RE: All wheel drive question

[brian89gp]

Clutch depressed = normal sounds
clutch in normal position in neutral = clunking
clutch in normal position in gear = ?????what sound????

Sounds like something on the clutch disk/transmission/cv shaft side of things is broken. If you can depress the clutch and things get quiet that usually means the throw out bearing, pressure plate, hydraulics, etc are working fine.

 

[peakbagger]

A new option for AWDs is the new Honda HRV - based on a Fit chassis with a civic engine. Basically a baby CRV. Typical Honda start out with a nice small car and then upsize it every time the update it and then fill int he slot with a smaller version. If you park the original CRV next to the current CRV the difference in size is startling.

 

[Dr.Faustus]

go with the subaru. I have an 08 legacy and a 10 audi a6. The audi is better in the snow than the subaru and is way more fun to drive *when* the blasted car actually starts and works properly which is hardly ever. Def not worth the money.
The subaru is my daily driver, has enough power but not too much, a pretty good comfort and amenity level, and remote start. It was decent in snow. Then i put dedicated snow tires on and it turned into a beast. its only shortcoming is that if the snow is higher than the underside of the car and not even that always stops it!.
I consistently find that both of my cars drive better on unplowed untraveled roads then they do after the plows come and people drive on the stuff and pack it down. Still get impressive performance tho.

 

[Ashful]

go with the subaru. I have an 08 legacy and a 10 audi a6. The audi is better in the snow than the subaru and is way more fun to drive *when* the blasted car actually starts and works properly which is hardly ever. Def not worth the money.

I disagree. Two of my favorite cars of all time are our two past Audi's. Enormous fun to drive, at any cost. We never had a major failure of any Audi, and I have a coworker who has six of them of various vintage with similar experience, but we did have several minor annoyances.

It's a shame all the BMW yuppie pricks seem to be buying Audi lately... gives the brand a bad name!

 

[firefighterjake]

Clutch depressed = normal sounds
clutch in normal position in neutral = clunking
clutch in normal position in gear = ?????what sound????

Sounds like something on the clutch disk/transmission/cv shaft side of things is broken. If you can depress the clutch and things get quiet that usually means the throw out bearing, pressure plate, hydraulics, etc are working fine.

Clutch in normal position in gear = clunking

Interesting that you mention this . . . when I spoke to my regular mechanic he suggested that there is a possibility of the CV being broken. He suggested I jack up the car and look underneath while someone puts it into gear (obviously being very careful and not being underneath the car) to see if I might see anything out of kilter.

With the temps just being so mind-numbingly cold and it being dark by the time I get home . .. I haven't had the will power to go outside and do this yet . . . maybe on Saturday . . . if it warms up.

 

[brian89gp]

My money is on a CV shaft, a broken one would be fairly easy to notice. Most transmission problems you would either be hard to get it into gear, it would not clunk (spun gear on shaft), or there would still be noise with the clutch depressed.

With the car turned off, jack up both front wheels and put the car in gear. With an open differential with the engine side bound (in gear), if you turn one wheel one way the other one will rotate the opposite direction. If it doesn't, broken CV (likely) or broken differential (unlikely)

Put one of the front tires back on the ground and try to turn the wheel again. If its the transmission you should be able to feel the binding and the clunking in the wheel while turning it and should be somewhat stiff (you are turning the transmission through the differential gears). Plus you will be able to hear the gears turning in the transmission especially if you rock the wheel back/forth.

 

[firefighterjake]

Thanks Brian89gp . . . will most definitely take your advice.

 

[firefighterjake]

Update . . . with pics.

Trudged out in the cold, dark and snow (just a few passing flurries really).

First . . . started the car. Confirmed it was still making the clunking/grinding noise with it in gear. Also tried shifting without using the clutch . . . went right into gear without any grinding . . . car still didn't move. There seemed to be a bit less clunking/grinding when I depressed the clutch. Clunking continued with the car in neutral.

Jacked up the driver's side. Everything seemed normal to this mechanically inept idiot. Tugged on the CV axle and looked at the CV boot. All seemed OK . . . but what do I know. Tire turned without any effort. Put a jackstand under this side.

Jacked up the passenger's side. At first everything seemed the same as the other side, but I noticed that when I tugged on the CV axle there seemed to be a bit more play and it was clunking up against the . . . . well I'm not really sure what it was . . . but it was clunking up against another component there unlike the driver's side.

I then gingerly got into the car and put it into gear. Clunking continued . . . seemed a bit louder . . . not excessively, but a bit. However, when I put the car in neutral the clunking now was gone.

Got out and looked underneath and discovered the following scene . . . is this an officially broken CV axle? And if so . . . does this mean I am excessively lucky since the cost shouldn't be very expensive?

Two pics of the passenger side CV axle/boot . . . one from the driver's side.

 

[festerw]

Looks pretty broken to me lol. You should be able to get a new shaft for around $50, usually aren't too difficult to replace.

 

[Swedishchef]

Yup... a 6 inch seperation is certainly broken in my eyes...

 

[brian89gp]

Looks to be some sort of torque absorbing section in the CV shaft, probably efforts to reduce the shock on the transmission if I had to guess. Engineered weak spot to save other parts.

CV shafts are easy to fix. Axle spindle nut on the wheel side of the bearing, (sometimes depending on car) remove front wheel bearing, pop out of transmission, put new one in. Any auto parts store will have the tool rentals that you need. Do a quick google and I'm sure you'll find a picture tutorial on some forum of how to do it.

Be damn glad that didn't go out while you were at highway speeds.....

 

[bobdog2o02]

Yup, broken CV. Looks like some rust induced material loss too. $300 at a garage should have you set to go.

 

[bobdog2o02]

Fwiw itf it were mine I would replace both sides just for good measure.

Also, CV joints are the achiles heel of Subaru's. They usually wear out at the pivoting "joint".

 

[Dr.Faustus]

I've seen the ones like those used on ATV's & UTV's where wheel is replaced but this is interesting leaving the wheel on.

(broken image removed)

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looking at the way this works, wouldnt the truck now how to be in reverse to go forward? if a forward spinning tire is sitting on a belt like that, the belt should actually propelling the truck backwards. no?

 

[firefighterjake]

I should be getting the Accord back today. That said ... I suspect at some point in the next few years ... or months ... I will need to start looking for a replacement ... thinking that this next one may be a bit sporty as I think I'm due for my mid life crisis.

 

[Swedishchef]

WRX

 

[firefighterjake]

WRX

That's one car I would strongly consider .... I really do like the 2015 -- seems a little less boy racer and more mature while still keeping a high fun factor.

Also have eyeballed the 350\370z, Civic Si and Accord coupe along with the Brz/Frs.

 

[Ashful]

looking at the way this works, wouldnt the truck now how to be in reverse to go forward? if a forward spinning tire is sitting on a belt like that, the belt should actually propelling the truck backwards. no?

One roller between tire and belt would serve as a reversing gear.

 

[Swedishchef]

That's one car I would strongly consider .... I really do like the 2015 -- seems a little less boy racer and more mature while still keeping a high fun factor.

Also have eyeballed the 350\370z, Civic Si and Accord coupe along with the Brz/Frs.

You live in Maine - get an AWD
I like the fact that they brought out the automatic WRX again. I used to live in a town where a stop sign could be found every 200 feet. My manual car was not fun!

 

[firefighterjake]

You live in Maine - get an AWD
I like the fact that they brought out the automatic WRX again. I used to live in a town where a stop sign could be found every 200 feet. My manual car was not fun!

Hmmm ... a practical car being bought for an impractical reason ... it may be a good selling point to convince my wife for the "need" of the WRX. Whatever car I get will be a standard ... not alot of stop and go traffic for my commute and I enjoy working the extra pedal.

 

[Swedishchef]

Haha.

I also enjoy another pedal. However, when I want to have fun on a snowed in closed circuit track, the drifting is much easier with 2 pedals than with 3. Any rally car driver rarely uses the clutch while dirfting, it's all gas. And the cars I have right now aren't sporty enough to deserve a 3rd pedal

 

[TradEddie]

. Any rally car driver rarely uses the clutch while dirfting, it's all gas.

They may rarely use that clutch, but they never use an automatic transmission. An automatic WRX would be an abomination!

TE

 

[Swedishchef]

I know I know..but they make them. And my wife doesn't drive standard so I can sell the idea with less resistance!

 

[Treacherous]

I disagree. Two of my favorite cars of all time are our two past Audi's. Enormous fun to drive, at any cost. We never had a major failure of any Audi, and I have a coworker who has six of them of various vintage with similar experience, but we did have several minor annoyances.

I am in no way disputing how they handle the elements....

After watching my boss who only buys Audis have to replace an AT on each one and electrical gremlins I would never touch one myself. They are probably good lease cars though. I would certainly never own one without a warranty. IIRC he had one not under warranty and transmission rebuild was $6K.

 

[Treacherous]

They may rarely use that clutch, but they never use an automatic transmission. An automatic WRX would be an abomination!

TE

Were the 2002 WRX manual transmissions weak or did I have an overly abusive co-worker? He broke 3 of them.