Subaru_dude Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 I was mudding today and I hit a big dip, and i immediatly heard a loud grinding noise. I found out after some inspection that the noise was coming from the electric fan... it was scraping against the metal cover. Would it be okay if I simply removed this cover? and after I pulled out of the hole, I suddenly couldn't move in 4wd high or low... I couldn't move until I took it out of 4wd. It seems fine now.... I just moved it from my lower driveway to my upper in 4wd and nothing seemed wrong. Could this become a problem later on? thanks, Jordan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet82 Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 Hard to say... I'd speculate you jamed your linkage. It's possible you broke a tooth off a gear? You could take a look at your tranny fluid for signs of metal I ground a gear back in the mid 80's and it has shifted rough ever since but it has never been a problem during the last 20 years? I'd check it and drive it! Glenn 82 SubaruHummer--1 - 2 grind 01 Forester--smooth... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 The 'fan shroud' can be removed but watch your fingers from then on and be sure to warn others who might be near your open engine bay. Hard to say on the 4WD issue. Jack it up and look for anything bent or loose. Looks good then put a few miles on it and see whats up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_dude Posted April 5, 2005 Author Share Posted April 5, 2005 after more inspection... the fan is actually scraping the edge of the radiator. I suspect that it has just slipped off the motor a bit, but right now I'm letting it cool off so I can get in there without much worry about getting too warm. :cool: And when I was trying to remove the skid plate earlier to change the oil, the front bolt that is attached to the underskirt (one is missing) would turn and turn, but wouldn't loosen. Is there another nut on the other side? And I know this is probably normal, but after all that abuse I'm hearing "knock knock knocking" noises coming from the.. what sounds like the engine compartment, while I'm moving. Sorta sounds like it's coming from the passenger side just on the other side of the firewall. Normal or should I find out where it's coming from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qman Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 The mechanical fan is hitting the shroud and radiator, correct? For this to happen the engine has to move. My guess is that you stuffed mud/debris between the cross member and engine. That would also explain the inability to shift in and out of 4WD. The knocking could be that the oil pan has pushed up against the pick up tube for the oil pump and you are not getting adequate oil flow. These are speculations at this point. Check it out and let us know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_dude Posted April 6, 2005 Author Share Posted April 6, 2005 That would also explain the inability to shift in and out of 4WD. I could shift in and out of 4WD just fine, but it wouldn't move in first gear while in 4WD. didn't try 2nd, and I don't think I tried putting it in 4WD low either, but I can't quite remember. and I fixed the fan guard thingy.... the fan was scraping the bottom of the fan guard so I got under the car with a pry-bar and just pulled down on the bottom to pull the dent out..... and that worked (how the dent got there I have no idea). But it was still scraping the edge of the radiator so I just unbolted the top of it and put a couple washers between the actual radiator and the fan guard assembly. Worked out fine, no more noise. I'll get under the car and check out what's up with the 4WD...... and I'll take it to the lake sometime in the next few days and drive around in the gravel in 4WD and let you know if there's anything strange. And the knocking noise is only really noticeable when climbing a steep hill or giving it alot of gas. And what's the normal oil pressure at idle? When I first start it, it stays around 45 psi... but when it's warmed up, it's about at 25-30 psi. Thanks for the help guys. P.S. I don't think the knocking could be because of the oil pan getting bashed because there's a skid plate there. But it does have some fist-sized holes in it to change oil, access oil filter etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_dude Posted April 8, 2005 Author Share Posted April 8, 2005 after a little research..... my oil pressure is fine. my 4WD is back to normal too.... dunno what was up with it that day. I still hear knocking going up steep hills though.... and I hear a slight squeaking that sorda follows the rpms of the engine.... sounds like some kinda drive bearing to me. And I was cruising down the highway yesterday and it suddenly felt like my foot was taken completely off the gas and then 2 seconds later put back on. MAF sensor? fuel pump? Where's the MAF sensor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonwingsubaru Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 i have the 4wd thing happen to me a cpl times too, seems to always be after i do some real bad bouncing around or get some air time. doesnt seems to be aproblem any other time, and i have never had it happen in 4 lo, just 4 high. and really that skid plate is kinda useless if you hit alot of the rutty stuff like i do, i have had mud packed in there so tight before that i have had to take a chisle to get it out. as for the squeaking check your ac compressor, mine started squeaking for a while after i hit some really big mud puddles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowmastered87GL Posted April 9, 2005 Share Posted April 9, 2005 the knocking maybe could be a CV joint? if mud or crud got in there maybe its making it get closer to failing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_dude Posted April 9, 2005 Author Share Posted April 9, 2005 yeah, i think it could be the CV joint. it definitely sounds like it's coming from the passenger front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudrat79 Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 One more thing to look at in the engine/tranny area.... look at all your mounts....If your out trashing it that hard, you may have torn a mount up....Would explain all your symtoms ... Also the way your shift linkage is set up, if you are in heavy clay type mud, and there is gravel mixed in with it, it is rear easy to pump the goo up in and around the linkage, and if there happens to be any fair sized rocks in there, they tend to jam linkage up...... I had to get up under my Hatch twice to dislodge rocks that had managed to get up in there and wedge into my linkage..... To check your CV Joints....... Get in a large parking lot, put it in 1st gear,turn hard one way and with your foot on the brake to give it resistance do a few hard turns, then turn the other direction and repeat the process.....If you have one bad that will tell you which one it is.... Have fun, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_dude Posted April 11, 2005 Author Share Posted April 11, 2005 I'll take a look at the mounts. The 4WD words fine now...... took it to the lake and tried it out in the gravel Hi and Lo, seemed just fine. BTW, not to make anybody jealous, but I'm getting PHENOMENAL gas mileage.... 31 mpg. Amazing. 9 gallons of gas got me 281 miles. WOW. I haven't been keeping up on the gas mileage until now cuz I figured I'd get disappointed, but hell no. That's way better than I ever could have imagined I would be getting. I wonder if changing the spark plugs, plug wires, dist. cap would make it any better:D . Anywayzz... back to the subject. I also got 2 new tires not long ago... getting a wheel alignment Thursday. Oh yeah, the brake fluid light keeps coming on but the brake fluid level seems fine. I'm supposed to check it while the car is just sitting there, right? Do I have to disengage the E-brake to check the fluid? Thanks for the help... I'm aiming for about 400,000 miles with this baby, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_dude Posted April 12, 2005 Author Share Posted April 12, 2005 Mounts look just fine. The car still does that little stop-go thingy at least once every couple days... other than that running GREAT. Still thinking it's the MAF sensor.... and oh yeah, I got pulled over by a cop a little while ago, I had no night-light tail lights. Just the brake lights. It turns out it was the same cop that harassed my friend (who was riding with me) on his 18th birthday for being out past "curfew" which is bs cuz he's 18 and can do whatever he pleases as long as it doesn't break the law... and I'm pretty sure walking home from work doesn't break the law. The cop had a fellow officer sitting in the passenger seat in the car with him, my friend talked to him about cerfew and the officer told him that it doesn't apply to him because he's 18 and the cop that did that was just harassing him. He gave the other cop a very cold look and got in the car, obviously very VERY pissed or acting so to intimidate the cop. they left and we went home with our emergency flashers on. They said that would be a good idea. Wierd thing is, I had a big time tendancy to speed in my sisters Honda cuz that was just about all it was good for, yet I never got pulled over. I've had 2 Subarus, just about the slowest cars on the road, and I've gotten pulled over in both of them. At least the 2nd time wasn't a ticket or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 To answer your question about the MAF's location. Look directly at your throttle body. Follow the rubber air intake snorkel over to the air box. At the end of the snorkel is a metal coupler with the MAF; has an electrical plug going to it. Basicly you can just swap out the whole top of yoru air intake box to replace the MAF. Dunno if that's really your problem. With all that thrashing around in the gumbo you might have loosend up the wiring at your fuel pump. That is located in the rear of your vehicle, under neath the unibody, behind the rear main crossmember, infront of the rear passanger side tire. You'll see a triangular plate with 3 bolts which has the fuel pump on top. Might want to check that out and make sure the wires are properly secured. Could also be ignition cutting out on you. It's really hard to diagnose this stuff over the 'net. You sound adept at going over your vehicle; check some things out and I'm sure you'll figure out the problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_dude Posted April 12, 2005 Author Share Posted April 12, 2005 You were referring to the throttle body, but it's carbureted. Is it only the fuel injected versions that have this MAF sensor? I'll look for it anyway and if I can't find it I'll assume it doesn't have one I guess, lol. And I only thrashed it around that once, lol... now I try to stick with just mud and not so much seriously gnarly terrain. Thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 You were referring to the throttle body, but it's carbureted. Is it only the fuel injected versions that have this MAF sensor? I'll look for it anyway and if I can't find it I'll assume it doesn't have one I guess, lol. And I only thrashed it around that once, lol... now I try to stick with just mud and not so much seriously gnarly terrain. Thanks for the info. Yes only on EFI models. You said MAF so I assumed you were talking about an EFI model... Still would check out your fuel pump back there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_dude Posted April 12, 2005 Author Share Posted April 12, 2005 I'll check it as soon as it stops raining, lol. One more question, my lights that are supposed to come on in the rear when I have my headlights on don't come on. I checked all the fuses and they were all fine. My right front turn signal doesn't have a bulb though... do you think that might be the problem? Thanks for the info about the MAF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_dude Posted April 12, 2005 Author Share Posted April 12, 2005 Update: Put a new bulb in right front turn signal, still didn't work. Turned on the parking lights on to see if the light on the side of the headlight worked on that same side, it didn't work either. That leaves me with basically one option left.... wiring. I checked all the wiring just behind the headlight next to the evaporative emissions canister, and it all looks okay... but I only looked at it for about 5 mins. Can I find the problem by simply following the wiring until I find a chewed-threw spot? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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