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  #1  
Old 07-23-2007, 04:29 AM
LarryIII LarryIII is offline
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AWD vs. 3WD / FWD vs 1WD

SVXY has, what I believe, is a serious problem. For the last few weeks I have been hearing a high pitched whine that sounded like gears meshing. I happens at speed 35mph and up getting higher pitched the faster that I go. I does not happen when the car coasts, only when it is given gas. I thought that th esound came from the rear.
Two weeks ago, I put the car up on ramps and checked everything first the rear then the front. everything seemed tight and okay.
Early this week my buddy returned my second set of jackstands (he's restoring a '68 Vette). Yersterday morning I put the car on the jackstands with all the tires off the ground and fired it up. All the wheels spun except the right front. Using a long rod I stood on the right side, outside the car, and bipped the throttle. The right front wheel still did not spin.
I put the FWD fuse in and got the same results (1WD).
I did not get under the car. so I don't know if it's the outer or inner (God forbid) passender side drive shaft.
If anyone here has experienced this malady, please post some direction or suggestions.

I was down yesterday after discovering this because SVXY is my daily driver. But today I'm OK and am 85% sure that this problem can and will be fixed. I'd hate to use SVXY as a parts car.
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Old 07-23-2007, 05:01 AM
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From prior experience, seeing one tire spin while one not is due to the LSD, which prevents both tires from spinning, so that one may grip and one spin. I'm not sure if this is the case in your circumstance, though, but hopefully can provide some insite.
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Old 07-23-2007, 05:32 AM
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Larry, please don't be down and your problem is not bad enough to make SVXY as a part car.

I'm guessing it's your front differential is on its way going out. If it's the driveshaft(I hope), it shouldn't have the noise but why not check your both outer and inner boots if they're still good.

To make sure, pull your FD dipstick and look at the fluid condition, if it doesn't look good, you may know why.

That's my opinions and I think an awd SVX should have 4 wheels spinning when its all tires are off the ground. Both of mine will do this if they're off the ground.

Good luck.
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Old 07-23-2007, 06:09 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JaySVX
From prior experience, seeing one tire spin while one not is due to the LSD, which prevents both tires from spinning, so that one may grip and one spin. I'm not sure if this is the case in your circumstance, though, but hopefully can provide some insite.
There's no LSD in the front differential, so that's not it (though when I saw the thread that's what I thought too).

I don't have enough experience in the SVX to say, but in my FWD 90 Legacy (same tranny at least) the most common problem I had was snapping half-shafts. And I had wheel bearings go once or twice. But usually it was a half-shaft going that would cause a strange loss in torque and some rather... interesting cornering properties.
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Old 07-23-2007, 06:51 AM
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The front differential is open, so it is normal for only one front wheel to spin in that situation. If you would have supplied resistance to the spinning wheel, you may have seen some transfer to the other side. That's why applying the brake lightly while trying to get going on ice can help provide traction.

When you had it spinning in the air, would it make the noise? When it's making the noise while driving, can you tell where it's coming from? Do you pick up any matching vibrations in the pedals, the steering wheel or the seat?
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  #6  
Old 07-23-2007, 08:30 AM
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I continue to be amazed at the misconceptions that result from incomplete information and/or understanding thereof. It distresses me that such is then offered as advice.
Differentials are designed to allow the wheels to spin at different speeds. This is required whenever the vehicle is not traveling in a straight line and the wheel on the outside of the curve has to travel a longer distance than the inside one. In all cases, only one wheel in the front and one wheel in the rear are driven at a time. 4wd and AWD are really only 2WD and 2WD is really only 1WD.
The SVX has an open front differential. This type will allow the driven wheel to spin unrestricted by the state of the other wheel.
The SVX rear has a Limited Slip Differential. As with an open diff, only one wheel is driven at a time, but it has additional components that only allow the driven wheel to spin a limited amount faster than the undriven wheel. If the driven wheel exceeds this limit, the driven power is transfered to the slower wheel.
Although only one of the front wheels will be driven at any particular time, when the wheels are off the ground it is normal that both the front wheels spin. However, if any braking force is applied to either wheel exclusively, then it should stop and the other should keep turning.
In this case, the wheel that is not spinning has more resistance than the other. This might be as simple as a brake caliper that doesn't release as easily as the other one. It might be something to investigate, but has nothing to do with the stated problem.
OTOH, the rear wheels should both spin under power because of the LSD.

I have had a problem with similar symptoms. Dispite hours of searching and direct requests for help from several knowledgeable members, the exact problem remained somewhat of a mystery.
In my case. was coming from the rear drive transfer mechanism. This might be your problem as well, but you need to exclude 2 other sources, which may be more likely suspects.
If the FWD fuse does disengage the rear wheels and you still get the noise, you can exclude the rear driveshaft and rear differential.
If the FWD fuse doesn't disengage the rear wheels, your soleniod C is not working and you will need to remove the driveshaft to exclude the driveshaft and rear differential as potential sources of your noise. In my case, with the driveshaft installed, the noise, under the car, seemed to be coming from the rear diff. But, that wasn't the source.

Good luck.
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  #7  
Old 07-23-2007, 08:52 AM
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^^^^ What he said. Same thing happens with my 240, happened with my SVX, etc. A diff is a diff. Through whatever mechanical means (probably gravity on the lift), that one wheel is the one with "less grip." lol, the name of the thread made me look.
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Old 07-23-2007, 08:56 AM
LarryIII LarryIII is offline
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Thanks to all who replied. I was too chicken now, to get under the car while it was on jackstands and running. Years ago I would have gotten underneath it. I was alone when I had it on kjack stands so I couldn't see the wheels turning if I was in the car on the brake pedal. With the car idling, I tried to push spin by hand the tire but that did not help. Even in reverse the wheel would not spin.
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  #9  
Old 07-23-2007, 09:10 AM
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Hi Larry.
I just saw this.
It is normal for the front wheels of an all wheel drive or front wheel drive to have a disparity in their speeds, unless equipped with a limited slip front differential. Our cars are not so equipped.
If you were to block the left front wheel, AND NOTHING WAS WRONG, the right front would spin instead.
Do not do this!!!!!
Because if something IS wrong, the car can the pull itself forward off the jacks, or spit the wheel chalk out with conciderable force!

From the description, I would check, drain, and refill the rear differential to see if that quiets it down.
As always feel free to call.
Tom
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  #10  
Old 07-25-2007, 01:19 AM
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Larry, is the sound comming from the front of the car or the rear??

Tom
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  #11  
Old 07-25-2007, 06:28 AM
LarryIII LarryIII is offline
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Tom,

It's hard to tell but now I think it's the front.
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'19 Tungsten Pearl Outback 3.6R Ltd...."AISHA"
'08 Harvest Gold Outback 3.0L. L. L. Bean...."AIJOU"
'07 Gray Diamond Pearl Outback XT Ltd..."AH SO"
'05 White Pearl & Silver BAJA Turbo..."AH HA"
'97 Bordeaux Pearl SVX LSi..."SUBYDOO"
'94 White Pearl SVX LSi..."PEARLY"
'92 White Pearl SVX LSL w/touring pkg..."SVXY"
'92 Teal SVX LSL w/touring pkg..."ALCYONE"
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'00 Black Dodge VIPER RT-10... "VINNIE"

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  #12  
Old 07-25-2007, 12:51 PM
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Larry, did you use a white tissue/napkin to check your FD fluid? It will just take a few minutes and you will know more details.
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Old 07-25-2007, 02:22 PM
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maybe Tom will let us put it on the lift this weekend for further diagnosis

Tom
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Old 07-25-2007, 02:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TomsSVX
maybe Tom will let us put it on the lift this weekend for further diagnosis

Tom
Of course.
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