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90-91 Tranny, problematic?


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Guys, I'm really forcing myself to think alot about getting a new/used tranny. Since I just bought one back in 7/01 and is going out already, do trannies for the 90-91 really go out this quick? Is there a bad trend for this trannies for these years of Legacy? Help me!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have the same question and would appreciate any information you get. My '90 Legacy trans failed and I'm trying to determine if it's becasue an external filter kit was not installed as per a recall.

 

Guys, I'm really forcing myself to think alot about getting a new/used tranny. Since I just bought one back in 7/01 and is going out already, do trannies for the 90-91 really go out this quick? Is there a bad trend for this trannies for these years of Legacy? Help me!
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My 90 auto is a little sloppy on the shifts. On a past roadtrip I stopped at the Subaru dealer in Idaho Falls, ID and talked to Sub mechanic there. He said the those early 90 autos weren't know for being put together tightly. And if the scheduled maintenance on them wasn't done, they won't last. He said buying a rebuilt one is a gamble since there's only a few competent people that can rebuild them correctly. Unless you do it yourself. I've debated about swapping out mine for a manual but am willing to deal with the sloppiness for now.

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My 90 legacy's tranny is getting sloppy as well so I am contumplating a new/rebuilt unit as well. I wonder if there is anyone I can trust to rebuild it in FL or if I am better off getting a newer legacy and parting mine out or just keeping it for a beater. I put alot of miles on my car so I need to know I can depend on it.

 

First gear engages fine but slams into second and then hesitates into third. I have the ext tranny installed and I have done my best to change the fluid at regular intervals but I have yet to change the filters and I am at 239K.

 

I don't want to do all that work just to need a new tranny. Hmmm....

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Yeah the early gen legacy trannies weren't that great. As it's been mentioned....not a lot of people can rebuild them properly. I do know of a shop in the north seattle area that does excellent work. He's a friend.....however I'm not sure if anyone is even around the area.

 

Your best bet is probably to try and find a used one with low miles. A big killer with these transmissions is people not changing the fluid regularly.

 

Once they start to go, there's very little you can do to get them back to tip top shape. A valve body rebuild on mine helped for a little while, but towards the end, shifts were sloppy, tranny was slipping, and gas mileage was absolutely horrible.

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Well, finally some replies! I was beginning to forget I've posted anything had I not checked/read my emails.

 

Anyway, if I could get thru the winter without have a dead car, it's pretty cold now making a tranny swap a major headaches, especially my hands will really pay the price. I'm going to just go thru winter without swapping it out and see how long I can drive it. It's shifting awkardly (don't know how to describe it, sorry) but at least it's still going.

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The AT's on the 90-91's had 4.111 final drive ratio. The AT's on the 92-94's had 3.900 final drive ratio. I'm not sure what the 95's had, but they are the last of the phase 1 4EAT's. The phase 2 4EAT's had a different connector on them, and are not a direct plug and play type thing.

 

I believe I have heard of someone using a 4EAT out of a 97 or 99 legacy in a first gen legacy, however they more then likely rewired the connector.

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