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Subaru Issu...e
SlickShughes
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, I got a 97 subaru outback from my father about 6 months ago. He never had any problems with it. I had no problems with it for the brief time I had in in New York - long enough to drive it from Westchester to Albany, about 125 miles or so. I shipped it across country, and ever since, it makes an odd noise while I'm driving: it's quiet while I'm idling, quiet while I'm accelerating, but makes a loud buzzing noise when ever I'm just coasting, including when I'm giving it just enough gas to maintain speed. If I accelerate again, it dies down until I let up on the gas. This noise continues until I come to a complete stop. The best I can describe the sound is like a older model VCR rewinding. The pitch gets higher at higher speeds. Oh, and the mileage I'm getting is really bad, like 12mpg or so.
Any ideas what could cause this? Any ideas for fixing it?
Any ideas what could cause this? Any ideas for fixing it?
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I honestly have absolutly no idea. The little I know about engines tells me that needs extra venting, right? There's an intake on the hood, though I suppose that could just be generic and not related to my model or anything.
http://www.cars101.com/outback_archive95-97.html#1997%20outback
If your dad was the original owner, he'd know if he ever added a turbo to it.
I know he didn't alter anything about it, so if it didn't come from the factory as turbo, it ain't turbo. so that's out.
No funky lights. No relation to engine temp, though I rarely drive it more than 4 or so miles at a time (i have a short commute), I've taken it to the airport and back (like 20 miles or so? something like that) and there was no change. Tire pressure is fine, though it probably needs an oil change - my father was notorious for not changing the oil frequently enough. Since I only put like 30 miles a week on it, I've not driven more than 800 miles on it since I've gotten it so I've not taken it for an oil change yet. I guess that should be my first attempt to fix it.
That sounds promising, how would I go about checking it?
Limed for probably the most important parts.
I had a problem like this, accept there was an accompanying smell. Turns out one (or maybe 2, can't recall) of my lugnuts was loose, and my front, driver-side wheel was wobbling back and forth on the car. When I accelerated, I guess there was enough force to stabilize it to prevent it from making noise. I doubt this is exactly what the problem is with yours, but it is certainly worth checking out...
The MOST important thing is that, if it's gone at a complete stop, and it gets higher at higher (I'm assuming wheel-, not engine-) speed, then it's definitely not an engine issue, it's a drive-train issue. If it were an engine issue, you would notice a change in the sound when the transmission up-shifted/down-shifted, and engine speed changed. Maybe you're out of transmission fluid. I'd check that out.
And you said it's non-turboed. You should be getting upward of 20 mpg, something's wrong (it's a 4-cyl. right, or is it a 6?). Did you move it to a substantially different climate (South)? I'd take it to subaru and have it totally checked out. 10 year old car, maintenance spotty (dad didn't change the oil), you might have to spend some dough, but when you get it fixed it will be so very nice.
Description makes me think it's driveline-related (somewhere between the engine and the tires).
It is a 4 cyl, yes. Climate change was NY -> San Francisco.
EDIT: I should point out that the climate change happened in early October, where there wasn't much difference in temperature, and the change in the car happened immediately.
This is a good line of thinking. Does the car make the noise if you rev the engine while in neutral? If it doesn't it probably isn't anything in the engine.
Doesn't happen in Neutral or Park. That was the first thing I tried, back when this started.