18 replies to this topic

[HowFarToAsgaard]

Might be a stupid question but is there such thing as an aggressive torque converter?
When ever I cold start and revs are at 1500rpm select a gear and I'm hard on the brakes from driving off.
Iv driven alota autos and iv never had to put the brakes on as hard as i do in me B4
Only thing I can put it down to us that its very aggressive.
Also when it's warmed up and 500 rpm there's a vibration all thought the car when stoped at the lights in drive. I was originally told that this was a cause if bad drive shafts but i don't think this is the issue due to If Idle along in drive for about 20 meters and slowly stop there is no vibration. Only when I stop normally.
Any thoughts ?

Could it be bad oil flow in transmission ?

[tmh983]

b4's and turbos in general usually have a less 'aggressive' torque converter.

I think the stall speed for a non-turbo converter is something like 1500rpm, the b4 is 2500rpm.

Maybe your box is over-filled with oil?

[HowFarToAsgaard]

Yeh I had a oil line come off the radiator and filled it up with some penright dex iii. But just had a look at the caltex sight and they only recommend Havoline ATF J Transmission Fluid or TEXAMATIC 1888. Are these any different to dex iii?
Also would any of the castrol transmax oils make any difference

[HowFarToAsgaard]

Ok I think I'm getting some where with this vibration when in drive at stand still.
Problem will occur pritty much 95% of the time when driving. Come to a halt and i get strong vibration through out the car mostly felt in the steering wheel.

Here is when it gets interesting. When ever I go to do a u turn or even just turning in circles, the vibration will completely disappear only after it straighten the wheels and come to a halt. But if I go to N to D or R, the vibration is back. Also if I drive forward for a bit and stop it will vibrate. So it seems like it's the front diff, or the relation between the rotational difference to the front and rear wheels. But Incan confirm that the vibration gose away complete and i do mean completely, when ever I do a 180 deg turn or more. But only after the wheels have been driven straight.

Any ideas?

[CodeBurn3r]

Pre load on the front diff. ..

Probably the diff is buggered. .

You could check the service manual and try adjusting.. But to be honest if it's doing that now. . Damage is done. .

[HowFarToAsgaard]

Just a quick update

If I use the hand brake to stop the car it also takes away the vibration. But if I drive forward and stop with the brake peddle the vibration is back so dose this mean that it's the transfer case not the front diff?

[Barbbachello]

There isnt really a transfer case. Theres a centre diff that sends the power from the back of gear box up to the front diff

[HowFarToAsgaard]

Yeh that's what ment sorry
Is there a way of testing the center diff?

[HowFarToAsgaard]

Spoke to a mechanic shop who specialise with subaru and he told me it might be the centre clutch pack.
Said if I flush the transmission about 3 times it might free up the clutch pack
Then he went on about taking some FWD fuse out or something to see if it's the problem

Not sure what yas think of this ?

[CodeBurn3r]

in the engine bay fuse box there is a place where you put in a fuse to make the car FWD...

 

check the glovebox manual... it will have exact details for your model there..

[U-Shell]

in the engine bay fuse box there is a place where you put in a fuse to make the car FWD...

 

check the glovebox manual... it will have exact details for your model there..

 

Isn't that only for disabling traction control? Been a viscous coupling as the centre differential, I wouldn't think you could actually make it FWD/RWD? Unlike a NIssan etc. that uses a hydraulic clutch which just disables the clutch from sending power to the front when the fuse is removed (R32's etc)

[Barbbachello]

If it's an auto there is a fuse to make it fwd. No idea how it works but there is one. It's mainly for towing with the rest wheels on the ground with the front in the air so you don't blow the centre diff

[tmh983]

most autos dont have a 'centre diff'. it is just a hydraulically controlled clutch connecting the rear drive to the gearbox. under normal circumstances the clutch is open and the car is fwd only. if the tcu detects the front wheels to be slipping it engages the clutch to make it 4wd. that is why u can force it to fwd only with the fuse.
the exception to this is if ur car has a vtd auto. these box's have a proper mechanical centre diff (not a viscous copling, but a proper mechanical lsd diff), these diffs are similar to dccd, but hydraulically actuated instead of electric.

[HowFarToAsgaard]

Put the FWD fuse in. Not sure if it made a diferance but it is a slight less aggressive. But one thing it did get rid of was the transfer delay when powering on and off the gas. As in If I go from coast to accelerate I would normally get a fealing as if I was towing a trailer.
I'm gong to try and flush the box tomorow and see if that helps

[TSG]

Watching this thread. Never really worried about it. But sometimes mine feels very similar, even with a light vibration at a stop on occasion, I thought it might just be idling rough, but strange that someone else is noticing a similar issue. If I take my foot off the brake, creep just a tad (or not even move, just let the car try to crawl), then apply again, it goes away. But no noises or anything weird like that. If I am light on the throttle its pretty smooth. But if I kick it up to about 3k from a stop, it can sometimes rather aggressively change from first to second. Doesn't feel painful or damaging, but its not comfortable. I had the fluid changed last service and it smoothed it out a bit.

[CodeBurn3r]

Be sure you aren't comparing the shift characteristics of the subaru 4eat to that of a ccommowhre.. The boxes are very different. . And the 4eat box can shift quite solidly. This is normal from the get go.

[HowFarToAsgaard]

Ok flushed the tranny a couple of times got alota black oil out of it, the 2nd time was still a big grey but might give it one more flush tomorrow

its made the drivability a bit smoother but still has the shakes when stopped in gear.

One thing i noticed is that when its in FWD mode with the fuse in, the vibration is consistent even when i do a 180 deg or more turn the vibration is still there unlike when its in AWD mode where it normally goes away?

so what dose that mean? FWD mode always has the shakes but AWD mode don't when turning hard?

my mechanic friend said its a long shot but the Duty C solenoid might be stuffed?

also he mentioned that when in FWD mode the engine light should show up which mine don't? is this a problem aswell? whats what made him think it might be that but agen his just guessing

iv read alota stories about this issue and everyone keep saying its the drive shafts but i know its not this 

 

any idears?

[HowFarToAsgaard]

also would it be a good idea to take it to subaru and get a line pressure test done?

not sure if they do that sorta thing on request but my mate also recommended that it be checked?

i looked at the manual and it looks sorta complicated 

[HowFarToAsgaard]

Ok still having issues at idle and cold starts. Done a stall test and it checks out ok. Rpm holds at 2600 while in 2nd with hold switch on so it passes the test. Bit still feels like it's engaging even at 500rpm in gear.
As I said before it's at it's worse when starting up cold and idle is auto controlled at 1500rpm and I'm hard on the brakes so it don't take off into the living room.
So my question is now is there something that controls the amount of torque coming out Of the torque converter ? Cause it seems like it's at 100% all the time