I wanted to take the time to get familiar with the AWD versus FWD (AWD OWNS!!) as well as testing my car in a variety of scenarios before posting a review of the 4.11 gearing. I have had a chance to run some good curves, open highway, congested on/off ramps, heavy loading, and some small town stuff. I live in a mountainous area and consequently spend a lot of time going up and down. So on with the review.
My first impressions were simple. The gears were too damn short. I found myself constantly hitting the limiter (my 96' is at 6250 btw). Off the line 1st gear went quick and she definitely has some quick acceleration. I was nose to nose with a 4th gen prelude through 1st. 2nd gear was strong but not being able to hit 60 in second is a distinct disadvantage if you're dragging hard. You have to be in 3rd to see 62. However, 3rd gear in the power band is my favorite gear in this car. It took me a long time to get used to this. But I do contribute a lot of this to having driven 3 years, 42k mi, with 3.70 gearing which is very noticeably taller. 2nd gear used to own and would take me up close to 70 if I needed to. This is very important to keep in mind when entering congested highways and hitting the limiter accidentally when trying to accelerate and merge teaches you very quickly to get into 3rd early.
However, getting into 3rd around 45 still gives you good solid acceleration through the merge and up to speed or passing. If you downshift into 3rd at 45-50 and expect instant 'kick' in the pants it won't quite happen. Just a small second and you're going again, if you drop it into 2nd instead then you have to be prepared to shift right quick again. This means that on highways that are 55mph and traffic is doing it and you have to maneuver you are kinda in a 'lag' zone of the powerband/gearing. I do want to note that if you are in 3rd around 45 and WOT, when you hit 55 you have solid acceleration built up and it just continues, it easy to merge at speed this way with good response. However, at interstate speeds this is not the case and dropping into 3rd drops you right into the PB. On roads between 35-45, 2nd provides great response and power.
If you're one that likes to just run the roads and curves at the limits of your traction and braking then the 4.11 really starts to come into it's realm. Staying in the PB is easy to do when you're in the mountains with a lot of quickly varying curves, particularly if they include hills. Keep your engine oil fresh and coolant topped off because it does require keeping the revs up. However, I do believe with a bit more power, even another 20hp, it would bring the revs down some. With a turbo, well you're going to want to be spooled anyways. So if you're looking at auto-x or track I would recommend you consider the 4.11. I like it better than my 3.70 in the sharp curves. Having solid response is essential at the limits and the 3.70 had it's areas where 2nd was too much (revs too low) but 1st gear wouldn't have been practical or doable.
So I have a wagon again (my first car was an 86 Colt Vista) and I use it. I have had it full inside and a bookcase strapped to the top helping my brother move. The first time I had several hundred pounds of stuff in the back, an additional passenger in the front, and lots of aero drag I was immediately happy with the 4.11. Clearly I didn't want to trash my brother's stuff but I got WOT a few times in 2nd and 3rd and was adequately satisfied. The additional torque the 4.11 provides is really nice. Even if I'm not standing on the gas at the stop lights it is comforting to know I have the power there if I need to get out of the way of another dumb driver. Last week I went on a canoeing trip where my buddy and I took 200lb of gear/food and a large 2-man whitewater canoe up 110 mi. up and over mountains to get to the lake. Yes, we were lazy and didn't want to hassle with a current this time. Wow, the 4.11 once again showed itself and I have no question why it's on the Outback. This was trip was made on all back roads so lots of switch-backs and lots of gas-braking.
And of course, what about the gas mileage? Well I've made the transfer from 2700lb FWD to a heavier, draggier AWD so clearly there are more things in play than just my tranny gearing. I've gone from approximately 29 on the highway to around 26. I haven't made any long interstate trips so I can't comment on that, though I suspect it'd do around 27-28. Around town I routinely do around 24-26, I live in the center of downtown so I do a lot of town driving. On the highway in 5th gear I usually run around 3 - 3.2k RPM but given my first engine with 210k still had cross-hatching on the cylinder walls despite burning a quart a week I don't feel that the high revs are dangerous to the longevity of the engine. Gas prices keep going up so you know... but I definitely have to say that I've been comfortable with the drop in mileage for the luxury of AWD. But it has been noticeable.
While the 4.11 has taken some time to get used to, it is nice. It handles the weight well and 1st gear still pulls strong and passing is spirited. It goes through gears quick but if driven with the PB in mind it performs very well. I've driven an 05 STi, several hundred miles on it, and that car goes through gears fast. This definitely doesn't hit that mark but if I were pushing lots of power and fuel I'd want the 3.9 to run boost longer and be easier on fuel at cruise. I'd like to drive an RS and see how the additional power works with the gearing.
Final conclusion - I'm pleased with the 4.11 in the Outback, but I miss my BC still
.I also want to take this moment to make a quick reference about brakes, the vented rear brakes and semi-race pads have been extremely nice when loaded down and coming down the mountains, zero brake fade.
