bratman2

Bought a 97 SVX end of October. Love it so far! Had a transmission installed early last year with an external cooler. I have heard of the many failures that are common to the SVX automatic. I know the 97 model had several updates to the transmission that supposedly increased reliability. My problem, or concern, maybe even something that just bugs the crap out of me at times, is my SVX when driven fairly reasonable is shifting into second gear around 10 mph. If I mash the gas pedal say half way it extends it out several more mph but I feel it is still shifting mighty early. Would the Transgo shift kit help with that at all? Has anyone here ever installed one in a Subaru and if so how did you feel about the results. Thanks!!

Speed wise mine are still good thankfully. But if I turn mine to high they will bump the gasket at the top so I never use high. Even though I have them resting on the gasket when off.

Because that is all I have at the moment. Older Subarus are a little rarer here than most places. I figure I'll do the swap and if it pucks out after a while I will try and get one shipped here. I don't really plan on driving it hard. Plus so far my EA 4 speed has been trouble free. You think it may still be a mistake to use it?

If you are lifting or nearly lifting the in side front wheel wouldn't the Coopers be doing their job? I would think that is a sign that they are providing crap loads of grip under stress.

I wonder if you could find something like a larger tip for one of the electric-airless sprayers that could apply used motor oil. My 87 Brat I have owned for just over 20 years. We don't have the salt and harsh winters. We do have super humidity were everything sweats and drips at times. i also work at a major agro chemical complex that has ruined more vehicles than you would every believe. I have used canned spray lubes (CRC), old motor oil and a paint brush (pretty messy) and even tried a pump up yard sprayer but it keeped gtting the tip plugged. The Brat is still here and in decent shape (actually awesome maybe) for a 30 year old ride from the 80's. I ended up having to replace the sheet metal under the tailgate and the drip rails under the doors/ bottom of the body. I have since retired it from Ag Chemical plant drive to work duty maybe 6 years ago. Funny people ask me all the time, you still have that black Brat. Yep, just don't drive it out here anymore.

Can the EA81 flywheel have this step cut into it or does this only apply if you use a EA82 flywheel?

Naked Buell, you talking about the stroke? Were you set the wiper to rest on the bottom against the windshield gasket and it still sometimes wants to hit the driver's side gasket during the stroke. Which ruins the driver's side wiper in short order.

Don't see your picture. What I did when I had this trouble with my Brat was step up to 7/16 SAE. Get the SAE stud and matching tap. No drilling required. Just tap out existing stud hole.

A better picture with her new shoes!

The front has to slip for the rear to get more power. The SVX also came in FWD models for 2 years, you by chance have one of them maybe? I have only had my SVX about 7 weeks so no snow, Eastern NC may not even see any. My Brat has been my snow ride for over 20 years and with the ground clearance on my SVX it will probably still be. The all wheel drive system on a SVX is a active torque split (ACT-4) which is a common Subaru all wheel drive system. There is nothing wrong with the system and it works well in poor driving conditions. That is not to say yours may have an issue. A 95 should have a updated transmission. Transmission problems were more common in the first couple of years and upgrades were incorporated in the SVX as time went by. A transmission cooler is still not a bad idea if yours does not have one. Redline D4 transmission fluid may be a good choice, that is what I have already installed in mine. Wheel bearings can still be an issue. Try going up a weight in oil and see if that helps. I don't think your seeing only a valve seal issue as that amount of oil is quite much. How about a picture?

The 90/10 split is when everything is ideal. If slip is detected it can transfer up to 50% to the rear. Plus the rear is limited slip. Love my SVX but I also realize we are dealing with cars two decades old or more. Still handles like she is on rails, lol!

Most likely valve seals. My 97 SVX does the same thing, just not very bad. In nearly 1k miles I have needed to add no oil. Seals dry out from sitting, figure 130k miles in 22 years. There is a decent amount of sitting involved in that time. If it isn't fouling plugs are using excess oil I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Nice looking header! You weld that up yourself?

Magnaflow, they make a SS header with cat already in it. Then add a SS Magnaflow straight thru oval muffler. Don't remember the part number but I will try and look it up for you. That is what i am running on my 87 now. Sounds relatively quiet in the cab and pretty good outside when someone pulls away with it.

Thanks everyone! I see the one on my SVX transmission pan so it's good. Couldn't really tell on the front differential. So I only have to check my wife's XT oil pan and daughter's Impreza oil pan. Hopefully it is the old one. I do start them up and check for leaks before releasing the vehicles back to them. Our air compressor is on the other side of our three acre yard in the work shop. So i always take the vehicles over there and adjust air pressure because I do the tire rotation during the oil changes. Recheck them when I bring them back over to the carport.

Does anyone know if they use a crush washer in the front differential? Taking my 4-jugs of oil to the recycle place and I found a Subaru crusher washer on the drain screen. I have changed my daughter's 2010 Impreza oil, wife's 2011 XT oil, the differential and transmission oil on my SVX. I can see the crush washer on the transmission pan on the SVX. I'll have to check the other two later today. I did replace one crush washer so it could be the old one. I just can't imagine me dumping it into the old oil container. Sucks to get old and can't remember crap.

It will run better on non ethanol gas if it is available around Oakland.

In place of the orginal pump if I can get it to fit there. How are you coming along? I have hit a major snag! This black car followed me home the end of October. My dream Subaru, 97 SVX LSI. My white donor car is in the picture to stay on topic. I will probably pull the motor, wiring harness and CPU the first of January. May wait until early spring to pull the EA81 out of the Brat.

Looks like a wire bomb went off, lol! I only laugh because I am sure I will be seeing the same thing soon. I got a Beck/Arnley pump off ebay for $60.00 new. Suppose to fit a Loyale so I hope I am good with it. Going to try and mount it were the factory pump sits. Only thing I am not sure on is the clutch, I installed a new clutch in my my Brat about 75k ago. Guess I can decide to go with it are upgrade when I get there. Going to try and not be in a hurry. You seem to be coming right along!!

Pull a plug and check for spark. If you have spark try a oz. or two of fuel in the carb.

Your welcome! Just search their site using 1984 as a reference. After 84 they seem to confuse EA81 and EA82 parts. Like they list a timing belt for a Brat????

That's the part number I needed. Thanks!! I got two boxes from Rock Auto today myself. Probably be around the end of November before I start my swap. Going to do pretty much like you have. Clean it up real good when I get the 2.2l out. Ordered new seals for cams and crank, front main is leaking on my engine. Also new oil pan and valve cover gaskets. Have a Aisin timing belt kit coming in another box. R9/30 fuel line, clamps for FI and tune up stuff. My donor car is only showing 146k so I am hoping it is good to go. Been driving it back and forth to work. Almost hate to gut it, it drives pretty good. Has a far amount of rust, the Legacy, not my Brat! Following yours and hoping you have very little trouble. Thanks for posting and updating!

Tire shaving is a little harder to find now a days. Daughter hit a 4-5" screw with her 2010 Impreza puncturing upper side wall. Michelins with 7/32 tread. Called my local dealer, then called several of the biggest tire dealers in a three county area and local Subaru dealer. Subaru dealer used Tirerack, no one else knew anyone around here that still did it. Ordered the tire from tirerack and our local dealer installed for free. They felt sorry for me as the single shaved Michelin cost me about $50.00 more than when I bought them, from my dealer.

Searching Rockauto for the Nippo Denso distributor rotors gives me these; Standard Motor Products JR75, and JR75T, Beck/Arnley 1731413, Bosch 04081, A C Delco E471C. Maybe more!

Looks good Andy. The EA81 throttle cable will not work? Let me know what alternator belt you use. I ordered my timing belt kit and a whole lot of gaskets, seals sparkplugs for when I pull mine. I am thinking mid Nov. since my wife claimed the spare bathroom remodeling would be first, lol! My 93 legacy is a drivable car so I have been putting a few miles on it.