I was so proud of myself for changing the front two belts and valve cover gaskets on my wife's 95 Legacy Wagon. 2.2, AT, AWD, 234k miles. When I took it for a test drive, I noticed that I had trouble getting reverse to engage - the shifter would go into reverse no problem, but nothing would engage. I put it into D, then back into reverse, and after a brief pause, it went into reverse. Now my wife tells me it's been doing this for a week or so - i.e. put it in gear and it takes a few seconds to engage. Sometimes it also waits longer than normal shift.

 

Here's something strange that I'm sure must be related. When the key is turned all the way on, but the engine is not running, shifting into anything except Park or Neutral generates a buzzing from under the car. I put it on jack stands and spent quite a while crawling around underneath. It really sounds like it's coming from inside the pan that holds the transmission fluid. The reverse lights come on just fine when I put it in reverse.

 

Any ideas?

Forgot to mention - I just checked the ATF and differential fluids and they looked full to me.

 

Adam

ya the solenoids will buzz as you describe. What colour was the fluid? I would recommend a tranny fluid change, but I would like to wait from feedback from someone to tell you if there is a external tranny filter on your car but I doubt it. Some people have used the Trans-x tranny additive with good luck and everything fixed itself.

Someone will definatively know but I don't think any external tranny filters existed until 97 or 98 or so.

 

I do a lot of 95's and have never seen one on any of them.

Then everyones suggestion will be a tranny fluid change

Was the engine running, and the transmission warm and in park when you checked the fluid?

Could be a failing shift solenoid.

As said before, try changing the fluid.

I'll try changing the ATF fluid tonight. Any particular brand that people recommend? I've done tons of oil changes - is this about the same level of difficulty?

 

If this doesn't help, where is the shift solenoid? The only one I see in the Haynes manual is the shift-lock solenoid. Is this the one that might need to be replaced?

 

Thanks in advance. -Adam

I'll try changing the ATF fluid tonight. Any particular brand that people recommend? I've done tons of oil changes - is this about the same level of difficulty?

 

If this doesn't help, where is the shift solenoid? The only one I see in the Haynes manual is the shift-lock solenoid. Is this the one that might need to be replaced?

 

Thanks in advance. -Adam

 

the trans fluid change is about as easy as an oil change but you need to make sure that you are draining and filling the trans and not the front diff. as you know fromn checjking your trans fluid level, the dip stick (and fill point) is on the driver side near the fire wall, under some hoses. the drain plug is on the pan.

 

you will not drain all of the fluid from the trans, only about 4 qts, maybe less. if the fluid level was good before the drain, measure the the amount drained and add that much back. the dip stick can be difficult to read and there is a good chance that you will under fill it just going by the dip stick. i lost a trans because an idiot at the gas station didn't add any fluid after a seal replacement. he said it looked full.

 

if the trans fluid is full and in good condition, chances are your trans is on the way out. i lost reverse first (95 lego) but was able to drive it for several months with no reverse. i just had to careful where i parked.

The buzzing is the Transfer solenoid.

 

It does that when ever the car is in gear. They just tend to get noisier after they get old.

 

there are several other solenoids in the trans. If the car is shifting through all gears probably they are all fine.

 

you're delay problem is in sticking acumulator pistons (the things that buffer the fluid transfer for smooth shifting)

 

Change the fluid, and use a can of Trans-x in it and you will see an improvement.

Thanks for the tip. I just picked up a few quarts of tranny fluid and a quart of the Trans-X (they only had the larger size). There was a really long thread that I found where people were raving about Trans-X.

I didn't see it above, but usually a fluid change (not a flush) requires 3-4 'drains>>refills'. The fluid is in the tranny and the torque converter, so drain>>refill>>drive>>repeat. This procedure replaces the majority of the fluid.

 

Also, the difference between a Low fluid level and Full is about a pint, so best to keep track of what you drain and refill w/same amount...if you started @ the Full mark.

 

And just for the record, I (and maybe others on here) recommend against doing a FLUSH of the AT fluid on high mileage AT. It can dislodge stuff that is actually helping keep the tranny functioning. I know from personal experience.

I'd tend to agree that flushing doesn't do anything usefull to a failing transmission.

 

Delay into gear is generally due to worn clutches. If it is the firt start of the day it might just be fluid draining away overnight and not be so serious a problem. If it does it all day... worn clutches.

 

Transmissions can be diagnosed fairly accuratly and easily. there is a pdf called 4EAt_diiagnose_test.zip here... http://www.main.experiencetherave.com/subaru_manual_scans/FSM_Scans/

 

If you don't have the gauges you can still do the torque converter test and the time lag test to get a good idea of what's up. Other than that go see a transmission shop who can test it in half an hour or so.