Subaru Scott Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 I pull a trailer and haul equipment 3-4 days a week and have hauled "Lima Bean", my EJ-22 powered houseboat across several states. But until the other day I had never tried pulling it up a boat ramp... oo-ooo that smell! My buddy had to tie on to me with his CVT Outback. Anybody have an Aussi or JDM D/R to sell? But I also wonder, has anyone put the CVT to severe towing/ horsepower tests? It would be a challenge, electronically, to fit that to a '91 drivetrain... but if it would take it, I'm up for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru Scott Posted December 14, 2013 Author Share Posted December 14, 2013 bump... I found the Australian company that makes the kit to make a dual range out of a standard 5 speed, about $1500 shipped, may go that route if I can't find one... any help with finding would be greatly appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 Could probably just get one imported for about that much and wouldn't have to do any work. There's also the option to use an EA trans. If you're handy you can make your own bellhousing adapter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureSubaru Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 I would love to see pics of an EJ22 boat. been thinking about a similar idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
presslab Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 You could easily retrofit a 4EAT automatic, this would have no problem at the boat ramp. I guess you want the CVT for fuel economy? The electronics will be nearly impossible with all the CANbus stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru Scott Posted December 17, 2013 Author Share Posted December 17, 2013 Could probably just get one imported for about that much and wouldn't have to do any work. There's also the option to use an EA trans. If you're handy you can make your own bellhousing adapter. I have an EA trans still in a barn in Indiana, and that thought had crossed my mind. I did make my own adapter plate to GM pattern for the boat. Really want the EJ for the bigger clutch though... I would love to see pics of an EJ22 boat. been thinking about a similar idea. Have some pics here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/134361-greetings-fellow-subaru-freaks/ You could easily retrofit a 4EAT automatic, this would have no problem at the boat ramp. I guess you want the CVT for fuel economy? The electronics will be nearly impossible with all the CANbus stuff. Well, it originally had a 4eat but I didn't think it would be reliable enough for heavy towing. Yes, I would like the CVT for having the perfect ratio all the time, but I really don't know just how low it can go. When I was a dealer tech, I was driving a Justy demo to Columbus, OH for Subaru training. Back then they called it an ECVT, but they have since dropped "electronic" because all autos are electronic now. It was late at night with no traffic on I-70 so I opened her up to see how long her legs were. When I got to 100 mph, I let off the gas and it actually upshifted!! So it had the gearing to go even faster but I figured I shouldn't press my luck and get arrested in a loaner! What I would like to do with a CVT is bypass all the computer control and rig a manual ratio change lever... how hard can it be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureSubaru Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 In general - the 4EAT is a tank. Nice low power for crawling along/up. The one in my wife's car finally started wearing out around 300k. The one in there now is still going strong at 215k and has hauled a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru Scott Posted December 18, 2013 Author Share Posted December 18, 2013 In general - the 4EAT is a tank. Nice low power for crawling along/up. The one in my wife's car finally started wearing out around 300k. The one in there now is still going strong at 215k and has hauled a lot. So, all the failures were solely due to overheating? Hmmm... interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 4EAT's are robust and hold up very well. i pulled a 16 foot heavy duty car hauler with my 4EAT and it struggled to get it going, lots of revving with little movement, but it did move it. i'd imagine lots of that wouldn't be good for it, but here and there probably fine. so if you're just needing grunt to get it up a ramp...it might work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivans imports Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 4 eat with 4.44 gears and 2800 stall converter from impreza this will give you the low end pulling power and no clutch to smoke. I use this trans in race buggy and is very strong and holds up to 300+hp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 4 eat with 4.44 gears p i didn't even think about that, the 4EAT i was pulling that car hauler with that i just mentioned was a 3.7 of all things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru Scott Posted December 18, 2013 Author Share Posted December 18, 2013 4EAT's are robust and hold up very well. i pulled a 16 foot heavy duty car hauler with my 4EAT and it struggled to get it going, lots of revving with little movement, but it did move it. i'd imagine lots of that wouldn't be good for it, but here and there probably fine. so if you're just needing grunt to get it up a ramp...it might work. You mean like this? 4 eat with 4.44 gears and 2800 stall converter from impreza this will give you the low end pulling power and no clutch to smoke. I use this trans in race buggy and is very strong and holds up to 300+hp Very impressive... you've got me thinking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
presslab Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Yes the 4EAT is plenty strong. There were some problems with clogged filters and line pressure causing premature failures, but Subaru has fixed these problems; a late 90s trans is best. I'd say for towing, a trans cooler and a shift kit would make it perfect. I have these on my 4EAT with a JDM STi turbo motor and it's solid. I have 4.11 R&P with the small EA sized tire diameter, it's very snappy. 4.44 should be fine on larger tires. The same basic trans was also used in the older Nissan Pathfinder, with a different transfer case setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 I've been daydreaming lately of a 4.44 auto swap into my 96. One of these days I want bigger tires and more lift. Even with the 4.11 outback MT the clutch isn't happy getting going up steep inclines. I like the 2800 stall converter idea for off-road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivans imports Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 The buggy I had a 3800 stall converter made 1000$ hurt a bitt but what a kick in the pants made a massive difference. I also used the forward drum and clutchpack from a 98 outback trans in my 91 legacy trans this gives you two wide clutchs VS 3 thin clutchs giving it more surface area and holding power. Was deff worth it can hold the power now And my line preshure soil is held in the full line preshure position firming it up on the shifts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
presslab Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Higher stall speed is great especially for a turbo motor. I had ProTorque modify my WRX converter to increase the stall speed. Other than the money (heh) there have been no downside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 (edited) You mean like this? ha ha, some similarities, my XT6 is lifted (though it wasn't when i towed that trailer), and a standard 18 foot dual 3,500 axle equipment/car hauler. that's beasty to through an SVX on there too! you still have the XT6? Edited December 19, 2013 by grossgary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru Scott Posted December 19, 2013 Author Share Posted December 19, 2013 ha ha, some similarities, my XT6 is lifted (though it wasn't when i towed that trailer), and a standard 18 foot dual 3,500 axle equipment/car hauler. that's beasty to through an SVX on there too! you still have the XT6? Not XT6, just a regular XT body on my homemade frame with 91 Legacy running gear. 2nd body on this chassis, been driving for 12 years, about to click over 400k. Oh, and I should really post a disclaimer: "Kids, don't try this at home! Just because an EJ22 will pull a car hauler with a bigger car on it, doesn't mean it can STOP IT!!! Mustn't do... very dangerous!!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bushwick Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 If you go auto and do any towing, a trans cooler is a MUST. HEAT is one of the biggest killers of auto trans. I wouldn't want a high-stall in a tow car. WAY too much heat to tow with unless you want to run a large cooler with a 10" fan, and MPG will suffer. Race car going for 1/4 mile or 60' is a different story. If you were constantly pulling hills, that'd be another argument in favor of a higher-stall. Also, you can apparently ground out a pin on the control module (whatever it's called) and kick on a power mode that changes the shift points and I'm assuming increases line pressure. Go that route instead and run a toggle switch to flip on when towing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bushwick Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 (edited) Not XT6, just a regular XT body on my homemade frame with 91 Legacy running gear. 2nd body on this chassis, been driving for 12 years, about to click over 400k. Oh, and I should really post a disclaimer: "Kids, don't try this at home! Just because an EJ22 will pull a car hauler with a bigger car on it, doesn't mean it can STOP IT!!! Mustn't do... very dangerous!!" Then upgrade the brakes with something larger. Should help with towing. LOL, I had a 96' Lincoln Mark VIII (factory air bags so rear never squatted, all corners ) that was in great shape. Needed to pull some vehicles I was buying and scrapping years back and didn't want to dump $$$$$ into a truck + the horrid MPG they'd get with the weight. Put a Class 2 ( ) hitch on it, rented a 700 pound tow dolly, and towed 5500+ pound F150 Ext cab, Chevy Vans, AWD Mazda vans, etc. etc. Car was 3900 pound curb weight with hitch (I scaled at truck stop). Then there was 200 pounds of stereo equipment in the trunk + 80 pounds of tools, etc. With me in the car, I was moving nearly 10k at times (total). Amazingly, it would get 10 mpg HWY pulling dolly and big vehicle (down from around 30-32 empty (cruise on, flat roads, car lowered) with mods that increased MPG over the factory 28 rating), could pull a hill really good and hold 70 mph doing it (OD turned off), and didn't have any real issues stopping. I pulled something like 20 vehicles that summer (maybe 3k miles total) before returning it to daily driver status and putting another 25k miles on it before selling. That car was really good to me only needing little things like front wheel bearings at 110k, an oil filter adapter gasket (inherent flaw from Ford), rear shocks, brakes, and rear bags when I first bought it. I had a laugh on the highway pulling the heavy dolly empty when one of those Dodge Hemi Rams (mid 00's) thought he was faster- he wasn't though heavier and I think more HP and definitely TQ, he was empty. Had a real good laugh over that. Was also funny pulling a big full-size pick up and passing trucks on hills, I know they were thinking W T ...... Edited December 19, 2013 by Bushwick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru Scott Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share Posted December 20, 2013 Yeah, I did upgrade to Outback 4wheel discs several years ago, but I really need to fit the SVX hubs and brakes that I have already... in a barn back in Indiana... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bushwick Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Not sure how much better the 4-wheel disc are over the 95' Legacy I have with 4-wheel disc, but if they are the same you definitely need to upgrade as these seem taxed stopping a 3k pound wagon which is still pretty light compared to the portly cars some auto companies put out Can you get WRX rotors and calipers on it? Gotta think it'd be an easy swap and huge improvement over what you are running now, even if you have to swap to a larger steel rim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru Scott Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share Posted December 20, 2013 (edited) **UPDATE** I GOT ONE, I GOT ONE!!! (my very first dancing banana) JDM dual range 5 speed, 4.11 FD with 1.44 lo range (I think... with all the research I, and many others have done, the last 4 digits of the trans code is still a mystery, but it SHOULD be) In any case (pun initially not intended, but I'll go with it ) it is definitely a dual range. The key to finding one is to look at the pics to spot the lever, as doing a search for "dual range" will get you nowhere. And you can also search trans code #'s, if the sixth digit is X, it's dual range. Thank God for the Japanese government and all others who helped me find and obtain this sacred transmission with only 39k... I have been blessed Edited December 20, 2013 by Subaru Scott 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 nice hit, enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru Scott Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share Posted December 20, 2013 Thanks Grossgary! And thanks as well for the A/C compressor o-ring tip, fixed my SVX right up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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