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#16
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while i've never driven a fwd svx, i have to believe there would be a noticable difference between the two. my observations are based not upon poor weather or poor surface traction or straight-line acceleration but rather in the handling and attitude when driven at speed on dry pavement through a challenging mountian road with turns that attract sports cars and sport bikes. on a weekend trip on such roads with a Jag XK8, Lotus Elan and a Honda S2K, my LSi used its awd all afternoon. as I set up for each turn and headed for each apex, power-on, the feel of four wheels working together was awesome. understeer? it's counterintuitive but the answer is to just input more power, and the 3.3 was there, ready to deliver. when the power hits the wheels, the attitude of the car changes from early understeer to near neutral. while accelerating. set up the car to enter the turn, drop the inside front tire over the fogline, look for the apex, squeeze on more power, feel the G's build, hit the apex while fully opening the throttle plate, feel the attitude change and the side load build and accelerate toward the exit, while sizing up the next one, being careful to not actually nudge the rear bumper of the S2K. (although on one decreasing radius turn I'd sized up incorrectly, the near neutral attitude switched for a split second to oversteer; the outside rear tire chirped once and then the whole system took over and we exited the turn with dignity intact; the LSi is also very forgiving.). we were as good as any car on that road that day and better than many. like I said, I've never driven an fwd but i can't help but feel if my LSi had been a fwd that day, i'd still be picking it out of the trees.
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#17
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FWD vs. AWD
Well, I drive my FWD every day, and I've only driven the AWD once, but:
1. The FWD understeers, a lot, almost all the time no matter what you throw at it. In order to make it oversteer you have to be going really fast, and it usually doesn't end well. 2. If you want the tires to spin in FWD, they'll spin, and it can be very smokey. Not so in the AWD, it just puts you back in your seat and goes. 3. The AWD feels glued to the road, the FWD does not. I would much rather have the AWD (and a 5-speed, especially with the better torque split). FWD just isn't as much fun.
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1994 blue FWD Subaru SVX L with 86k and the original tranny *SOLD* My Cardomain page Now part of the DSM crowd: 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX |
#18
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That sounds about right. I have never driven a FWD SVX, but I have talked to many who own them and the is the same thing I usually hear from them.
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. Earl .... ... .... ><SVX(*> Subaru Ambassador [COLOR=”silver”]1992 Tri Color L[/COLOR] ~45K (06/91) #2430 1992 Dark Teal LS-L ~184K (05/91) #0739 1992 Claret LS-L ~196K (05/91) #0831 1992 Pearl LS-L ~103K (06/91) #1680 1992 Pearl LS-L ~151K (06/91) #2229 1992 Dark Teal LS ~150K (07/91) #3098 (parts car) 1992 White LS-L ~139K (08/92) #6913 1993 25th AE ~98K (02/93) #164 1993 25th AE ~58K (02/93) #176 1993 25th AE ~107K (02/93) #215 1993 25th AE ~162K (02/93) #223 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~124K (1/94) #2408 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~144K (10/93) #1484 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~68K (10/93) #1525 1994 Barcelona Red LSi ~46K (02/94) #2624 1994 Pearl LSi ~41K (12/93) #1961 1995 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~70K (02/95) #855 1996 Polo Green LSi ~95K (03/96) #872 1997 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~55K (08/96) #097 2003 Brilliant Red LS1 Convertible ~29K (04/03) #8951 1999 Magnetic Red LS1 Coupe ~33K (04/99) #6420 My Email | Old Locker | New Locker | Picture of 15 of the 19 |
#19
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having owned both... find that the differences are being exagerated. You just need to know how to drive a FWD car. AWD makes it too easy where as FWD takes more skill to make the car perform. I never did learn how to push the limits of the FWD because I am not a very experienced driver... but I am working on that
Tom |
#20
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Interesting thread!
Question from an SVX ignoramous: I've had a couple instances where my 92 spinss the wheels like it's NOT an AWD. My first time I noticed it was in dirt in Norcal before I shipped to car to Maine where I am now. Recently (like yesterday!), I had it occur in the snow where some wheels are spinning either just in front or on just one side (hard to tell when no one is around to look), which should NOT occur unless BOTH front and rear differentials were "open". Right? This phenomemon confuses me, as at other times when I gun it, the fronts spin for about one second and you feel a real push as the rears kick in. What am I missing here?
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Bruce Schwab Recovering solo ocean racer www.bruceschwab.com On land: 92 Ebony SVX, 188k |
#21
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You may have a misfunctioning Duty Solenoid C...this would cause your car to lurch because the Solenoid is sticking. Now, you may just also be feeling the effects of the Limited-Slip Rear Differential. One would have to drive your car in order to determine exactly what's going on.
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-Jason (8/23/07-Present) 1995 Subaru SVX LSi (197k) Polo Green (#1102) 03/95 Mods: DDM Tuning 4500k 35w Low Beam HID, 100w H3 Bulbs, Extra Ground Cables, 15 minute $12.96 mod, svxfiles designed transmission mount (), sporting a "new" tail light bar, silver BBS rims, custom power steering cooler (one that doesn't dump ATF constantly), new negative lead cable, no more third or fourth gear (1977-Present) 1977 Chevrolet Corvette (81k) Silver (12/01/2011-Present) 2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited 5MT (97k) I have a bad feeling about this. -Obi Wan Kenobi |
#22
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Quote:
Thanks! Will look into this. Will likely have a shop check it out, but where is this particular solenoid located?
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Bruce Schwab Recovering solo ocean racer www.bruceschwab.com On land: 92 Ebony SVX, 188k |
#23
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So anyway, is it hard to convert from fwd to awd?
(obvious bump)
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R.I.P Cool Signature. You're gone but not forgotten. I mean, sure, I kindof don't remember some of the finer details..but I remember you were funny, and at one point you said spaghetti in Dutch....but definantly not forgotten |
#24
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Quote:
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1993 25th Anniversary Edition # 156 of 301 ~ 121, 488 miles ( SOLD TO svxfiles 8/6/06) 2006 Subaru Impreza 2.5i....5spd - My daily driver 2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i -7k miles..Mom's daily driver 2,543 Member of the SVX World Network |
#25
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It can be done with the parts car Mike is picking up. Then you just need to find a tranny and I would suggest getting a 4.44 and getting that done... We can do it if you really want, I mean I do have 2 LSD units in the shop and John has an extra OEM driveshaft. Small peices of subfram can be taken off the parts car along with wiring. I have a spare TCU you could use... I mean, hell... lets get crackin already
Tom |
#26
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Might need a gas tank too. Every other Subaru had two tanks based on the drive wheels but I doubt they did that with the SVX as FWD was an afterthought for it. Just check on Subaruparts.com and see if there's a different part number for fwd tanks.
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British vehicles are my last ditch attempt to keep the nasty Italian thoughts in my mind at bay. So far its working. |
#27
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Quote:
__________________
1993 25th Anniversary Edition # 156 of 301 ~ 121, 488 miles ( SOLD TO svxfiles 8/6/06) 2006 Subaru Impreza 2.5i....5spd - My daily driver 2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i -7k miles..Mom's daily driver 2,543 Member of the SVX World Network |
#28
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The gas tanks are the same... I remember quite vividly the underbody of my old FWD as I was under it all the time
Tom |
#29
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just jumping in to say some words
coming from some one who has or had some very very fast cars, AWD will dominate, FWD is used for economy cars and does no good for anything, RWD=AWD best forms of power, also the svx is a boat and automatic with slip clutch power transfer system, its a little diffrent then typical AWD cars like evo/sti and such, that the svx is mainly a fwd bias car unless the FWD slips wich engages the 50/50 split wich you hear a thump its kinda premitive but does the job, so if im repeating some old news, sorry => also some FYI the sti/evo being diffrent engine set up's the evo will lay more power to the wheels then the symetrical design of subaru roughly 17-19% to subarus 18-20% drive train loss, also the gearing makes a big diffrence in dyno figures also,
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2008 evo x with sss package 430 hp 380 torque stock turbo with basic bolt ons 12.56 @ 109 fully weighted 3,500 lbs |
#30
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I guess Ill start getting some money together. Lol, I suppose itll be a summer project. Ill probly miss that oh so wonderfull blue smoke...but whenever I make it I kinda feel like street trash....so off to the twisties itll be! Besides....what good is a subaru if it doesnt have awd? thats like buying a Maybach with cloth seats or split pea soup without a bread bowl.
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R.I.P Cool Signature. You're gone but not forgotten. I mean, sure, I kindof don't remember some of the finer details..but I remember you were funny, and at one point you said spaghetti in Dutch....but definantly not forgotten Last edited by It's Just Eric; 12-30-2005 at 09:50 PM. |
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