[EvasionOfTruth]

Ok I have a 2001 RS, everything had felt fine. Then I noticed that when I come to a stop, put it in first(turning right or left) and floor it something grinds. It sounds like it could be coming from the rear or under the center console. I know it has a lsd in the rear but don't know how loud they are. The car has 37k on it. The awd system seems to be working just fine, only difference from my L is that it has more power. I'm going to check all of the fluids today. Hopefully it is nothing major.

I just got this car on Monday.....so I am a lil bit freaked.

Any insight would be appreciated.

Buster

Edit: The clutch and gears feel fine....so I am figuring it is either the rear diff or center diff.....driving down the road nothing feels odd at all.

 

[EvasionOfTruth]

Hmmm....no one else had anything like this?

I checked my fluids and everything was up to snuff. After driving some more today it defiantly feels like it is right under the center console(armrest area). The only thing I can think of is the driveshaft rubbing the underside of the car.

It is only happening in 1st, going from a dead stop into a turn. I crawled underneath the car with a flash light but couldnt see anything. I'm gonna try to jack up the rear and inspect it better tomorrow.

Buster

 

[Storm]

Let me get this straight....

You're stopped, and in 1st gear...
You cut the wheel to the side (presumingly all the way)...
You floor it going around in this tight arc...

You wonder why it makes grinding noises?

It sounds like your center diff is pleading with you to stop driving like a moron.

On snow or mud or any other loose surface, it's tolerable for the system to take. On dry roadway, the stress is way too much.

Do this in a 4WD truck on dry pavement and watch the transfer case fall out...unless the steering wheel breaks your wrists first as it unwinds....

 

[EvasionOfTruth]

Okay I got some time to get the car on ramps and start investigating. I took the heat sheild off and noticed a support for the driveshaft. This is roughly in the middle of the driveshaft going to the rear diff. I couldn't see were it was rubbing exactly, only because I couldn't get the heat shield off all of the way because of a bolt above the cat. I could actually move the driveshaft side to side at that point. I got about 1/2" to 3/4" play in the shaft there. Closer to the rear diff it didnt budge.

So I am thinking that has to be the spot it is rubbing. Since it is directly below the console. I could not believe how much play they is at that point. I'm going to go ahead and get the hard mounts and see if that helps any. Since yours is only doing it on soft take offs. If it only does it then that is fine by me.

J if you get some time and have some ramps, take a ratchet with a 12mm socket and take out the 3 bolts you can get to that hold the shield up. See how much play you have in the shaft at that area. You should be able to see the support bolted up into the body. I had to hold the heat shield down to get a better look at it.

Let me know what ya find.

I am not cutting it all of the way. I come to a stop sign, I stop.(normal intersection in a neighborhood) I start to accelerate and turn right(or left) and this noise happens. As you can see in the above quote, I have it narrowed done to what is doing it. This is not my first Impreza, yet none of my others did this.

Okay I shouldn't have said "floor it". Just meant get on the gas....not mash the pedal down. I am in no way a "moron", or driving like one. I appreciate your opinion, even though it sounds like something one would hear on the other club.

Buster

 

[RS25.com]

Okay, I've never crawled under my RS and looked at the driveshafts, but that is way too much play for any car. Something is wrong. There should be an assembly somewhere holding that thing in place. Any bolts loose or missing down there?

 

[EvasionOfTruth]

Nope nothing loose or missing. Well as much as I could tell. That is actually what I was thinking I might find. What I need to do is get my friends RS over here and compare the 2 at the same time. That is about the only way I will know for sure.

 

[Storm]

Sorry for the brashness. Your original post sounded like something from the other club.

I don't think the driveshaft should have 'any' play side to side. In and out, yeah, but not side to side. Any signs of metal shavings or discolored areas?

What about odd noises when taking off in reverse? That should opposite-load the shaft and bring out any play that shouldn't be there.

Hard mounts should help ease the stress, or concentrate it on the springs in the clutch disc.

Good luck and report the findings.

Nope nothing loose or missing. Well as much as I could tell. That is actually what I was thinking I might find. What I need to do is get my friends RS over here and compare the 2 at the same time. That is about the only way I will know for sure.

 

[EvasionOfTruth]

Changed every last drop of fluids today. It is still there. Went ahead and ordered the hard mounts.

Storm...Never had it happen in reverse. Without getting the car on an actually lift I cant see where it is touching. Well without taking off the exhaust. I'm hoping the hard mounts will correct it, or atleast make it not as bad. I thought about taking it to the dealer but worry about them trying to charge me some ridculous amount just to check it out.

Buster

 

[EvasionOfTruth]

Well today sitting in a drive through I had the AC running. I noticed while sitting there everynow and then it would rub slightly. I am gonna check tonight the front side of the driveshaft near the center diff. See if anything is loose up that way.

While waiting there I cut the AC of to see if it went away and it did, it seems like the engine shakes just enough with the AC on to make it rub. Before I put the hardened mounts on I am just going to take it to the dealer. Not sure how this works though since I didn't buy it at a Subaru dealer. Any insight on that would be appreciated also. I figure they might charge me for checking it out, then the rest would be free if it is warranty work.

 

[Storm]

Maybe the heatshield came loose or got bent somehow and is making contact with the tranny with the movement.

How is your anti-pitching rod bolts up top? That may be allowing a bit too much movement too.

 

[EvasionOfTruth]

I hadn't even thought about the anti-pitch rod, I'll defiantly check that tonight. I don't think it is the heatshield, well I didn't see where it was rubbing any the other day. I'm going to try to get the whole thing down tonight though so I can tell for sure.

Thanks for the ideas.

Buster

 

[EvasionOfTruth]

Well I found the problem......hoping that the mount will fix this. I'll post what it is with pics in a few....gotta go put stuff back together now.

Buster

 

[EvasionOfTruth]

Okay well no pics for right now(cameras battery is dead) I got the heat shield off finally. Looking at the drivshaft I noticed it was much closer on the passenger side than the driver side. Although I didn't really notice any rub/wear markings. Then I was looking at the trans mount. Well let me just say that it is FUBAR...Thus pushing the drive shaft over to the passenger side.

The driveshaft actually only had play up to the brace(half way up from the rear) Going into the crossmember for the reaf diff it was in the center so no worries there. Towards the front past the brace it didnt budge.

Now the question is if the hardened mount will correct this.

Another question is how much could this have made things out of wack. As in long term damage.

If you are curious how much to the passenger side it is.....well I could get my fingers up there and thats it.

Buster

 

[EvasionOfTruth]

Here is a pic of the FUBAR tranny mount

 

[EvasionOfTruth]

New and damaged side by side

 

[EvasionOfTruth]

No more drivetrain lash.... Now just to install the engine mounts.

Buster