QuestionHi- I have an older Subaru Outback (manual Trans.) The car has had some problems in the last 6 months and have put $1500 into it. Last week I had to have it towed because the rear end was smoking, smelling and car had less than normal power. Mechanic tells me the rear end is shot and that he found metal shavings there. Now my ques. is this- he tells me it will cost $1500 to repair rear end. Car is not really worth paying another $1500. He tells me he can disconnect all wheel drive for for about $300 (that includes the towing cost as well) but he has no idea how long the car will run. I live in NE Vermont in a very rural area and must have a car to go anywhere- in fact I cannot even car shop for another car at this point. Would I be better off to junk the Subaru and put that $300 into another car or will disconnecting the all wheel drive thereby avoiding a large repair bill give me the time to drive around and find another car? Will it be safe or am I just setting myself up for further problems?
AnswerHi Deborah,
Very good question. You already know the answer to it.
You don't sound like you are interested in having your car held together with Scotch Tape and Band-Aids so it would probably be the wisest move to invest the funds into another car.
Let me try to explain what your mechanic is trying to accomplish by disconnecting the AWD system and why it probably will not work in your case. This won't be easy, this is a complex system.
By removing the fuse and effectively disabling the AWD (yes, it is that simple), the vehicle will ONLY function in the FWD mode. Removing the fuse however, only disconnects the rear axle-to-hub locks. This disconnects the rear drive wheels from the axle assembly which is what is receiving the power output from the transmission. The axle assembly will still be fed with power from the output side of the transfer case/transaxle assembly. So the drivetrain is still engaged but the wheels won't be. This would be fine if your problem wasn't directly related to the differential. If the differential is your issue, which is what your mechanic is saying (metal in the rear-end), then he'd also have to remove the rear drive shaft to prevent the axle assembly/differential from spinning which would cause a HUGE transmission fluid leak.
Disconnecting the axle-to-wheel locks (removing fuse) will allow the wheels to spin separate of the axle assembly but the axle assembly will still be receiving power from the engine and will therefore STILL be engaged and spinning, grinding the gears even more than they are now, and with the same 'drag' as you were experiencing with them connected.
So AWD connected or disconnected with the issue you are experiencing will be fruitless. Keep in mind now that I have no clue what year or style outback you have. You may have a SOLID rear axle assembly in which case disconnecting the AWD system WILL disengage the rear axle form the transmission output but those models did not have disconnectable hubs so as the car would be rolling, the differential would still be spinning and grinding.
Thanks for the question, I hope this information was helpful to you.
Fred
www.knucklebusters.us
570-453-0910
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