(repost) 2000 Outback shifting problems

(Sorry if you're seeing this twice -- I canceled the earlier post because of newsreader issues, and am reposting from a different account) Hi, I recently bought a used 2000 Outback, and have noticed what seems to be a fairly serious problem when shifting into drive. It isn't just a delay, but will (sporadically, not every time, which is why I didn't catch it before buying) simply not shift into drive until I apply some gas, and then it jolts into drive. This is most noticeable when shifting from reverse to drive, where if I let up on the brake, it will continue to roll backward, unless I hit the gas, at which point it jolts forward (although sometimes with an additional brief delay -- I can see and hear the RPMs go up before it starts going forward, but that never translates into backwards acceleration, luckily). As you can imagine, this isn't a lot of fun when trying to get in and out of tight parking spaces. Any idea what might be causing it? Thanks for your help,

Brian

Reply to
fufuliu
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Check AT fluid level and condition.

Reply to
Edward Hayes

Sorry, should have said that both fluids have high levels and are very clean.

Brian

Reply to
fufuliu

Are you SURE?

In my experience those things are very tricky to get right. I even had the dealer miss it by about half a bottle when they did it. I checked it, it was right after I got home. But the next day it was off the bottom of the stick low.

There are lots and lots of nooks and crannies in those things that means that if you drive on a hill after "fillling" you could end up low again becase a bit more ended up in some out of the way place in there.

Checking ATF is something you gotta do while its cold, then while it's warm, and then after following the instructions in the manual to the letter. Then do it again the next day and it will read differently. Just use a statistical method, fill it a bit if it looks low. I took me two weeks of checking it twice a day (before leaving for work and after getting home) for it to stop acting wierd. I put a bit in each time it came out low and eventually it worked the way I expected and has not been a problem since.

Check your schedule for change, it might be close enough that it's time to do it anyway... as you could have some sort of sticking or other problem going on.

Reply to
.._..

You need the low clutch replaced

Reply to
Trlather

What's the low clutch? Is it part of an AT? Related to the low reverse drum? I also forgot to say in my original post that it's an AT. Thanks,

Brian

Reply to
fufuliu

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