Clutch or something else?.

[djmarkian]

Ever since my car got towed for personal reasons. The car has been feeling weird. Pulls from 1st to 2nd gear its fine, but once I get into 3rd to 4th and so on, I can feel the car not moving at all. When I shift from 2nd to 3rd, the RPM would go down a bit then up, boost is going up but the car is going nowhere. It feels like a rubber band is holding back my car and then it goes.
Fuel pressure is at 1797, boost at 15.8 and everything seems normal.

When the car was towed, I never put it on gear while I park and they did pull it from the front wheels.

[Mr.Smoke]

Towing was your issue here i think if it was towed by just the front wheels. AWD cars should go on a flatbed only.


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[KevMS6]

Yeah flatbed only as far as I am aware....
Hopefully it's not major damage

[jm211]

Yes.

AWD need flatbed or skates.


You say it was towed front wheels. I recommend draining rear differential and the PTO/transfer case fluid...do transmission as well, do a flush and refill with Amsoil fluids. Go from there.

Are they legally liable? Well maybe a civil suit. Contact your insurance (if you have full coverage) I googled around but haven't seen an outcome.; I'll keep looking

[djmarkian]

Yah it was towed by a regular scorpion tow truck. I thought AWD is disengaged when the handbrake is on?. Anyway, I will drain the fluids and see what happens.

I doubt they are legally liable anyway.

[Mr.Smoke]

Having the handbrake on while being towed isnt a great idea either.

AWD = only flatbeds

I would like to think they are liable. They should know what they are towing & how to properly tow it. Just my 2¢


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[djmarkian]

Well not all tow companies knows their cars. Remember this car is not well known, they wouldn't know it's AWD.

My fault anyway.

[fivefingerdeathpunch]

Originally Posted by djmarkian

Well not all tow companies knows their cars. Remember this car is not well known, they wouldn't know it's AWD.

My fault anyway.

hopefully its fixable or something. but i would like to think that they are somewhat liable but who knows.

the one click up thing only supposedly works for a period of time. some people made switches for it but they realized after having it on for a bit it went back to awd on its own. in any case i think its a purely electronic thing so if your car wasnt actually on i dont think the awd would be disengaged... i'm guessing on that but given how it works thats how i understand it

[Final Impact]

Originally Posted by fivefingerdeathpunch

hopefully its fixable or something. but i would like to think that they are somewhat liable but who knows.

the one click up thing only supposedly works for a period of time. some people made switches for it but they realized after having it on for a bit it went back to awd on its own. in any case i think its a purely electronic thing so if your car wasnt actually on i dont think the awd would be disengaged... i'm guessing on that but given how it works thats how i understand it

Originally Posted by djmarkian

when I get into 3rd to 4th and so on, I can feel the car not moving at all. ... ... It feels like a rubber band is holding back my car and then it goes.

From this; it sure sounds like the clutch is slipping under boost.

I completely agree with everyone about towing AWD and if the key was off, it's moot point as the rear diff is electronically coupled.

Review of the car and the impact; the rear diff should be fine. However the electronic control coupling attached to it, that may not be OK. It has two sets of clutch packs. If they had adequate lube, they could also be fine. What I don't see is if there is an oil pump to pump oil into them. In normal use the drive shaft is turning if the car is moving. As is the rear diff and its pinion shaft into the electromagnetic clutch pack.

In short - if the car is moving the "input shaft is turning" and the rear diff's pinion into the coupler is turning at near the same speed but they "may not be coupled" via the clutch pack being engaged. This means minimal slippage under NORMAL use as they at so close to the same speed. That is NOT the case here. A tight clutch pack will burn without lots of lube to cool it. <<The good news, it was in neutral so it wasn't like the pack couldn't drag the shaft to the trans up to speed.

So the question is; did it hurt it? If it burned the clutches you will smell that and see it when the fluid is dumped.

The bigger question is did it harm the trans? SO - How far was it towed and at what speeds?

I vote your clutch is toast based upon this; "when I get into 3rd to 4th and so on, I can feel the car not moving at all."

[djmarkian]

Originally Posted by Final Impact

From this; it sure sounds like the clutch is slipping under boost.

I completely agree with everyone about towing AWD and if the key was off, it's moot point as the rear diff is electronically coupled.

Review of the car and the impact; the rear diff should be fine. However the electronic control coupling attached to it, that may not be OK. It has two sets of clutch packs. If they had adequate lube, they could also be fine. What I don't see is if there is an oil pump to pump oil into them. In normal use the drive shaft is turning if the car is moving. As is the rear diff and its pinion shaft into the electromagnetic clutch pack.

In short - if the car is moving the "input shaft is turning" and the rear diff's pinion into the coupler is turning at near the same speed but they "may not be coupled" via the clutch pack being engaged. This means minimal slippage under NORMAL use as they at so close to the same speed. That is NOT the case here. A tight clutch pack will burn without lots of lube to cool it. <<The good news, it was in neutral so it wasn't like the pack couldn't drag the shaft to the trans up to speed.

So the question is; did it hurt it? If it burned the clutches you will smell that and see it when the fluid is dumped.

The bigger question is did it harm the trans? SO - How far was it towed and at what speeds?

I vote your clutch is toast based upon this; "when I get into 3rd to 4th and so on, I can feel the car not moving at all."

It may have been towed for 30 or so miles drove it locally, so probably the speed is around 30 to 40 MPH. Each time I drive the car, I do not smell anything that should smell like a burnt clutch. I have no CEL and no other warning lights. I am hoping it is just the fluid or the clutch. I need to replace the clutch anyway. Your reply made more sense, thank you.