punchycar

Turns out that is was the neutral position sensor, put in a new one and has been running like a new one since...... thanks all for the help.

So here is what it is doing now... I have the neutral switch disconnected and cleared the code, drive for twenty minutes just fine and only when I start to downshift for a stop light the cel light comes back on and the car stalls when I come to a stop. Turn the key off and then start again, runs fine, drive for five minutes and park. Start up after a few minutes and the cel light is off, drive five minutes, cel comes back on when downshifting for a stop light and stalls when stopped. Key off and start and will drive fine. Park for ten minutes, I clear the code and drive back twenty five minutes home where the cel comes back on again when I'm downshifting. Once the fail safe has been cleared it will idle ok, perhaps a bit low but it never seems to be 'hunting' . Since I have the neutral switch disconnected, an open situation, is that what we should have when the car is in gear and a closed position when in neutral? By the description in the post above it really sounds like the neutral switch..... but not if an open circuit is telling the ecu we are in gear? I did pick up a used idle control motor and may try that out but is does seem curious that this is after changing the transmission and I know that the wires the the neutral switch have cracked insulation....

What do you mean by MLS gaskets? I've used both oem ones and aftermarket ones from napa on 96 and 97 dohc 2.5 and both seem to be fine still..... in fact on is just coming up on 480 000kms!

As I mentioned I have replaced a couple of vacuum lines and have not found any other leaks. I have not cleaned the throttle body bore yet but will give it a go in the morning. I disconnected the neutral indicator switch that is on the side of the tranny, I did actually check it when I had the transmission out a couple weeks ago and it tested fine however the insulation on the wires was cracked in a couple places. Why does the neutral switch have anything to do in this situation?

I have a 97 Impreza outback sport, 2.2l 5mt. I keep getting a 1507 code and the odd time a knock bank 1 0325 code. They will always clear and I now get the 1507 every time I drive the car, it goes into safe mode and runs like crap often but not every time. It does not seem to matter how the car is driven, as in speeds or distance, it always comes on at some point. I have searched this topic here and read I think all the threads on the subject that I found might relate to my situation. I have cleaned the idle air control valve, it is clean as a whistle and moves freely. I have checked vacuum lines and replaced a few. I've disconnected the neutral switch as was suggested in a few threads, though I would love to know how this is related? Still have the problem, is there anything else I might try before sourcing a new idle air valve? Would it be worthwhile to try a used one?

Are you planning to order the whole assembly or just the joints? Just curious as I was able to 'fix' for the time being a u-joint on my car that was making it really hard to turn the wheel. I was able to remove the joint and clean it up and repack, so far it is just fine. Guess it depends how far gone yours are but it may work?

Think that may be a valid experiment, however the oil that I dropped out of the old trans had way too much silver in it to go back into anything other than my waste oil bin where it currently rests. You can move the input shaft on the old trans back axially and radially quite a bit so something in there is quite worn. No second chance for the old oil..... after looking over the old tranny I suspect that it may have been opened up before as both the lock tabs are missing for the ( not sure what to call these) side output shaft caps that the seal sits in.? I'll swallow the cost and use the synthetic 75w90 (Castrol Syntec) and hope this will be the last time I have to worry about it...

So after making my trip to the parts store, my choices are 75 90 synthetic or 80 90 non both Castrol products...... or they also had some European brand 'specially formulated for imports' at 30$ a litre !!!! Yikes..... Given those are my two choices what would be the best bet? I don't mind the extra cost of the synthetic, I just want the one that will perform best.

Thanks

5MT of course it is 5 manual transmission !!! Since I'm in a small town and have limited choices when it comes to buying oil I think my options will be regular gear oil 80W90, some synthetic options and gear oil with posi additive...... seems like 75W90 is what I should look for, what about posi trac additives?

Thanks for the thread on that cocktail, just one question...... 5MT transmission is which one?

I'm just changing the 5 speed in my 97 Impreza sport with another from a 99' and was curious what most members are running for oil? The funny thing is the transmission I'm switching out didn't seem to start acting up until I changed the oil to synthetic gear oil, perhaps a coincidence but it has me thinking all the same. Recently I've had someone tell me that they actually run diesel engine oil in the transmission in the winter....... we don't typically get any colder than -20 celcius (-4 fahrenheit) normally -10 C or 14 F ........thoughts?

Sounds like I'll be pulling the tranny from underneath this time, should save me some considerable time. I my try to use my motorcycle jack as a trans jack, might work..... no problem getting the exhaust off as I just had it off a while ago to do the clutch. @ GG as you say to pull the two as a lump, do you remove the trans crossmember? Do you chain it from both motor pick points or use the eye on the front of the transmission and how much lift to clear the tail of the transmission past the header panel? As in how tail down is the unit as you lift it out? Just curious as I may be pulling a unit from a parts car for future considerations. Thanks

Great, thanks for the info. Did you have to remove the exhaust and the crossmember?

I'm going to be doing a trans swap in my 97 Impreza sport and would like to know if it is easy to pull the trans without pulling the motor. I have had a number of Loyales over the years and have always pulled the motor to get the transmission out. Have already had the motor out of this Impeza once to do the clutch, now the trans is on the way out...sigh.... if it is possible to pull the trans out from under the car how much room do I need? I don't have a hoist and will be doing the work on the floor off jack stands. Thoughts? Thanks.