My 1996 Legacy has been diagnosed with a sick central diff (whatever that is). Replacement is going to be $1000 plus. If I continue to drive it until it completely falls apart, what will happen, as in will the car stop, explode, implode, wheels fly off! Just trying to ascertain the safety factor here.
mecanix,
Apr 17, 8:44pm
be very carefull how you go about getting it fixed.
is it binding on turns! does it feel like the wheels are locking up!
silkycat,
Apr 17, 8:45pm
Don't know what that means, but on full lock, going slowly, it shudders very noticeably. Is that 'binding'. Problem just started a couple of days ago.
mecanix,
Apr 17, 8:47pm
yeah. its not the centre diff. it never is. the part needed is a couple of hundred dollars from subaru and takes about an hour and a half to fit, find another garage.
it wont fly to pieces, but it will get worse as time goes on. its a quick fix that shouldnt cost much more than 400 + GST, depending of course on your garages labour charge.
a.woodrow,
Apr 17, 8:56pm
So were you going to tell op the name of the part, or just leave them hanging!
mecanix,
Apr 17, 8:59pm
if she rings around, she will find a garage that knows exactly whats wrong with out having to be told. thats how she will know the garage is familiar with the problem. too many just change out the trans without even preventing it from happening again. its as common as muck on those things.
a.woodrow,
Apr 17, 9:00pm
So you don't know what it is called, this mysterious part!
mecanix,
Apr 17, 9:02pm
yep. but thats not going to help the OP at all. the OP needs to find a garage that knows what is required or she will be buying a transmission she doesnt need. she might even be better off taking it to subaru.
a.woodrow,
Apr 17, 9:07pm
Well considering OP has come here for advice, all you've given them is "there's a common thing that happens to them, which I won't tell you. so you'll have nothing to say to whoever looks at your car"
Nice one.
a.woodrow,
Apr 17, 9:08pm
mecanix wrote: yeah. its not the centre diff. it never is. the part needed is a couple of hundred dollars from subaru and takes about an hour and a half to fit, find another garage.
So you can guarantee that the centre diff is ok in this vehicle!
mecanix,
Apr 17, 9:13pm
even if i tell her what the part is and where it is, if the garage doesnt know whats wrong, they wont be able to fix it. she needs to find a garage that already knows whats wrong with it, otherwise she will pay too much for it.
a.woodrow,
Apr 17, 9:20pm
For all you know, OP has taken it to a subaru dealer for the diagnosis they have been given. Why bother posting at all if you have no intention of trying to help them, you are only going to confuse them further. If you told them what the mysterious part was, they could get that checked and ruled out as required. But no, better to keep them in the dark, and let them try to find a garage that knows what the mysterious part is!
mecanix,
Apr 17, 9:25pm
Blah Blah Blah Blah .Subaru would know its not the centre diff.
a.woodrow,
Apr 17, 9:31pm
Unless if it's actually the centre diff that is the problem. I think you're just full of it.
mecanix,
Apr 17, 9:35pm
think what you like. my advice is sound and has the potential to save the op a lot of money. its not hard, a couple of phone calls describing the symptom and some one will say something along the lines of, its not the centre diff we do these a lot and its an easy fix. thats where the car goes for the repair. its not confusing at all.
not sure if i can dumb it down for you any more, and considering the op hasnt actually come back to the thread, no need for any more to be discussed at this stage.
a.woodrow,
Apr 17, 9:38pm
Considering OP doesn't even know what a diff is, I doubt what you have told them will be any use.
And I don't need anything "dumbed down", Your arguement of keeping OP in the dark is pointless and unlikely to assist them at all
silkycat,
Apr 17, 9:48pm
Eeeek - before you two kill each other, can I say I live in a small country town so I don't have many choices of mechanics, and no Subaru dealer. I took it to the local Auto One and they drove it, said it was the central diff, and said this model of Subaru was known for it. A friend who had one the same said his got the same problem too - although that could be coincidence. So, if we're thinking not the central diff, what else can I choose from! Only sympton is that it judders when on almost/full lock, feels like the wheel is octagonal. Fine when driving normally. I drove 300k getting home with it on Sunday and no other symptoms. Fine on normal road bends.
silkycat,
Apr 17, 9:49pm
Um, and excuse my message board ignorance, but what is an 'op'!
a.woodrow,
Apr 17, 9:53pm
Unfortunatly the poster that claims to "know" what the problem is, refuses to elucidate further. It's hard to say what the fault is without inspecting the vehicle to know for sure.
OP = Original Poster
silkycat,
Apr 17, 10:00pm
OK, thanks for your help, both of you. But back to my original question! If it IS the central diff, and I keep driving it, what will happen when it finally spits the dummy! If I am driving along at 60k, what's likely to happen!
mecanix,
Apr 17, 10:01pm
ok. its the 4wd lock solonoid in the tail shaft housing of the trans. its an easy fix. the part is about two hundred dollars from subaru, it takes about an hour and a half to fit there will be a bit of ATF, and i guess freight.
dont let the garage experiment at your expense. that was what i was trying to avoid by having you ring around untill you found some one that knows the fault. you can easily be overcharged on the labour if they mess it up when they take the tail shaft housing off, and the gear set comes apart, or if the park lock spring pops out. my advice is still the same as above, ring around, even if you have to travel a bit to get it done. it is a job best done by some one that has done it before, to save you the labour charge.
a.woodrow,
Apr 17, 10:01pm
I would check to make sure the tyres are all the same size (you haven't recently replaced any have you!) I believe there is a soleniod in the transmission that can play up causing the diff to lock up, perhaps this could be checked Or it may be just wear in the diff, or possibly even a cv, though I expect the mechanic would have picked it up if this was the case
mecanix,
Apr 17, 10:02pm
it isnt the centre diff, and it will only ever shudder on lock. it will get worse as the solonoid starts to wear out properly, but it will not fly to pieces.
i drove one for about two yearslike that untill i sold it. i swapped out the solonoid and it was just like new.
Edit to add. I dont do as many now as i used to, it used to be a couple of times a week, these days its maybe one a month. i have never had to do a centre diff for that reason. the only reason i have had to do a centre diff has been bearing wear, or occasionally a speedo drive.
silkycat,
Apr 17, 10:07pm
It wasn't the tyres - that was my first thought too, but I checked therm all, and checked the pressures. Now at least I have some good info to go on. Much appreciated.
alltorque350,
Apr 18, 1:03am
The part is called a REAR DUTY SOLENOID. 2 - 3 hours to replace. Dependeing if the clutch drum has had grooves worn into it. The free option is to put a fuse in the "FWD" slot near the brake booster and just use front wheel drive.
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