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SVX/Legacy trans kit


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Guest ccrinc

As many of you know, we hardly ever advocate or use any aftermarket parts, but...

There is a shift kit made by Transgo which can be used in any SVX or Legacy 4EAT transmission which reduces friction, heat and wear, improves shifting and should significantly add to the life of the transmission. Kit price about $50.

A customer had us install one in his SVX during a rebuild. Within one week, we had done two. The kit really works. Rick is going to put one in my Legacy Turbo Touring Wagon when we rebuild that tranny (175K+ currently on it).

After the initial frustration of doing a conversion like that with instructions that read like a stereo manual ("do this and this, except for Subaru"), the end result was a transmission that shifts as smooth as a baby's butt! On downshifting, the main way you could tell it had was the additional torque and the higher rpms.

Three things:

1) This is NOT a job for anyone who isn't an automatic transmission PRO with lots, and I mean, LOTS of experience in a Subaru tranny. A lot of the modifications are to the valve body. But it is, as far as we can see at this time, well worth it.

2) Do NOT use the PuckerTite seal in a Subaru. It may work just fine for the Nissan and Mazda trannies the kit is also designed for, but in a Subaru you magically lose 3rd and 4th gear.

3) You also have to install a larger tranny cooler. Instructions are in the kit.

The kits are available from practically any tranmission parts company nationwide.

 

Emily

www.ccrengines.com

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Guest svxpert

<<3) You also have to install a larger tranny cooler. Instructions are in the kit.>>

 

What kind and size of cooler? Inline or bypass the stock "cooler"?

Any kind of warranty?

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Guest Legacy777

Emily.....is this basically a shift kit type of thing.

 

I'm going to get my valve body rebuilt this summer, and we're stickin in a shift kit......

 

When you say smoother.....is there less lag, quicker, firmer shifts.......i don't care about smooth....I want firm shifts

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Guest ccrinc

This is a shift kit, Josh.

The idea behind this modification is to give smooth, firm, quick shifts. Less lag and hesitation, and no "slamming" between gears due to the lag. It's definitely a performance modification, designed to keep the tranny cooler, give better performance and reduce wear.

The kit says "a cooler for a 14,000 GVW vehicle and forget the radiator". Aftermarket tranny coolers are very common. Both of these guys had mounted theirs under the left front fender. One had bypassed the existing cooler completely, the other one had it inline with the addition.

 

Emily

www.ccrengines.com

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Guest Legacy777

Thanks Emily,

 

I'll remember this when I get ready to do the valve body........

 

I'm goin to make this a sticky so I remember :)

 

Any luck on finding a website that has info on them or their products?

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Guest Legacy777

This is the one I could find on their site

 

SK® RE4R01A

 

Nissan RE4R01A, RL4R01A Mazda R4AX-EL Subaru 4 speed ECAT Nissan, Infinity, Truck, SUV V8 RE4R03A Isuzu Diesel JR403

 

1988up 4 speed with or without lockup

Corrects/Prevents/Reduces:

Planetary burnup; 3rd clutch failure; forward clutch burnup Soft 1-2 shift; 2-3 cutloose; Band burnout and low lube flow causing overheating and total burnup

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Guest ccrinc

Josh, yep, that's the one.

You "could" do just the valve body I suppose, but to do the entire modification, you need to R&R and get into the tranny itself too.

Rick is going to try just the valve body mod. on my tranny. If we like it, we'll let everybody know. (Of course, we don't like it, we'll let everybody know that too).

 

Emily

www.ccrengines.com

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Guest Legacy777

cool, let us know.

 

The guy who would be doin mine owns a tranny shop. Has done more of these tranny's then he can count.

 

He was pretty much just talkin about rebuilding the valve body, the shift kit to fix the issues with the tranny, and make it shift better.

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Guest Legacy777

You have a 4EAT trans. All subie auto trans from 90 upwards are essentially the same.

 

I listed the part number above for the kit that is for the subie trannys

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Guest kalimusic

Thanks Josh. The tranny was one of my concerns about upgrading to a Turbo. Robert (Forced Air Tech) recommended a Trans cooler, and this along with the "shift kit" sounds like the way to go.

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Guest ccrinc

Transgo positively demands that you put a 14,000 GVW tranny cooler in as part of the modification.

Incidentally, another successful mod done today! :)

The guy bought a '92 Legacy Turbo Touring Wagon LE (on my recommendation) that I happened to know was for sale, and needed a tranny overhaul anyway. Get this: he bought it for his wife who's just learning to drive! :eek:

Of only about 400 made, what's the odds of having 2 in the same place at the same time :)

 

Emily

www.ccrengines.com

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Guest svxpert

Getting back to the other 2 original questions I had. Inline or bypass the stock "cooler"?

Any kind of warranty?

Thanks

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Guest ccrinc

I've seen the coolers done both ways, inline and separately. Transgo recommends "forget the radiator", but if you can get extra cooling that way, why wouldn't you?

I have no idea about a warranty from them. I don't remember seeing any warranty paperwork in the kit. But, check their website, link posted above in this thread.

 

Emily

www.ccrengines.com

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Guest kalimusic

Emily,

Would you be kind enought to say how much one would expect to be charged for putting in the Transgo Kit and tranny cooler? Is this part of a tranny rebuild? Since I've never had this kind of tranny work done, I have no idea what the costs might be.

Thanks very much.

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Guest ccrinc

Josh,

Haven't done the work on my tranny yet: got busy suddenly. Hope to do it within the next week or so, or forget it until Christmas!

Kali: I have no idea what a "regular" shop would charge for the shift kit. I know what Rick charges as part of a rebuild, but he has a habit of trying to give the shop away :lol:

As for the cooler, I have absolutely no idea whatsoever.

If you're in Albuquerque, you might try Jeff's Gasoline Alley. He's specialized in Subarus for years, he's honest and does good work. I have no idea if he's inexpensive or not. Frankly, I'm usually more interested in a job done right the first time, than a job done cheap and wrong which ends up costing more in the long run.

 

Emily

www.ccrengines.com

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Legacy777

Emily,

 

I'm goin to move this thread to the archives tomorrow......just post again when/if you get your tranny done up.

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Guest kalimusic

Emily,

Another shop, recommended by Jeff's, quoted $450 - $500 to install the kit and a tranny cooler. Seems very expensive.

m.

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Guest ccrinc

If you saw all the work that goes just into doing the valve body work, you wouldn't think so. At usual shop rates of approx. $65-70/hr., that's somewhere between 7 and 8 hours of labor. (I assume you're talking just labor, no parts?)

For one thing, you have to take the exhaust off just to get at the tranny pan, then drain it (preferably overnight...these things drain slower than a stopped up sink), then remove the valve body, and then you can get started on the actual mods.

The cooler is included? Really not bad, not bad at all.

Heck, just reading the 8 pages of instructions is worth at least $70!

OK, if I had to actually PAY someone to work on my car :eek: I'd probably not want to lay out the money either, but if you consider the fact that a rebuild on this tranny starts at $1350, it ain't bad. Rick is convinced that this modification will definitely lengthen the life of the transmission.

Plus the extra performance is awesome! :evil:

As someone said..."Speed costs money...how fast do you want to go?" :lol:

I have been "promised" that the mod will be done by this coming weekend. (We'll see about that!)

Sorry about Jeff's. Didn't know he wasn't doing auto tranny work.

 

 

Emily

www.ccrengines.com

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