Tuned perfect at 75k, now at 76k steering wheel hops in 3rd, 3.5-3.75k; 5EAT

[Soda Popinski]

At 73k I took my car to EFI Logic in Bethel, CT... Pete there did a phenominal job tuning my car.

 

At 73.5k I entered my car into the NER 1500 mile rally, awesome 0-60, awesome tune... went from (Mustang dyno) 230awhp to 255awhp, from 230 torque to 285... (sucks the 5EAT eats so much power at the interface)...

 

Spirited driving all around, broke some new personal records, and I was pleased as punch at the conclusion that my car performed and hung in there so well.

 

At 75k I bring the car home, and begin work on repairing parts that failed during the rally... an axle, windscreen, TMPS sensor, repaint the nose, replace various plastic bits that fell off the underside, etc.

 

In 5 days I have an appointment at Bertera Subaru in Hartford, CT to do a complete 5EAT flush with the better Subaru ATF specifically for the 5EAT.

 

Last night I replace the axle on the passenger front and it got rid of the grinding noise I had in low gear (cv boot split open and sprayed grease all over the control arm and DP)

 

I believe I am starting to hear the 'wah-wah-wah' of a wearing wheel bearing, but I'm not sure which one it is yet.

 

Now I've noticed (since the CV boot first broke, and even post axle replacement) that the steering wheel hops wildly at 3500-3700 rpms in 3rd gear.

 

1st gear 0-redline, perfect

2nd gear shifts into perfect, shift to red line perfect

3rd gear (if throttle over 50% 0-3499 rpms fine, 3500-3750 steering wheel hops) 3751-redline perfect

4th gear - perfect

5th gear - perfect

reverse - perfect

 

As posted above, I have a transmission flush due in 5 days for a complete system change and then I plan to do a drain and fill every 10k after.

 

Diffs are untouched... stock oem and I've never checked fluid or anything, but dealership did it at 30k and then again at 60k. I was planning on draining these and putting in motul's synthetic gear oil specifically for our diffs.

 

Any ideas what can cause such a wild vibration and steering wheel bounce? It really jumps up and down, but only in that range and once you pass 3750 it smooths out like butter

[Soda Popinski]

I'm praying that it's just the fluid change or maybe the dif fluid....

[Soda Popinski]

I'll take a video of this at lunch today.

[rao]

The transmission fluid is not going to end up being the problem.

[Soda Popinski]

well this developed from nowhere. according to the timeline above it started happening between the time around the axle failure. The tranny fluid has about 40k miles on it now and is brown

[HipsterDoofus]

Its probably your choice of motor oil

[rao]

well this developed from nowhere. according to the timeline above it started happening between the time around the axle failure. The tranny fluid has about 40k miles on it now and is brown

 

It didn't develop from nowhere you just replaced an axle

 

It sounds like a vibration or resonance. Go ahead and have the fluid changed and see if it solves the problem.

 

 

 

Its probably your choice of motor oil

 

[Soda Popinski]

motor oil since 1st change has been Motul synthetic 8100 5w30

 

75000 miles and 0 problems until the last week

[rao]

[Soda Popinski]

It didn't develop from nowhere you just replaced an axle

 

Not true rao. I made it through a 1500 mile event with no problems. Around the time that the cv boot cracked is when it started. Axle replaced, problem persists.

 

It's a very narrow band that it happens and only if the throttle is greater than 50% in that narrow band.

[Bolksey85]

I'm thinking it's more vehicle or wheel speed based than it is engine RPM. Since it's easy and cheap, have the dealer do a rotate and balance and see what happens after that.

[BAC5.2]

Did you use an axle from Subaru, or a "reman"/"Lifetime" axle from a box-parts store?

[Soda Popinski]

I'm thinking it's more vehicle or wheel speed based than it is engine RPM. Since it's easy and cheap, have the dealer do a rotate and balance and see what happens after that.

 

I can also duplicate it if I'm doing 65, then go to pass someone without flooring it. Only seems to happen in 3rd. I'll video this at lunch in a few minutes and post the findings. I'll do 2nd gear pulls, 0-75, highway speed to passing speed and hopefully it can narrow it down.

[rao]

Did you use an axle from Subaru, or a "reman"/"Lifetime" axle from a box-parts store?

 

I have read that all of that stuff is 3rd world crap

[Soda Popinski]

Did you use an axle from Subaru, or a "reman"/"Lifetime" axle from a box-parts store?

 

dealership wanted 280 for the axle. I got the axle from advanced down the street here through multiple people recommending it due to it's warranty. Now that I know how to quickly change it out I have no problem doing it again if the problem is indeed the axle.

 

But the same symptoms persist from the OEM axle with 75k miles and this new one with less than 100 on it.

 

There is an entrance ramp I get on in middletown, ct that requires me to go from 0-65 dead stop into traffic and this is where I first noticed it.

[Soda Popinski]

I already diagnosed your problem

 

So you're saying that Motul 8100 synthetic 5w30 is a bad choice of lubricant?

 

that makes no sense at all.

[BAC5.2]

I have read that all of that stuff is 3rd world crap

 

I prefer my axles to be built in the 4th world. Out of sticks, spit, and bits of string. I like a little excitement in my daily commute, though. YMMV.

[mwiener2]

something mechanical broke.. you probably broke it during the rally

[Soda Popinski]

OK so no one in the history of 5EAT legacy owners has ever had this problem? Apparently it's exclusive to me?

 

I DONT KNOW where the problem comes from. I assume because it happens in 3rd gear that it's a transmission problem. I don't know enough about motors to know if you're just being a goof about the motor or not, which is why I ask. Horray! you win! Congrats.

 

I'd like to keep this on topic because this is a daily driver and I'd rather not kill someone else on the road if this thing decides to seize up and take a left turn into traffic.

 

I'd also not like to have to rebuild the tranny if this is an issue that can be resolved BEFORE it becomes a problem.

[MasAyinde]

You need a concentrated mixture of Unicorn blood and use Spec B motor oil. but the used oil needs to be drained on the 11th full moon that falls on a thursday

 

Don't come in here with ridiculous advice like this, making the guy this that you're just messing around with him.

 

 

The fact is, the Spec B motor oil needs to be less that 2000 miles old. And you can't just run it in your car and keep driving. Only use it for a flush. Don't rev the engine and don't leave the engine on for more than 20 minutes. And the unicorn blood had to have been extracted during unicorn mating season, which falls on the 8th full moon so this is going to be tricky.

[Soda Popinski]

something mechanical broke.. you probably broke it during the rally

 

I didn't have any issues on the rally... it started about 1000 miles post.

 

Like I said I'll take some vids and take it to a transmission shop, so anyone who has seen or experienced this same issue I'd love to hear about it because I'd like to fix this myself if possible.

[ultimakf7]

It sounds like something in the drivetrain is not balanced correctly (speed dependent, not rev dependent). The fix could be as simple as getting the wheels rebalanced. I don't think the issue is with the transmission.

[Soda Popinski]

I took it to a transmission shop. Had the guy sit in the car as well as drive it.

 

We identified that there is a transmission "flare" that happens when casually driving from 2 upshifting into 3. The engine revs and "bangs" into 3rd. Slightly. It's not enough to make you spill a drink but it's definately noticeable for passengers.

 

We could not duplicate the steering wheel bouncing, however, there is a lot of NVH that happens when doing 70, then stepping on it, downshifting and then a very noticible vibration of the wheel.

 

Reverse also tends to vibrate the car a lot, even at very low "idle + brake" speeds when backing up and turning to either side.

 

He recommended that I have the car visually inspected for missing bolts, leaky seals etc.

[laz]

I took it to a transmission shop. Had the guy sit in the car as well as drive it.

 

We identified that there is a transmission "flare" that happens when casually driving from 2 upshifting into 3. The engine revs and "bangs" into 3rd. Slightly. It's not enough to make you spill a drink but it's definately noticeable for passengers.

 

We could not duplicate the steering wheel bouncing, however, there is a lot of NVH that happens when doing 70, then stepping on it, downshifting and then a very noticible vibration of the wheel.

 

Reverse also tends to vibrate the car a lot, even at very low "idle + brake" speeds when backing up and turning to either side.

 

He recommended that I have the car visually inspected for missing bolts, leaky seals etc.

 

Be careful when downshifting from third to reverse, this may definitely be the problem. Plus youhave an auto, no need to manually shift!

 

X

[Soda Popinski]

do you have anything constructive to contribute or are you just trying to up your post count in my threads?