[s-cars] S6 Transmission Noise

[Joe Pizzimenti]

While that's a rather sheltered scenario, I don't see why someone in
the market for an STi would even think about going for a 10 year old
grandpamobile like an S6.

This past August, I had the honor or participating in a HPDE at
Watkins Glen with a Mustang oriented car club.  After which, I had
developed a LOT of respect for those cars, given that they CAN be made
to handle, after all.  One such car disturbed me.

One 1964 1/2 Mustang.
Red.
Fast as hell.

Keep in mind, I was in the intermediate group at the time and had no
problems passing pretty much everyone in the group, with the exception
of this car.  This car was loud, probably over 550HP and just about as
much torque and no matter what I did, I couldn't run from him on the
straightaways.

Well, as the session ended, I pulled the little ricecooker into its
garage spot for its usual post session inspection and noticed that
aforementioned red Stang was parking about 6 garage spots down.  With
the Evo on jackstands, I took a stroll over just in time to see 2
middle aged men helping the driver out of the red car, due to the
complex rollcage.  When he was finally extracted, I noticed that one
of the middle aged gentlemen handed the mystery driver a black walking
stick and removed his helmet so that I could discover that the
"mystery driver" who had been handing me my @$$ for the past half hour
on the racetrack was at least 65 years old and probably has more seat
time on that track than I do driving.

Do not underestimate middle aged or even older men behind the wheel.

Grandpappy can drive.

:-)

Joe


On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 08:27:59 -0800, Dave Forgie <forgied at direct.ca> wrote:
> Fred:  I have never hear a transmission sound like that but you are likely
> correct about the 'galled' first gear.  However, I suspect that it wasn't the
> first owner. He apparently was a mid-aged gentlemen who retired from Ontario
> to BC.  Those types are usually not dropping the clutch at 6000 RPM like the
> original road test journalists did. Eh?
> 
> However, since the car is located at a Subaru dealership, I can imagine a
> scenario where some WRX STi test drivers decide they want to test drive the S6
> to see how it compares for 40% of the STi cost:
> 
> Vrrooom, vrroom, WAhaaaaaa - clinkedly, clink.
> 
> Dude, what's that nasty sound, dude?
> 
> (Or something like that.)
> 
> Dave F.
> 
> Fred Munro wrote:
> 
> > Hi Dave;
> >
> > Probably a galled first gear from the PO getting too enthusiastic with the
> > loud pedal in first. Sounds like an early '95 (with the old radio and IR
> > locks) so it probably has the narrow first gear.
> >
> > Fred Munro
> > '94 S4
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
> > [mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com]On Behalf Of Dave Forgie
> > Sent: January 29, 2005 4:11 PM
> > To: s-cars
> > Subject: [s-cars] S6 Transmission Noise
> >
> > I finally got around to test driving a 95 S6 at a local dealer (for
> > fun).   The car has been there for months (well before Christmas).   The
> > S6 is 04/95 build date (late 95) and has the nice three spoke steering
> > wheel and the six spoke Avus wheels.  However, it still has the older
> > radio and the infrared lock/unlock remote.  Its black on black and
> > cosmetically seems to be in pretty good shape.
> >
> > I had been trying to help a local  fellow check out some of the S-cars
> > that are around town.  He had said there was something wrong with the
> > transmission on this S6.  I didn't think it could be true.  It shouldn't
> > be the pinion bearing because that supposedly was only an early 92 spec
> > problem.  However,  when I test drove the car there is a grindy/whiny
> > noise when starting out in first gear. Once you shift to second, the
> > noise is gone,  so I don't think its the pinion bearing.  However, it
> > could be a first gear (or clutch problem).  It sounds like something is
> > rubbing/grinding on something else -or a bad GM power steering pump (but
> > its not the S6 steering pump).
> >
> > Anybody with some ideas?
> >
> > Dave F.
> >
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