timstiles Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 My car runs around 3500 rpms at 80. Even at slightly lower speeds it feels like it wants a 6th gear. Are there any direct fit 5 or 6 spd trannys from other Subarus that will bolt right in and drop my rpms at cruising speed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellow65 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 bolt in yes, but extra work defiantly. the 6 speed from the stis are about the only 6 speed options out there. but because it's a 6 speed doesn't mean you get an even higher gear then your 5th, the gears are just geared closer together to keep rpms up between shifts. you get a little higher gearing but not worth it in my opinion. about the best freeway geared tranny that i can find would be the 3.9 geared one from a 2.2 impreza. but if your legacy came with 4.11 as most did you would need to change your rear end to a 3.9 also. wait now that i reread my tranny chart, do you have an outback or just regular legacy? if you have the non outback one then you do have the same basic tranny from the impreza. .780 5th gear with 3.9 final ratio same as the 2.2 imprezas. and that's about as good as it gets. other ways of lowering rpms is to use bigger tires, you speedo will read the same but you would be traveling faster then before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Of course no one ever suggests slowing down to 70 Blu with the 4eat never really bothered me about reving so high at 80. I remeber when cars had 3 speed autos and would rev really high at 80, much higher then now (which is why 55 was the speed limit back then). Easiest thing is larger tires. Lots of luck finding a 6 $peed. The cost of it may never be made up in the life of the car. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Subaru_transmissions nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screwbaru2 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 My 97 OB is the same way. Subaru told me with the MT it is normal. I've thought maybe a different gearing in the rear diff. However when using cruise control @ highway speeds the car can accel. up a hill without having to downshift because that rpm is well within the power band of the motor. I just turn the radio up:banana: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I've thought maybe a different gearing in the rear diff. then it wouldn't match your front diff and you'd ruin your transmission. larger wheel/tires combinations if they'll fit. i do that, but the speedo is off. gear calculators anyone? i'm not even sure going from 4.11 to 3.9 really changes much, about 5%?? so 3325 rpm instead of 3500 rpm....for hundreds or thousands of dollars of difficult work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsince77 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Is 3500 RPM really any problem? It has always "felt" to me like this engine kind of likes to run at 3500. In fact for climbing hills, and we have some fairly big ones, 3750 to 4250 feels fine. I haven't had as much time on this new engine, but my old one had a spot around 4200 in third that it seemed to just smooooth out and climb with ease. All of this is just subjective feel, but I think boxers kind of like to spin. Is that wrong? I have never liked the way American cars feel when they are lugging along at 1500 or 2000 rpm all the time. Maybe its just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellow65 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Is 3500 RPM really any problem? It has always "felt" to me like this engine kind of likes to run at 3500. In fact for climbing hills, and we have some fairly big ones, 3750 to 4250 feels fine. I haven't had as much time on this new engine, but my old one had a spot around 4200 in third that it seemed to just smooooth out and climb with ease. All of this is just subjective feel, but I think boxers kind of like to spin. Is that wrong? I have never liked the way American cars feel when they are lugging along at 1500 or 2000 rpm all the time. Maybe its just me. it's not wrong, nothing sounds cooler in my mind then a uncorked boxer revving up but in the real world a little lower rpms might give us some better gas mileage. maybe around 2500 at about 65 that i think would be a nice compromise. i don't need to be spinning 3500 with a 2.5 doing like 80, it's just to much. that motor has some good grunt to it. same with the 2.2 a little lower would be better, but what you going to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsince77 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 it's not wrong, nothing sounds cooler in my mind then a uncorked boxer revving up but in the real world a little lower rpms might give us some better gas mileage. maybe around 2500 at about 65 that i think would be a nice compromise. i don't need to be spinning 3500 with a 2.5 doing like 80, it's just to much. that motor has some good grunt to it. same with the 2.2 a little lower would be better, but what you going to do. Yeah, actually, where I live, there is no place to go 80 anyway. And, the car does take a nosedive in milage anywhere above 70. We do spend a fair amount of time at 65 or so, and do use the higher RPMs for climbing passes. Of course that is offset by a long downhill on the other side most of the time. I've always loved the way this car sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timstiles Posted March 21, 2008 Author Share Posted March 21, 2008 I've no doubt the motor would probably run across the U.S. and back happily at 3500 or more. 5th in this car just feels like 4th in other cars I've driven. Sounds like there aren't any options so I'll just keep on truckin' ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 I haven't had as much time on this new engine, but my old one had a spot around 4200 in third that it seemed to just smooooth out and climb with ease. All of this is just subjective feel, but I think boxers kind of like to spin. Is that wrong? I agree. Boxer love the high rpms. And they hate being "bogged" or "lugged" 3500 @ 80 is fine. BTW, you should low down if you really want better milage. changing ratio won't do half as much a driving 65 or 70 instead of 80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 I know on Blu over 70mph the gas mileage just dumps from 26-27 to 23 or worse. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reveeen Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 I seem to get my best gas mileage here @ 2500rpm, or 57mph, put the cruise on, and shift your brain into neutral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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