Zack Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Hello all - I'd like to find out whether it's possible to push-start a 1990 Legacy awd with automatic tranny. I know how to push start cars with manual transmissions, but I've never tried to push-start an automatic (and I don't even know if it's possible to do so). Also, any risks to the AWD system if I need to push start? The reason I'm asking is that my Subie has been in storage for seven months, and it's possible that the battery may not be up to snuff (yes, I disconnected the battery during storage, it's a fairly new battery, but you never know...) I'll be using the car at a very remote cabin, and if it fails to start I'll be seriously stranded. There is, however, a very nice hill leading down from where the car will be parked. Thanks for any advice! Zack 1990 Legacy Wagon AWD auto 165,000 miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Hello all - I'd like to find out whether it's possible to push-start a 1990 Legacy awd with automatic tranny. I know how to push start cars with manual transmissions, but I've never tried to push-start an automatic (and I don't even know if it's possible to do so). Also, any risks to the AWD system if I need to push start? The reason I'm asking is that my Subie has been in storage for seven months, and it's possible that the battery may not be up to snuff (yes, I disconnected the battery during storage, it's a fairly new battery, but you never know...) I'll be using the car at a very remote cabin, and if it fails to start I'll be seriously stranded. There is, however, a very nice hill leading down from where the car will be parked. Thanks for any advice! Zack 1990 Legacy Wagon AWD auto 165,000 miles Pretty sure that's a no go due to no tranny fluid being pumped. Carl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 take an extra charged battery with you to turn the motor over and something big/heavy to whack the starter with if it don't want to turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountainBiker Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 I've heard of people doing it. But you have to get going really fast! You need a hill or a push from another car. Better to get a set of jumper cables for $15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 I've heard of people doing it. But you have to get going really fast! You need a hill or a push from another car. Better to get a set of jumper cables for $15. Well, I read a thread about this not long ago, maybe here(search?), and it seems years ago some trannys ahd pumps operating off the output shaft or something and they might push start around 40mph. But the newer trannys have pumps run off the engine and they won't engage being pushed. probably just heat parts up with no lube running across 'em and stress it unnecessarily. ymmv Carl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellow65 Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 The only tranny I have ever heard you could push start was the old Ford FMX, and that was because it had a pump on the output shaft too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Older...early 60's vintage automatics had a rear pump to allow push starting since starters in the 40's 50's could be unreliable. The Subaru 4EAT only has a front pump. Push starting, like towing, could damage severely this type of transmission as there will also be No cooling or lubrication of the inner gears and bearing races without that front pump pushing fluid thru the transmission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8volvo Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 The Mercedes-Benz diesels of the '70s and '80s had rear pumps in their automatics too. You could get them rolling in neutral then bang the shifter all the way down into low and they'd fire up. Pretty cool--because they were diesels, you could run those things completely without batteries! A friend once drove his '82 Benz diesel wagon all the way back from skiing in central WA with no alternator and a dead battery. Now that's utility! But to answer the original question, any automatic trans that only has a front (input-shaft-driven) fluid pump will not engage any gears when it's just rolling with no engine revs, and damage might ensue due to lack of lubrication. In fact, that's why they say don't tow automatics with wheels on the ground, even on non-AWD cars with the tranny in neutral. Modern automatics need the engine to be turning to engage drive gears and get proper lubrication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swi66 Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Don't even try it.......... Last car I knew you could do that on was a chevy 2 speed powerglide. And I have done it with my Corvair with a 2-speed powerglide. Look at it this way.............spend 20 bucks for a set of jumper cables instead of risking thousands of dollars worth of tranny repairs.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted May 8, 2006 Author Share Posted May 8, 2006 OK. I get the message loud and clear! Don't try to push-start my automatic Subaru! I already have a set of heavy-duty jumper cables, so I'll just have to take my chances on waiting by the side of the road for a passing motorist -- could be a long wait -- if I get into trouble. The back-up battery idea which someone proposed isn't feasible for various reason I won't go into here. The fact that automatics can't be push started is another excellent reason to prefer a manual box. Zack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frag Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 In my car's (man trans) owner manual it's written not to push start it cause it would damage the catalytic converter. I dont understand why. Anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 The back-up battery idea which someone proposed isn't feasible for various reason I won't go into here.too heavy to carry while you're in route to steal it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 In my car's (man trans) owner manual it's written not to push start it cause it would damage the catalytic converter. I dont understand why. Anyone? Because the car can backfire and blow out the cat. ALso you can dump alot of unburned fuel into the cat and literally burn it up ALso you cant push start trannies since they dont have rear pumps anymore. Powerglides had rear pumps. Rear pumps disapeared around 1970's as extra unneeded weight. What you will do if you try is overheat the tranny. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Hello all - I'd like to find out whether it's possible to push-start a 1990 Legacy awd with automatic tranny. I know how to push start cars with manual transmissions, but I've never tried to push-start an automatic (and I don't even know if it's possible to do so). Also, any risks to the AWD system if I need to push start? The reason I'm asking is that my Subie has been in storage for seven months, and it's possible that the battery may not be up to snuff (yes, I disconnected the battery during storage, it's a fairly new battery, but you never know...) I'll be using the car at a very remote cabin, and if it fails to start I'll be seriously stranded. There is, however, a very nice hill leading down from where the car will be parked. Thanks for any advice! Zack 1990 Legacy Wagon AWD auto 165,000 miles er um. Unless your walking to where the car is, give it a jumpstart. Unless you put stable or something in the gas there is no guarentee the car will start or not either way. ALso its dangerous to pushstart a car that has sat parked for 7 months (even if you could), as you dont know what has dried out, what has russted, what still works and what doesn't. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Hello all - I'd like to find out whether it's possible to push-start a 1990 Legacy awd with automatic tranny. I know how to push start cars with manual transmissions, but I've never tried to push-start an automatic (and I don't even know if it's possible to do so). Also, any risks to the AWD system if I need to push start? The reason I'm asking is that my Subie has been in storage for seven months, and it's possible that the battery may not be up to snuff (yes, I disconnected the battery during storage, it's a fairly new battery, but you never know...) I'll be using the car at a very remote cabin, and if it fails to start I'll be seriously stranded. There is, however, a very nice hill leading down from where the car will be parked. Thanks for any advice! Zack 1990 Legacy Wagon AWD auto 165,000 miles er um. Unless your walking to where the car is, give it a jumpstart. Unless you put stable or something in the gas there is no guarentee the car will start or not either way. ALso its dangerous to pushstart a car that has sat parked for 7 months (even if you could), as you dont know what has dried out, what has russted, what still works and what doesn't. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smpol19 Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Get one of those portable jumper box's, any hardware or auto parts store should have them for under $50(us) . I got one for $40ish from Home Depot a couple years ago and managed to use it to start my car for nearly a week without charging the thing back up. My car battery had just quit taking enough of a charge to start the car and I didn't have time for a few days to pick up a new one. I was highly impressed by this thing and it weighs a lot less and is more portable then carrying a small battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 er um. Unless your walking to where the car is, give it a jumpstart. Unless you put stable or something in the gas there is no guarentee the car will start or not either way. ALso its dangerous to pushstart a car that has sat parked for 7 months (even if you could), as you dont know what has dried out, what has russted, what still works and what doesn't. nipper Sorry, I wasn't clear. The car is in storage in town, and I'd be driving it for a day or two before getting to the cabin. It's only at the cabin that push -starting was potentially an issue. I agree that trying to push-start a car which had not yet been driven after several after several months of storage might be a poor idea. And yes, I filled the tank with Premium and added Stabil to the fuel before storing the car. Zack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swi66 Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 I have one of those portable booster boxes. The one I have has an air compressor and a light as well. All in all a very useful tool. If you have another car, "BORROW" the battery for the subie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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