a97obw Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 My 92 Legacy AWD automatic wagon (162k miles) is on it's 20th hour of travel. Employee left Central Mississippi yesterday about noon, and is nearing Rapid City SD. I'm checking in with the solo pilot and he is somewhat concerned about the 4EAT downshifting out of overdrive at random intervals of about an hour. Cruising at about 75 at 2700, then the shift to about 3k momentarily, then back to overdrive. Says terrain shouldn't be a factor, he's gone up inclines where it stayed in overdrive. I suggested on the next stop he get some rest and take a good nap. Perhaps shutting down the engine for a while and then on re-start hold in start mode for a few seconds before hitting the starter. Maybe the ECU needs to figure the conditions (much higher altitude and MUCH colder!) since his departure. Any thoughts on the matter? Thanks, and God Speed Mini-Me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 If ti does it alot, use D3. I have been out there and what looks like hilly terrain are really LONG climbs that can be deceiving to the eye. D3 will save the tranny wear, loose some gas milage, but wil also make the driver less paranoid as to "why the hell is it doing that when im 100's of miles away from a service station" Just make sure he checks the fluids. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pBIIKS Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Drove from VT to MT this summer with my son's (new to him) 97 Legacy Wagon. I don't remember it down shifting alot but I second the long inclines thought. Also watch out for the snow Bozeman has been getting alot and some of those roads are tough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Clark Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 My money's on the hills are bigger bigger than they look. It doesn't take much for mine to kick into 3rd. Easy way to tell is how far the gas pedal is depressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamal Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 have him check the atf level and ask if the power light has been coming on/flashing. The 4eat will change to the "power" shift maps which could cause downshifts if it's starting to overheat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a97obw Posted December 1, 2005 Author Share Posted December 1, 2005 That's good info Jamal. Thanks! We're undergoing "radio blackout" at the moment, I think he has been driving in non cell phone friendly areas....around Custers' last stand anyway. Last discussion was about 4.5 hours ago and mentioned trying D3 for only a couple minutes then back to regular D. He had stopped at a gas station, I heard "beep beep beep" and then "S**T the gas station is closed!" Told him to shut it down for a while and take a nap. (But tell THAT to a 28 yr. old that hasn't seen his wife in 6 weeks!) Will update when I hear from him. Mission Control over and out! Update! T + 29 hours. Just made contact, he's just east of Billings. Last fill up he shut it down for a few minutes before proceeding. Says it hasn't done the downshifting thing since. Fuel mileage is down from 29 to 24-25. Think it's the hills and possibly the Alcohol/Ethanol cocktail this Southern Subie never sipped! Says he's doing 55 and 60 on the treated surfaces while the others are doing 35. Compared to his Toyota truck, he is in love with the wagon, and it might not make it to my nephew in East Glacier later on as he just might have found a keeper. Passed on info about Bozeman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjo Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 I don't think driving it for a long period of time like that would effect the tranny that much. A few weekends ago i drove out to IL, straight through, it was only 14.5 hours, but the only stops were for gas, and i encountered no shifting problems out of the usual... there are some interesting hills out there that don't look as big as they are... i'm guessing that's most likely it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subeman90 Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 I agree with the others. When I was out there in my "new back then" 02 OBW I noticed it got sluggish and I had no idea why (stick) but then I really looked around a little and realized I was going up the whole time and didn't even notice it. I later turned on the GPS and confirmed my origional thoughts. Is he driving on snow covered surfaces? Doesn't sound too fun to me....(when you are really trying to get somewhere quickly) goodluck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamal Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 going into the mountains will definitely affect mileage. Driving north on the 15 into Montana, I had to keep it in 3rd for like an hour straight. Where's he headed? I talked to my dad yesterday and he said there was about 5 inches on the ground in Missoula, but the Interstate was mostly dry. I suppose there might be some snow or slippery parts outside of butte. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a97obw Posted December 2, 2005 Author Share Posted December 2, 2005 Tonight he is planning on getting to his new home of Dillon MT. Then at some point in the near future he and my nephew up in East Glacier are going to have to work something out to get the car up there. I bought the 92 back in 96, it had 60k miles on it when I bought it from the local Ford dealership as a trade in. Found out the name of the previous owner, and she mailed me every bit of documentation she had from day one. The car was originally sold out of Salt Lake City, she moved to Wisconsin, then to Mississippi. I used the wagon in my Land Surveying business until about November 01 when I bought the 97 outback. The 92 had been down a lot of gravel roads, dirt trails and construction sites for right at another 100k miles. It NEVER missed a beat, never failed me in my travels. But alas, it sat outside for the past 4 years with an ocaissonal monthly drive around the block. Decided since the only thing wrong with it was that the A/C had a very slow leak of the R12 it would better serve a less "tropical" climate than here in Mississippi. Hence the donation. I had spent several weeks in my spare time getting the wagon ready for this day. New timing belt, oil pump O ring and front crank seal, water pump, hoses, tensioner, tensioner pulley, transmission filter, plugs and wires,valve cover gaskets...even the O ring that fits at the base of the oil filler that always seems to leak over time, fuel and air filters, changed all fluids, replaced brake pads....the works. I was sad to see it drive off yesterday, but this evening I'm feeling pretty good about my little 92. Glad to find a place where other enthusiasts can ride "shotgun" for the adventure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a97obw Posted December 2, 2005 Author Share Posted December 2, 2005 T + 33 hours 45 minutes. The Subie has landed and both driver and car home and safe in Dillon. I feel GREAT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subeman90 Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 Awesome!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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