In need of some subaru wisdom. My 83 GL wagon runs and drives okay now. It has the 4 speed manual dual range tranny. Engaging in 4 wheel drive is no problem. It goes into the 4 wheel and lo range without a problem but when I take it back to two wheel drive, it makes a loud kaboom. Feels like the car should be dead afterwards but it keeps running. You have to push pretty hard to get the lever down. Any ideas on what the problem could be?

Are all your tires the same size?

 

Also manual 4WD is not meant to be used on a dry surface. You get torque bind in the driveline (especially with mismatched tires). The kaboom is the driveline unwinding.

 

Dont use 4wd on dry pavement.

 

 

nipper

^^^^ What he said...

 

If you must do it though, get into some loose stuff before you pop it out of 4wd

Sounds about right. I was testing it on pavement and I the rims/tires of the car are from 3 different subes. Good to know it's nothing unhealthy.

Sounds about right. I was testing it on pavement and I the rims/tires of the car are from 3 different subes. Good to know it's nothing unhealthy.

 

Best to only run in 4wd with four matched tires; at least, four tires identical (or very close) in outside diameter. a matched set is the most pragmatic way to be certain of this.

Good to know it's nothing unhealthy.

I am puzzeled by this statement?....

 

Well some say

it's all fun and games until

it really

 

"goes kaboom!"

 

which it will if you continue this practice.

 

You can try reversing the vehicle to relieve the bind.

 

 

Please get four matched tires (less than 1/4" difference in circumference) and do not drive on non-slippery ground.

A dual range is a terrible thing to waste.

A dual range is a terrible thing to waste.

 

That is great Skip! I love that statement.

Thanks Jerry, sure hope he reads and listens.

Thanks Jerry, sure hope he reads and listens.

 

Have read. Will listen.

 

I was just under the impression that something was wrong with my transmission since it made that noise. Just glad that it was operator error and not my sube coming undone. Thanks all!

That is great Skip! I love that statement.

Too true. It's right up there with Cary Elwes' line (Wesley) in the movie The Princess Bride... "there is a shortage of perfect breasts in the world.. 'twould be a pity to ruin yours..."

A dual range is a terrible thing to waste.

 

I know... and I have sinned. I have let two good 5spd dual ranges go to waste... sold one to a non-subaru person who junked the car a year later, and one was a friend's subaru that he abandoned when the timing belt broke, and the police towed it before I did.

Mine does the same thing all the time, hard to get out of 4wd, untill someone told to shift out of 4wd while going up a hill. I tried it and now I always wait to be going up a hill before i shift out of it.