrong part given to me, I drained trans to repair the severed wire and changed filter and fluid. Added Lucas and level was perfect and color was beautiful. I service vehicles for a career manage oil lube shops so fluids and levels I consider myself expert on. After repairing the wire the MIL light immediately turned itself off I then changed the axle out and drove a bit and seemed ok. Well next time I left the axle exploded. Bearings all fell out and race completely cracked in half. Also was slipping the trans no 3 or 4 gear and 1 and most of 2 but 2 started the slip. Checked to see if the fluid level was ok, was. Went home dropped pan to test or check wire on solenoid and the fluid looked like it was candy apple red with lots and lots of metallic flake. Saturated with metal shavings that were not there before. Put new axle in went to test drive lost same gears again and hike driving at pretty high RPM to try and get home lost all the engine oil. Prior to that the throttle bogged way down when I tried to take off just the last two miles before fluid explosion.

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Torque convertor damaged by the transaxle fighting itself with two different axles seems more to me an explanation. The car ran flawlessly other than the axle click pass side which I should have left alone the car was in perfect driving condition. The axle that same day is when everything other than the wire to solenoid in trans which I fixed prior to axle, even with torque convertor solenoid ground fault I think was the code, it ran flawlessly. Shifted maybe a tad hard but nothing crazy.

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after the axle broke, that stub was probably spinning fast enough to be sensed as slipping tire by the trans so, the clutch pack was desperately trying to shift torqu to the rear. mayeb the appearance of the fluid was from the clutch packs wearing?

 

could be front DIFFERENTIAL oil has leaked out if the axle pulled the stub out while driving or somehow destroyed the output seal.

 

 

or, unlucky failure of the air-oil separator plate or rear main seal?

Edited by 1 Lucky Texan
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This is where I am learning everything from scratch. Auto trans. Valve body clutch pack all foreign words but I am gonna learn as much as I can right now. And yeah I know the very basic operation of auto never cracked one open or rebuilt. Would it have done enough damage to just keep slipping I assume once they wear from all the slippage they don't recover. And wouldn't torque convertor or flexplate more explain the possible rear main (not confirmed) completely failing and all the engine oil pumping out.7

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be very careful the torque converter doesn't slip forward - even 1/4" - very tricky to re-seat and, if you force it - the hydraulic pump cracks.

 

many people find Fact. Serv. Man. (FSM) scans on-line, might have to add ' .pdf ' to the end of a google search string. Be careful about clicking anything else on an Asian or Russian page.

 

 

maybe someone else will chime in with better info. I read a lot on the forums, but several folks here are pros or have many years of experience with deep wrenching on Subarus. I just maintain and do light/medium repairs on my 2 cars.

Edited by 1 Lucky Texan
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Get an FSM, everything else will be found insufficient at some point.  They're free all over the internet.

 

Unless the axle flew apart and waylaid itself into the block/oil pan and cracked it open, it did not cause engine oil loss/failure. 

The axle also didn't cause torque converter failure. 

 

This is actually really easy, it takes less than two minutes to figure this out:

1. Determine how and where the axle failed (post pictures if you can). 

2. Check all fluid levels and determine where the oil loss came from - if it puked out an entire 5 quarts of oil in an instant like described, chances are it would be easy to tell where it came from. 


 

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Diff fluid prior was a tad over full but leaking a tad where clicking axle was and I replaced seal. Drained and filled to proper level. Gonna go out and push car to apt parking lot as fire and police investigators finally left today. And look for where the fluid came from. 98% sure its engine oil. Will post in a bit when I have answers.

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Well here is the too of motor under the intake tubing. Catastrophic failure just as I suspected. Only worse than what I originally thought. Hope the pic loads. Need a new engine block. Both halves. What's the best route to go in this situation. Funny thing car still starts and runs. No oil and half the engine missing. Subie all the way. Advice?post-66714-0-45672600-1507853925_thumb.jpgpost-66714-0-45672600-1507853925_thumb.jpg

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At this point in time the axle failure is irrelevant unless the binding and breaking caused the failure which in my mind yeah it probly did have a large part of this happening. Trans and engine rebuilt 94000 miles ago and it's at 261xxx. Money is all I need to get it going and jobless unemployment isn't gonna buy me a damn thing. Where to I start obvious pull the engine and trans but least expensive option to get it built up again. Any ideas.

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you need another car. this one is goood example unless it was yours before the explosion. but it supposedly has axle prob but for 500 id check it out.

you have too many issues going :)

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/d/1997-subaru-legacy/6307461281.html

Wheel speed sensor or abs sensor. I begged this fellow to get ahold of me as I will beg borrow steal to buy this vehicle.

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I HOPE LIKE HELL  IT WORKS OUT FOR YOU WITH THE OTHER SUBE I THINK THE WHITE ONE.

sorry caps

i have gonee through unbelieveable situations too in past few years also

just went through hurricane harvey and lots lots more before that.

i know the feeling you need to get to work.

:)

let me know the resultif the car looks feasiible.

dan

ps thats why i love these cars though well ive had five now so i know them,

but you can go out and for 1000 2000 get a good running vehicle  if it runs good and reasonable miles and 

and smooth youll  know the feeling when you test drive it it will easily go 2 years with no problems maybe way more.

i meant car issues by the way not personal ones. i was just glad you didnt get mad at my comment. :)

Edited by 1997reduxe
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