I carefully selected my 00 outback wagon with the heated windshield and heated seats cuz the all-weather package also includes a rear limited slip differential. the car has 83,000 miles and I've only had it for a month. Yesterday at a bad angle on a dirt road covered with leaves, 1 front and 1 rear wheel were spinning and the car wouldn't move. I expected the lsd to put some power to the rear wheel with some weight on it and easily move me off the hump, but it didn't happen. I even got out of the car to confirm which wheels were spinning.

Anybody have issues with rear lsd going bad? What to check or how to confirm?

Thanks!

Are you POSITIVE you got LSD? For instance, I paid for upgraded speakers in my 00 but they sound like regular, never checked what's inside.

I carefully selected my 00 outback wagon with the heated windshield and heated seats cuz the all-weather package also includes a rear limited slip differential. the car has 83,000 miles and I've only had it for a month. Yesterday at a bad angle on a dirt road covered with leaves, 1 front and 1 rear wheel were spinning and the car wouldn't move. I expected the lsd to put some power to the rear wheel with some weight on it and easily move me off the hump, but it didn't happen. I even got out of the car to confirm which wheels were spinning.

Anybody have issues with rear lsd going bad? What to check or how to confirm?

Thanks!

 

I may be wrong here, but I THINK I recall the technique to use in that situatin is to apply a little brakes. But, yeah - it seems a little odd.

 

Carl

One way to find out is get under the car and look at the little metal tag on the cover, i think it says LSD on it. I know there is a post kicking around on how to identify an LSD via the tag.

 

 

nipper

<<One way to find out is get under the car and look at the little metal tag on the cover, i think it says LSD on it. I know there is a post kicking around on how to identify an LSD via the tag.>>

 

no tag on a 00'. subaru stopped putting tags on after the turbo legacy 91'.

Well the other way is to jack up the rear of the car, turn one wheel, if the other wheel turns in the same direction its a LSD (I think actually its a Viscous LSD from doing a quick scan of the posts). If the other wheel turns in the opposite direction, its not.

 

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/differential10.htm

 

nipper

 

PS there are other posts on this.

Limited slip, are you sure the other rear wheel wasn't turning, just much slower?

 

The LSD probably cannot lock the rears together 100%, and has it biggest advantage when accelerating hard in bends. Not really meant for mug slugging. Although I would expect it to have gotten you out of the situation you describe.

 

But yeah, like Texan says, a little judicious brake application could help. Maybe just a click or two on the handbrake to quell the rear-wheel spin.

Is this a regular wagon or a Limited? Our MY01 LSD doesn't kick in like the older "posi" mechanical rears, it takes a little more RPMs fron the opposite wheel before it engauges.

You are correct about the all-weather package included LSD, but Subaru offered that package on the higher trim lines only on MY00. They could have added-on to a standard Outback. The package also included heated side mirrors.

Men, thanks for your input. I called both local dealers and they were ignorant. "uhm, no, it's not a viscous unit. No, it's not gears either. No, it's not cones or clutches. Bring it in and we'll look at it." ha ha. Also comments to the effect that if they can't duplicate the problem...

 

I did jack up the rear and confirm that both wheels turn the same direction. I'm sure the model has the limited slip, I just don't know if it's busted or weak or normal.

 

To simplify the example: I'm on a 40% grade. One front wheel and one rear wheel are on ice. Without lsd, we go nowhere. But with lsd, I would expect the rear wheel on pavement to move the car up the hill. But how much torque can the viscous lsd produce? Are my expectations too high?

 

I even emailed Subaru and they wouldn't provide an engineering torque value that the lsd should transfer. "Please take the car to your nearest dealer..."

 

Well, any other comments or thoughts are appreciated. I don't want this car to embarrass me in front of my hunting buddies.

a true limited slip will spin rear tires on pavement,both should work together,except in corners,therefore limited slip. ed

You know there are times that you should let things go and stop over analyzing.

 

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/differential.htm

 

The failure mode for a LSD is that the tires will squeel around turns. If you dont have this issue, and if both wheels turn in the same direction when the car is off the ground its working fine. If it reallly bothers you i would gladly loan you my open differntial and take a long time to investigate your differential in great detail , it may take a few years to do it.

 

Now does the lightbulb really go off when you clsoe the fridge door?

 

 

nipper

honestly....I think you are expecting too much. I really hate to say that but i'm afraid so.

 

 

I had an 02 OB with the cold pkg on it (all the crap you have) and in the snow i could get both tires to spin in the back but one would have less "rooster tail" action then the other did by far. This was on a car with 4k miles too....so even from new I think they might help but are marginal at best.

 

What would be really cool though.... EDL (electronic diff lock) for the rear axle.

trade thier LSDs for lockers. LSDs are marginal in that type of situation and application of the handbrake might have gotten you out.

Yeah, the Viscous Coupling rear LSDs aren't worth much. Hard to tell if it ever does anything!

 

Of course, to allow it to work, you have to use the proper technique. When one rear tire starts spinning, you can't let off the gas. You have to let it spin, allowing the speed differential to heat up the silicone fluid in the LSD, and then it will start transferring (some) torque to the other wheel. It may or may not be enough torque to actually turn the other wheel!

My Mom's '03 GT Sedan with the 4EAT is suppose to come with a LSD rear diff as well. I had the car on a up hill stop then tried to take off with one side of the drive way icy the other bear gravel. It pulled it self up the hill but VERY slowly with the front and rear tires on the ice spinning like crazy??

 

I did change the rear diff fluid with Mobil 1 full syn. but it said it had limited slip additive in it? Could it be TOO much Limited slip additive and not leting the LSD engage as well the factory fill??

I know with the 2001 and above the LSD was standard and included with the cold weather package and standard on the limited and above. I belive is 00 is may have been optional. You should have gotten out of the situation you described with a LSD

 

 

 

 

I carefully selected my 00 outback wagon with the heated windshield and heated seats cuz the all-weather package also includes a rear limited slip differential. the car has 83,000 miles and I've only had it for a month. Yesterday at a bad angle on a dirt road covered with leaves, 1 front and 1 rear wheel were spinning and the car wouldn't move. I expected the lsd to put some power to the rear wheel with some weight on it and easily move me off the hump, but it didn't happen. I even got out of the car to confirm which wheels were spinning.

Anybody have issues with rear lsd going bad? What to check or how to confirm?

Thanks!

I know with the 2001 and above the LSD was standard and included with the cold weather package and standard on the limited and above. I belive is 00 is may have been optional. You should have gotten out of the situation you described with a LSD

It seems to have already been determined that the vehicle in question has LSD, but as further verification, an excerpt from

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3012/is_6_179/ai_55055339 says:

 

The one change for 2000 is that the Legacy GT and Outback Limited models (and the Outback wagon, when the all-weather package is ordered) get a limited-slip rear differential to better manage power distribution during cornering.

My Mom's '03 GT Sedan with the 4EAT is suppose to come with a LSD rear diff as well. I had the car on a up hill stop then tried to take off with one side of the drive way icy the other bear gravel. It pulled it self up the hill but VERY slowly with the front and rear tires on the ice spinning like crazy??

 

I did change the rear diff fluid with Mobil 1 full syn. but it said it had limited slip additive in it? Could it be TOO much Limited slip additive and not leting the LSD engage as well the factory fill??

 

The LSD part is silicon base, its sealed, and non sericevable. The additive you put in is for mechanical based LSD .. which are far superior, and what we think of when we see LSD. The subaru version is lighter and far less complicated. Yes it sucks, but will help you movevery slowly.. you have to keep on it for it to work.

 

 

 

nipper

Once again skunked by GM. Why would SIA put a useless VLSD if a regular mech. LSD was better?? Is the VLSD cheaper to produce? If it happens again I will just keep the throdle on.

honestly....I think you are expecting too much. I really hate to say that but i'm afraid so.

 

 

I had an 02 OB with the cold pkg on it (all the crap you have) and in the snow i could get both tires to spin in the back but one would have less "rooster tail" action then the other did by far. This was on a car with 4k miles too....so even from new I think they might help but are marginal at best.

 

What would be really cool though.... EDL (electronic diff lock) for the rear axle.

 

Rallitek is making a switch for automatics to lockup the rear lsd 50/50 split instead of a 90/10 for auto trans.

Rallitek is making a switch for automatics to lockup the rear lsd 50/50 split instead of a 90/10 for auto trans.

 

So that is all the VLSD stock in the '03 GT sedan auto trans can do 90/10, that split is USELESS! When is Rallitek coming out with this 50/50 switch?