my first post. just found you all!

 

current ride is a 95 legacy with automatic that whines whenever in gear. it doesn't matter what gear or if moving. the whine increases with rpms, but throw it in neutral or park, and the whine disappears. the car shifts fine and there is no performance loss.

 

i've lived with the noise for approximately 30k (139k total on car). funny thing is, i can't remember when it really started.

 

any ideas?

 

B

There is a fuse holder next to the passenger side strut tower. Put a fuse in there, and see if the noise goes away.

 

Can you tell if the noise is coming from the transmission or some place else?

 

So the noise is engine rpm dependent and not speed dependent?

i tried the fwd fuse. no difference.

 

it is definitely the transmission. just sitting at idle in neutral or park, no noise. throw it in any gear, and let the whine begin. the whine increases in pitch as the rpm increases, whether moving or not.

 

it is quite annoying, especially when i obsess over it. but, for now and the past 30k miles, it has performed flawlessly. i just want the whine gone.

 

B

Unfrotunitly it sounds like your front pump may be going bad, or your torque converter. Granted it may be a long slow death. I think it may be the pump, because ion park or neutral, the pump is just circulating fluid, but not really having to do any work. Put the car in gear, the pump now has to make pressure to apply things...

 

 

Just a theory.

 

nipper

i tried the fwd fuse. no difference.

 

it is definitely the transmission. just sitting at idle in neutral or park, no noise. throw it in any gear, and let the whine begin. the whine increases in pitch as the rpm increases, whether moving or not.

 

it is quite annoying, especially when i obsess over it. but, for now and the past 30k miles, it has performed flawlessly. i just want the whine gone.

 

B

 

B, what part of california are you in? I'm in the Bay Area, and if you are anywhere close to that I would be happy to come over and see if I can help you diagnose it. I do a bit of work on Subarus, and may even be able to get you spare parts, if needed.