JimVT

Hi all,
Long time lurker, first time poster. And I need help.
My wife's '09 Forester with 5MT is making a noise that neither I nor my mechanic can identify.
It's like a low metalic-ish scraping sound. Not a grind, more of a low scrape. I tried to capture it on a video here:
Subie noise - YouTube
but it's very hard to hear on the video. Please turn your volume up pretty high. At about the 2 second mark I push in the clutch so you can hear a little better. Unfortunately in the video it probably just sounds like road/tire noise. But it's very apparent when you're in the car.
It happens moving forward or backward.
Applying the brakes doesn't change it.
It doesn't really increase in noise or pitch with speed, but you have to be moving to hear it. It's pretty constant.
Turning the steering wheel makes no difference.
Clutch in or out makes no difference.
If you clutch in and rev the engine that makes no difference.
It sounds like it's coming from the front. The best way I could describe it was if you were to drag a really thick piece of cardboard along the ground while moving.
We've checked the brakes, wheel bearings, tires, transmission fluid is new and clean.
I'm guessing we're going to have the transmission and xfers cases pulled apart.
But it's really weird that it doesn't change with the speed, but once you're moving you hear it.
Anyone have any ideas?
Thank you,
Jim

schan1269

Do that. It is transmission specific(ie the car has to be moving)???

On the Civic it turned out to be the throw out bearing.

I take it the noise we are supposed to be listening for the is the one that is like a tapping scrape...

JimVT

Thread Starter

We thought of the throw out bearing but thought we'd hear a change in the noise when putting the clutch in our out and/or moving the stick ****.
There's no taping to the sound, just a steady low growl.
But yeah, I was leaning toward the TO bearing too.
Thanks,
Jim

visualsinz

Does the noise change with engine speed?

JimVT

Thread Starter

No. For example if you're driving along and push in the clutch and rev the engine it makes no difference to the sound.

trailangel

What kind of "Transmission Fluid" did you put in your 5MT?

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TrailAngel
2010 2.5X 5MT

JimVT

Thread Starter

Whatever the "stealership" uses. My wife insists on her car going there for service.

Arthemys

Where in VT? I / we might be able to give you some sets of ears.

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Co-founder of 802Subaru

JimVT

Thread Starter

I'd love some ears. I live up in Georgia. Could meet u somewhere.
Thanks,
Jim

Arthemys

The group of us live in Winooski, Essex, and South Burlington. I'll see when people are free, more ears the better.

__________________
Co-founder of 802Subaru

jobau

could be the driveshaft. Had a low volume scraping sound on my10. U can barely hear it unless driving in narrow streets to reverberate the sound. Its not the brake pads, wheel bearing, nor engine. Had the tech put on lift and they isolated the sound. Drive shaft replaced under warranty.

JimVT

Thread Starter

Would appreciate extra ears to figure this out.
No need to drive on quiet street. Pretty easy to hear.
Please let me know when u could take a listen. After work?