wierd wobling sound

[Kamaleon]

My SVX makes a wobling sound that seems to com from underneath the shifter area, this only happens between speeds of 20 to 25 mph and there is no sounds at all at any other speed, the car rides and shifts nice. What could this be??
Dealership doest know but suggested that it could be coming from the tranny and recomended replacing it. What agrebates me from the dealership is that i invested $2700 in takign care of 'everything' that was wrong with my svx: seals, 120k service, rear bering, tranny cooler, syntech fluids, etc. and they didnt even look at this issue whiel in service. :mad:

Im open to sugestions
by the way wheels are balanced so no vibration from there.

[Beav]

It could be a lot of things. Just because the wheels were balanced is irrelevant - you can balance an egg-shaped tire but it won't ride smooth when it spins against the road.

Yeah, why not? If it isn't the tranny $2700 will surely fix anything else that may actually end up being the cause. "Duh, we don't know what it is but we bet we can fix it for less than $5000. Sign here." :rolleyes: Best bet: find a better repair shop.

[Kamaleon]

Thank your for your imput..

The woobling and loud vibration 'only' show up speed reached 20mph and goes completelly away after 25mph..

If it was produced by the tires it would be a vibration that would get worse with speed.

Is this thinking correct?

[dart]

Originally posted by Kamaleon
Thank your for your imput..

The woobling and loud vibration 'only' show up speed reached 20mph and goes completelly away after 25mph..

If it was produced by the tires it would be a vibration that would get worse with speed.

Is this thinking correct?

You might want to check your carrier bearing. If its hollowed out
(like mine) you can get a vibration at lower speeds that smooths out when your going faster. The carrier bearing cannot be
replaced on an LS-L. Only the LS has a separate carrier bearing available for it. You have to cop the whole driveshaft assembly for the LS-L. :mad:
($420.00 1stsubaruparts) or get one from a boneyard. ($75.00 up).

[Kamaleon]

Hey Dart, thank you so much for the info i will look into it.

In your car were did the sound appered to come from? In mine, the sound seams to come from underneath the shifter console.

This sound shows up when accerelating and when reducing speed only, when ever is betweek 20 and 25 mph/ it shows and goes away abruptly like you you turn a switch on and off.. wierd..

Is this something that i could replace or do i need to have it taken care of by a shop? and what potentian damage can derive from letting it be like it if for a while?!?

Thank you so much for ur help!! :D

Luis

[dart]

Originally posted by Kamaleon
Hey Dart, thank you so much for the info i will look into it.

In your car were did the sound appered to come from? In mine, the sound seams to come from underneath the shifter console.

This sound shows up when accerelating and when reducing speed only, when ever is betweek 20 and 25 mph/ it shows and goes away abruptly like you you turn a switch on and off.. wierd..

Is this something that i could replace or do i need to have it taken care of by a shop? and what potentian damage can derive from letting it be like it if for a while?!?

Thank you so much for ur help!! :D

Luis

Luis,
First, please use this info at your own risk. I'm not a professional mechanic. The carrier bearing is on the driveshaft that extends from the transmission to the rear differential. The carrier bearing is located halfway down the driveshaft (actually 2 shafts connected) and is bolted to the bottom of the car and can be checked by getting under the car and grasping the driveshaft near the carrier bearing and shaking the driveshaft back and forth to see if there is any play in the carrier bearing. You may have to remove the heatshield to gain the proper access. I bought my SVX (cheap) making this horrible clattering noise whenever I accelerated from a standing stop and it went away above 20 or so MPH. Well the clattering noise was from the driveshaft literally slapping the heat shield because the carrier bearing that keeps the driveshaft centered was hollowed out and left too much play in the shaft at lower RPM's. I surmised that the faster I went, centrifugal force centered the driveshaft and the noise disappeared (until I slowed down). The carrier bearing is located under and slightly to the rear of your shifter console. If the car has high miles I might suspect that as your culprit. By the way I just ordered a driveshaft assembly sourced from www.used-auto-parts.net for $85 clams plus $15
shipping. Retail for a new driveshaft assembly at a Subaru dealer on this pn 27037PA000 is over $500.00 or $420 plus shipping from 1stsubaruparts.com . Good Luck! :)

[Kamaleon]

Dart, i cant thank you enough for your information :D
as soon as i get back to georgia ill have the car checked for this particular area (im not mechanically inclined either) and i hope the problem comes from there. If it does, ill get the used part and have it repair asap.. That noice gets on my nevers. :mad:

again, thanks a lot my svx friend :D

Luis

[dart]

Originally posted by Kamaleon
Dart, i cant thank you enough for your information :D
as soon as i get back to georgia ill have the car checked for this particular area (im not mechanically inclined either) and i hope the problem comes from there. If it does, ill get the used part and have it repair asap.. That noice gets on my nevers. :mad:

again, thanks a lot my svx friend :D

Luis

Anytime bro. :cool:

[dart]

Luis,
Upon further investigation (pulling the driveshaft) I have discovered a couple things. What appears to be a carrier bearing on the SVX (it looks like whats under my truck) is actually a rubber mount. Thats what I initially thought was my problem. The mount will allow the shaft to move though, and my front u-joint has a major kink in part of its travel so when the front u-joint binds it torques the shaft up into the heat shield at the rubber mount. At least thats my theory for now. :) I have a driveshaft shipping in on monday so I guess I'll find out then...

[Kamaleon]

please keep me posted of your findings and how you did it once that noice disapears

[Kamaleon]

Hey dart, did you managed to install the new driveshaft?? did the wooble went away?

Please let em know your findings. :)


Luis

[dart]

Originally posted by Kamaleon
Hey dart, did you managed to install the new driveshaft?? did the wooble went away?

Please let em know your findings. :)


Luis

I'm waiting on parts (for the exhaust system) from 1stsubaru.com before I can button it up and take it for a spin. As soon as I drive the car it should be apparent if the new/used driveshaft fixed my problem. I'll let you know as soon as I take it for a ride (hopefully before this weekend). Unless you have access to some tools, 4 jackstands, preferably a concrete floor and know some cuss words I don't, I wouldn't recommend trying this yourself. ;)

[Kamaleon]

i will have the job done by a mechanic.. ;) but know the possible fix to the problem will let me save time and $ on diagnoses that the dealer was unable to do..

:D

[dart]

Originally posted by Kamaleon
i will have the job done by a mechanic.. ;) but know the possible fix to the problem will let me save time and $ on diagnoses that the dealer was unable to do..

:D

Well, the driveshaft fixed my problem. Bad front u-joint. Good luck with your repairs.

[Kamaleon]

Ok.. so the new/used driveshaft eliminated the woobling sound at low speeds.. (grrreeat!!). Are the u-joints part of the driveshaft or is something else??!? :confused:

happy to hear yor back crussing the roads :)


P.S. thanks again for all ur info ;)

[dart]

Originally posted by Kamaleon
Ok.. so the new/used driveshaft eliminated the woobling sound at low speeds.. (grrreeat!!). Are the u-joints part of the driveshaft or is something else??!? :confused:

happy to hear yor back crussing the roads :)


P.S. thanks again for all ur info ;)


No problem. :)
The u-joints 2 of 'em (front and rear) are staked into the driveshaft which means they cannot be replaced. Thank Subaru for that. I can swap out u-joints on my old Chrysler's all day long but you have to replace the entire driveshaft assembly in the SVX. Their still plentiful at the boneyards. You can search for SVX parts here:

http://www.used-auto-parts.net/

I found a used driveshaft for $85.00 plus $15 shipping. I am also in contact with a fellow at St. Augustine FWD who I may send my old shaft with the bad u-joint(s) to see if they can be replaced. His
supplier (Rockford) and Subaru say no but if he can find parts that will work and can rebuild it, that will run about $65.00 per u-joint.

website here:

http://www.staugustinefwd.com

Since I haven't heard your particular noise I can't say that a driveshaft swap will fix your problem. How many miles are on your car?

[Kamaleon]

Its beign a while since i last came to the forum..

my SVX has 124K and I had the 120k service done to it by a dealer and thy were uncapable of finding out the problem. I'll be with my svx in about a month and hopefully will check on that driveshaft..

[dart]

Originally posted by Kamaleon
Its beign a while since i last came to the forum..

my SVX has 124K and I had the 120k service done to it by a dealer and thy were uncapable of finding out the problem. I'll be with my svx in about a month and hopefully will check on that driveshaft..

Hi Luis
124k miles I would think your driveshaft would be ok
but short of physically checking the u-joints ( it can be done without completely removing the driveshaft) I couldn't say. Might want to get a second opinion other than where you took it for the 120k service. Good luck.

[Kamaleon]

I will do that.. specificaly ask a mechanic to check drive shaft and u-joint...

Thanks again! :)

[SVXnCO]

I just got a '92 SVX and I have noticed the same sound, but mine makes the noise at speeds of 65-70 and 75-80. Is this still a problem with the u-joints?

[Kamaleon]

have a mechanic check the drive shaft to see if its a possibility in your case.. I havent had mine fix yet but it will be fixed soon.

[SVXnCO]

How hard is it to check it yourself? (I have a jack and stands and whatnot)

[Kamaleon]

That i dont know, but im sure someone will come up with an answer to your question ;)

(i want to find out also to compare how the mech does it)

[SVXnCO]

Okay, thanks for your advice though. ;)