My tranny light was flashing for maybe all of four days, My daily driving on average has been 25 miles.

The dealership called today, the duty c solenoid is dead and the clutchpack is wiped. Cost is 875.00. Also they said there is a torn axle boot (250.00). Now this is a little more then i would pay my mechanic normally for an axle, but they have the car so its getting done. They mentioned the usual leaks, but didnt push for me to get them fixed. I am going to do them with the next timing belt (at this rate next spring) unless something really starts leaking badly.

I'm not to shocked about it, as i knew this was a possability when i bought the car. They said otherwise the car is in very good shape,

 

nipper

The clutchpack is [functionally] the center diff, right?

 

Is yours an auto or manual?

97 OBW 185,000 miles automatic. But the clutch pack is a much simpler version of the center differnetnial on a manual. Oddly they both cost the same to fix.

 

nipper

The clutchpack is [functionally] the center diff, right?

they accomplish the same thing, power transfer, but in much different ways.

Thanks for the info - I hope the repairs go well!

SUbaru on the autos use a clutch pack. Normally the worst thing in the world for a clutch pack is slip, but this pack is desighned to toelrate slippage. When the solenoid fails, the default mode (which i think is stupid) is 50/50 split. And this point, there are very high frictional forces, and the clutch pack chews itself up quickly. The solenoid regulates the amount of split.

 

On the manual, you have a center differnetial and a viscous coupling. The viscous coupling gives you constant 50/50 split. The coupling is made up of altenating plates FRFRFRFRF. the speed differential between those plates, caushes shear (heat) in the fluid. The fluid thickens and then you have 50/50 split If the fluid stays heated too long (non matching tires) the fluid cooks itself and the plates and up getting glued to each other.

 

 

hope that helps.

 

nipper

I haven't driven mine since I read the TCU error codes last weekend, which were duty B and C selenoids. I was planning on dropping the tranny myself to replace them (and the flexplate), is this job really so technical that one should only take it to the dealer to have it done?

no you can do it yourself. I am having the clutch pack replaced also, and i am still on the (painful) mend from back surgery.

 

nipper

What are the respective functions of the duty B and duty C solenoids?

Are they internal or external to the automatic transmission?

Is there a duty A solenoid?

Duty c controls the awd clutchpack

Duty A controls the harshness and speed of shifts (controls line pressure)

Duty B controls the lock up torque converter (which locks up in all but 1st gear)

SOlenoid #3 controls engine braking and downshifts

Solenoids 1 and 2 have to deal with revers and third gear.

 

 

nipper

I just spoke with service at a Subaru dealer and was quoted $570 just for the labour to R&R the transmission plus about $250 each for the selenoids, which have to be ordered. He told me that there are about 7 different selenoids in the tranny and that they would have to find out which one(s) were the problem before even doing an order. Yikes!

 

I have found a tranny that I can pull myself at a pick-a-part wrecker and it will cost me $80. I did a thorough external inspection and it is dry (no oil) and free of any damage, but the odometer indicates 270,000 km. Thinking of just doing a swap and crossing my fingers...

As a side note: All current production Turbo Subarus w/ auto-trans use a real center diff in conjunction with an electronic transfer clutch. They all have the capability of putting greater than 50% to the rear axle.

 

The one exception is the Forester XT (for whatever reason).

 

N/A models make-do the with basic transfer-clutch arrangement.

 

**** ******!