Help with 1992 Legacy AWD Trans ? problem please

[rmoore5]

My son's AWD, manual transmission 1992 Legacy wagon does not move anymore. It acts like the clutch is out of it. Maybe this is the problem, I have not started on it yet.

With the clutch fully engaged the car only has a slight amount of torque transfering to the wheels, the car does not actually move.

Not having worked on a Subaru before I'm not really sure where to start. Can anyone suggest where to begin. I have quite abit of experience on US cars (GM mostly). So my train of thought is that the drivetrain consists of clutch, gears, transfer case chain, etc. I do not think this is going to be right for the Subaru. So..help me please!

Can anyone suggest a good manual, source for used parts or even better a website that would have the needed info. I'm sure all this has been covered here before.

A little background that is probably relevant... About 2 months ago my son had the car towed and the tow truck driver did so with the rear wheels on the ground and the front wheels on the platform of the truck. I'm sure this did not do the AWD any good. But, as recently as 1 week ago I witnessed the front and rear of the car pulling (spinning wheels) up the hill, on the snow and ice in our driveway.

The rear driveshaft does not spin when the clutch is engaged with the engine running, but the speedometer does register speed while the car is not moving.

I literally just walked in from the garage after towing the 92 home, so I have not begun searching for the needed info. So excuse me for posting this before searching, but I know that it will take some time for the replies to come in and I thought I would get the thread started ASAP.

Thank you all in advance

Rick

[91White-T]

A little background that is probably relevant... About 2 months ago my son had the car towed and the tow truck driver did so with the rear wheels on the ground and the front wheels on the platform of the truck. I'm sure this did not do the AWD any good.

That's not good at all. The center diff is probably completely destroyed.

[evolutionmovement]

Best bet for a manual is finding the factory service manuals on Ebay. As for transmission, they're pretty simple. There's no chain in t he drivetrain - this is an AWD system and the manual cars have a viscous type center differential. Basically, it's a fwd transmission with the center diff tacked on the back that tries to keep the power 50/50 front to rear. If you're getting any power to the wheels, then the center diff is the likely cuplrit. I'm surprised they towed it like that - every time I've called a tow truck (even to deliver to the junk yard), they've sent a ramp truck automatically. I would think that with a bad center diff, the car should still move in fwd, but I don't know for sure.

Steve

[rmoore5]

After looking around this board, it looks like the ceter diff can be changed by removing the extension housing with the transmission still in the car.

Can anyone confirm this?

The thread I found talks about a "zip gun" to remove the T from the shifter shaft. Can anyone explain this?

Now for the bottom line, is it feasable money wise to put this part in or should I get a used trans. Which years will fit in this 1992? What are the going prices for the trannys or the ceter diffs?

I'll start checking locally, if anyone has one on this board give me a yell. I've got a 1995 Grand Cherokee with some parts left maybe we could horse trade.

Hopefully there are some trannys around here, a possibility since we make the cars 50 miles from my house. At SIA (Subaru of Indiana Automotive) where I happen to work 3rd shift Maint. in the body shop.

Thanks for the help so far.

Rick

[Legacy777]

Yeah you can remove the center diff without removing the tranny. Morgie did this.

You'll need another center diff to swap in, or more specifically a new viscous coupling.