95RedEX

I've been trolling some different message boards and figured this might be the best place to ask, since there's such a wide variety of people here... even if it's not a Honda Engine question. (Mods, move if you feel like it)

Anyway, I have a 99 Subaru Legacy L, automatic, 2.2L engine, AWD. It's in really good condition and only has 44K miles. What I'm trying to figure out is sometimes at idle (when it's in Drive) and I'm at a stoplight, it feels like the whole car moves up and down slightly...? I've read a little that side to side movement is normal because of the boxer engine or movement because of the cams, but I haven't been able to figure out an accurate description of what's actually happening (hard to search for something you can't describe very well)...

If you move it to neutrel, it stops that motion. When it's in drive, it's almost like whatever mechanism that keeps the car from moving (while in gear) isn't quite doing it's job and it's struggling to move with the brake on... I have minimal experience with autos, so I'm kind of screwed for ideas. I just had the tranny fluid drained and changed, moved the knock sensor and then your regular oil changes, etc...

Any ideas?

LSD Motorsports

Well one things i can tell you from experience is that subarus do rock a little. Mainly the side to side motion you read about. what happens when you put the AC on? Have you checked the mounts? doesnt sound like an actual tranny issue itself, i would do this:
when the car is cold:
Start it up and try and get under the car, see if u can detect anything before ur exhaust gets to hot, then check the engine bay, try messing with the ac and brakes to see if you have any weird results. Might be vacuum related.
hope this helps man

95RedEX

It only does it when it's in Drive. I know it does stop when it's shifted into neutral though. I'll have to mess with it some more and see if I can't narrow it down to certain conditions. My wife complains about the problems, but she doesn't have ---- in the way of details.

LSD Motorsports

haha, women. Thats really odd that in moves up and down when driving, im lost now? does it have hydraulics maybe?
Keep me posted if you figure it out, im curious to see what it was

95RedEX

It doesn't do it when you're driving. When you stop at a stoplight or something, have the shifter in Drive (it's an auto, don't forget), brake on and idling... It subtley bounces up and down.

If you put it in neutral, it stops.

----, I don't know. We found out that whoever had it before us installed a remote starter. I was messing with the knock sensor the other night and disconnected the battery to clear the ECU. When I hooked the battery back up, the thing went kind of haywire. I went to leave for work this morning and the car was running in the garage. Doors locked, garage locked, ignition off. It's happened 4 times in the last 2 days. Fun stuff... I get to fix that tonight.