Lverano Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 I still drive the 03 Outback with the differential whirring in the front. A good while ago (10-15k miles) I put Redline Heavy Shock proof gear oil in, and the sound has stayed the same. One day it'll go kaput, and I want to start shopping now for the replacement transmission. I have a 2003 L.L. Bean H6 Automatic. It seems to be the transmission must be different for this year of the second generation Subaru Outbacks with the H6, because whenever I shop JDM websites or eBay, there's always specified years in the listing, like for example, 2000-2002, or 2004-2005, or just 2003 alone. I see adds presented like this consistently enough to be concerned that I'd be buying the wrong transmission for my car if it was not specifically for my year. The only thing I know for sure at this point, is mine is a non-VDC. I always see the white rectangular labels on the transmissions in the pictures I'm looking at, but from my junk yard hunts, and all the adds I've looked at, it seems there always different, like they don't have anything to do with compatibility. I really don't have a darn clue what I should be looking for to make absolutely for sure I'd be buying the right transmission for my Bean. Oh, check with the dealer you say? Well, they don't seem to offer a whole lot of help.... It's always ok give me the VIN, ok wait a minute, well all we can see is this one here, part number blah, blah, blah, and it'll run you 7 grand installed, have a nice day.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 www.car-part.com is good as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 I installed an 01 H6 transmission into a 2003. This is assuming the yard/information I got from the donor transmission was correct, but I did see and investigate the car. It's just been a long time since I did it. I started a thread about it years ago, maybe you can dig it up to verify. The battery/odometer weren't showing mileage so I did some investigation to determine it's mileage before I bought it. Turned out it was a Subaru rebuilt transmission. I'm in a similar boat - I could use that 01 transmission that's in my 2003 now (because it also has blown headgasket) and install it in my 2002 at the moment...but my 2002 is a VDC...and no one has definitively answered that question yet. in 04 H6 transmissions the Duty C is wired backwards (CNY_Dave knows more about this specifically). If that's the only difference then just swap the tail housing or wiring and you're done? I would bet all 01-04 H6 non-VDC transmissions can all be interchanged, possibly with just that simple step if it happens to be an 04. I'm still wondering if there's really much difference between VDC and non-VDC besides the tail housing/VTD. Seems highly possible that VDC is entirely electronic and largely in the TCU. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 that was from memory, here's a comment i made shortly after that swap: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/123251-01-vdc-auto-trans-interchange/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lverano Posted February 11, 2017 Author Share Posted February 11, 2017 I could see procrastinating with this for another year easily. I got a JDM guy right next to me, but if he can't let a transmission go for 300 or 350 tops, I'm not even gonna go that route. I just saw a BEAN at the Crazy Ray's junk yard up the street about a month ago, but it wasn't smashed, plus I didn't have the time to be in the yard pulling out the transmission, but now I wish I would have made the time. Hopefully a smashed one will appear on my weekend off. If I see one, I think I'm going to swarm. It'll be good practice taking it out too, I need it, I haven't been really dirty for a while. Feels nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNY_Dave Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 I think VDC trans is identical except for the tail housing guts. '01-'04 H6 trans will work, using an '04 requires swapping transfer valve and solenoid over. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 I think VDC trans is identical except for the tail housing guts. That might convince me to turn my 2003 Outback Sedan into a parts car. Pull the non-VDC trans and put it in my VDC outback. Everyone online says "electronics, VDC must be more complicated, etc, no way they could swap.....". It's hard for me to imagine VDC (particularly this first early version) is anything more than just a more robust software control of the same transmission...and the ABS and engine. I highly doubt the VDC trans is any different except the VTD...but like anyone else - I hate to guess and be wrong. I might check pinouts on the trans and see how they compare. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNY_Dave Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 I am almost sure that the front part of the trans is the same except for maybe the reluctor that drives the front VSS- the rear VSS reluctor on the VDC guts is different from the non VDC reluctor (VDC uses small reluctor on a shaft instead of the outside edge of the clutch basket). I don't know if the VDC TCU just uses two different sensor-reading circuits (or uses SW to correct), or if both reluctors are different in the VDC. The rest of the magic is the TCU software and the planetary gearset that replaces the transfer clutch. The VDC software uses at least one sensor the non-VDC doesn't, the G sensor located under the center console. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 I am almost sure that the front part of the trans is the same except for maybe the reluctor that drives the front VSS- the rear VSS reluctor on the VDC guts is different from the non VDC reluctor (VDC uses small reluctor on a shaft instead of the outside edge of the clutch basket).. Well, that sounds problematic. How in the world did you figure that out!? Wonder if the front reluctors are interchangeable? People have installed the rear VTD in non-VTD 4EAT transmissions so I presume there's a work around if the rear VSS is an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNY_Dave Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 I received a VDC rear section awhile ago that I have never used (donated the VDC rear housing to someone with a busted one). The VDC VSS goes into a different place on the tail housing, and it's easy to look at the parts and see what the sensor is 'reading'. Those that have dome the swap either live with the AT light flashing due to the rear VSS error code, or I think one person has used the SW and cable to make it stop looking for the rear VSS (or something like that). I theorize you could connect the front VSS output to both inputs. My best guess is the front reluctors are the same. I have a 4eat out of the car and could look in to the VSS hole and see what a non VTD looks like, maybe someone could do same with a VDC trans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 (edited) Thanks for the offer, you can hold off for my part anyway. I think i'll try to end up with a VDC trans, I'm not parting out the OB I have, I'd rather just sell it as-is. Edited February 16, 2017 by grossgary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.