question about questionable AWD
 

Some of you may know my beloved silver bullet has been smashed up like a pugs face- My svx obcession is strong and I can't go without the svx for much longer. I've been looking at a few, and right now the highest contender is a ebony 92 svx with 130,000 miles on it.

few details about the car, rebuilt transmission with auxillary cooler installed. im actually impressed with how the car shifts, much less clunking then my (rest her soul) silver. he also said he had had front differential (or some differential) changed out. this car seems FAST. i mean, unusually so. i dont quite understand it, but the pull it has seems much more fierce than what my silver use to do (which i thought was in prime condition).

the other thing i notice, is this that if i floor the ebony, it straight up spin its tires on the ground. granted the conditions were WET. but i just dont recall my silver svx really ever able to burnout its tires. even on wet turf. im no car pro, but it SOUNDED to me like it was the front tires spinning and not the back tires.

main point: does this mean the AWD is blown on this car somehow?

he wants 4,200 for the car, but i was thinking of offering him 3,000 grand for it due to a few of the bugs, including the suspect AWD function...

any insight would be welcome

Mine would never spin all the tires with the auto...even on wet. It's a completely different story when the AWD is not working or you put the FWD fuse in.

Maybe that car has a chip in it? I definatly noticed a difference after installation. as far as the AWD my ebony is the same ...she hops in the front on wet roads and dry. sometimes it takes 1 or 2 full seconds for the rear to kick in. the only time It really tested well was in the snow, almost no delay there. Maybe it depends on how long it slips in the front or how fast it slips?

It also depends on how aggressive you are with the throttle. TPS is one of the inputs for the AWD.

ive got the guy picking me up from work in it tonight. i didnt realize about the fwd/awd fuse scenario, i realize that that is near the battery in the fuse compartment there. I will have a look and see if there is anything suspicious with this.

i didnt realize the TPS had to do with how the AWD behaves. I know the normal split is like 90/10 and then switching to 50/50 i thought if it sensed slipage.

anyway, i will of course have this taken to my mechanic for a more techincal once over, and i would assume he would be able to tell me if the AWD is engaged or not...

the one brief drive i've had with mine so far (92 ebony with 192,000kms)

.......yeilded immediate 4 wheels spinning on damp wooden one-lane bridge deck.....

mind you, the 4.44 gears are helping a lot i imagine.....:D

interesting- maybe this svx is just a bit more souped up than im use to.

If the car is THAT much quicker, is it possible it has a 4.11 or 4.44 Legacy tranny in it? Just being FWD(it that's the case) will make it a little quicker. If it does have an AWD problem, there are a bunch of threads on duty solenoid C right now. And you should definately get a deal on it if that is the case.

Oh hey, I just saw that your in Portland. Let me know if you get it and I can check out your AWD for you. I just fixed mine last month.

Stephen

If they changed the front diff, then they may have indeed used a higher gear ratio ring and pinion. That would open up many more questions.

I decided against buying the SVX last night, although he DID agree to my lowball offer of 3k for the black svx- i just feel like there are a few too many little odds and ends wrong with it. the power seat is a bit malfunctioned, the seatbelts are malfunctioned, the body is fairly grazed with knicks and dings. the check engine light is on, which is suspicious- i believe due to the exhaust having an issue. the steering feels slighty strange too. something just doesn't feel quite right... maybe im passing up on a gem, but i dunno, it doesnt feel right.

Stepehn would you be willing to take a look at it and give an opinion?

I may have time on Sunday. Where is it located?

ya know. i dont want it. i found a perfect svx before, and i bet i can again.

no worries steve. :)


let me know if you come across any nice svxs tho!