Is central clutch on AT engaged when it is in N?

[yarikoptic]

I guess that the answer is "NO", but I wanted to make sure before I raise the car to test myself.

 

The reason is: it seems that my http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=72752 problem with vibration on acceleration boiled down to differential in one way or another. So I want to check if the differential bearings have any signs of abnormal wear and also to replace those silly circlips which hold the axle stubs. Also there might be some "signs" on the stubs themselves (if that are them going back and forth thus initiating the vibration)

 

From what I've read it seems that I should be able to accomplish the mission without ruining differential -- I should do 1 side at a time (so I don't drop the whole differential "heart" in the closed space of the differential body), should mark retainer position before removing the lock.

BUT if I screw things up, I guess the best would be to realign the crown gear of the differential to the drive pinion correctly and for that I need to have an ability to turn the pinion.

The easiest I thought would be if central clutch is engaged when it is in N and car is raised -- just to turn propellershaft with rear wheels -- but if central clutch is not engaged when car is not 'on' -- I wonder if there is any other way to rotate the pinion (besides starting the car and placing it in gear ;-)). Or may be there is another way to set backlash between the crown and the pinion besides finding the "zero state" when pinion can't be turned?

[nipper]

No its not.

 

 

nipper

[johnceggleston]

you are a very motivated subaru owner. i think i would have given up by now.

 

i assume you have tried every thinbg else suggested in the other thread. my guess would be rear drive shaft. i removed and installed mine a couple of times trying to replace a rear pinion seal (which i never accomplised) and after i put it back together i had a vibration. i suspect that i levered on the u-joint while removing the mounting bolts and boogered it. but unlike your problem, mine went away when i put in the FWD fuse.

 

i recently removed a front differential from a 97 OBW bad trans. i bought a 'good' used 96 leg GT trans with a busted bell housing for cheap, 75$, i need the rear extention housing. removing the front diff when the trans is out is very easy, i assume re-installing one is also easy. i now hope to take 2 and make one. so keep this in mind. there have to be lots of "bad" trans sitting around with good front differentials. you might ask.

 

a little long winded to say, if you can't fix it in the car, try swapping in a good front diff while out of the car. should be cheaper than a whole trans. for 95 - 99 legacy auto trans there are only 2 diffs to pick from, 4.11 in 2.2L cars (except 96 2.2L outback) that have 37 ring gear/9 pinion and 4.44 in 2.5L cars that have 40 ring gear/9 pinion.

 

good luck.

[yarikoptic]

you are a very motivated subaru owner. i think i would have given up by now.

give up and drive vibrating car or give up and go to mechanic? ;-) I went to 2 mechanics by now. 1 more is scheduled on 14th (seems like a very subarish mechanic) but he is 100 miles away. So if I solve the issue before -- it would save me time/money

 

i assume you have tried every thinbg else suggested in the other thread.

might be not all of them...

 

my guess would be rear drive shaft. .... but unlike your problem, mine went away when i put in the FWD fuse.

yeap ;-)

 

try swapping in a good front diff while out of the car. should be cheaper than a whole trans.

well -- if I am 100% sure that it is differential, and transmission runs smoother after upcoming AT filter-change/seafoam/friction_modifier maintnance (as good sub mech suggested) -- then indeed it might be worth bothering leaving old transmission and replacing just a diff. But otherwise, I would think that it would be less hassle to swap whole AT.