Gonna pick up a 95 FWD Legacy L in decent shape. Transmission is SHOT. Has 1,2, and 3, but pops out of 3 when you go down hill. 4th and 5th it won't even go into.

Thought I had sourced a good 94 Impreza transmission from a place only about 45 minutes from here for $175, had 110k miles on it. But I googled the trans code and found out it had a 21 spline input shaft. Not a big deal im thinking, until I looked up a clutch kit for it. The clutch disc for the 21 spline shaft is only 7-7/8". The 24 spline trans in the Legacy uses an 8-7/8" clutch disc. So I'm guessing that one won't work without changing the clutch and possibly the flywheel. Would make it a beach for anyone trying to change the clutch in the future trying to get the right parts. Plus I don't think the smaller disc would hold up dragging the Legacy around.

 

So I'm trying to figure out which year cars are the best to look for a fwd transmission for this thing. I know the legacy went AWD all the time after 96. What about the Impreza? I figure I'll have the best luck looking in first gen Legacy's.

 

Other than the transmission, it needs a muffler, fluids changed, and something in the accessory drive is rattling. Alternator or idler bearing is my best guess.

Two rust spots on the rear wheel arches that need attention, shouldn't be too hard to patch those up though.

Edited December 16, 201114 yr by Fairtax4me

www.car-part.com

 

i'm not a MT guy so i'm only so so on the mechanics, but all the engine and trans bell housings are the same size (unless the trans was not form an impreza.) so the parts should swap the same way a ej25 flex plate will swap onto a ej22 engine.

 

right?

 

any FWD trans will / should swap in. right?

 

i have thought for years that you could use an AWD auto trans in a FWD car, if you opend the extension housing and removed the rear output shaft with the drum attached. then just blank off the hole from the inside. probably not as easy as it sounds and probably not even practical, and the trans mounts are probably different. but there are a lot of AWD trans floating around.

 

just a thought. and i don't know about manual trans.

 

edit: if you remove the drive shaft from an manual trans AWD car, does the gear oil spill out like the fluid in the auto trans AWD car???

Edited December 2, 201114 yr by johnceggleston

Yeah going to have a hard time finding a FWD trans for a gen2. I THINK subaru went all AWD in 96 across all models. I think you are on the right track about looking for a gen1 legacy transmission but I cant confirm definitively whether they are exactly the same from gen1 to 95. Wouldnt make much sense to have a different transmission and only keeping it around for one year though. My educated guess is a late gen1 would be exactly the same as a 95 FWD.

Car-part.com is where I found the one for $175. Unfortunately there really wasn't anything else very close. I'd have to go to PA and pay twice as much or more. I have a few good junkyards not too far away that have a few 1st gen cars to look in. Would be nice to find one this weekend but I'm not in too big of a rush to wait a little while for a $120 trans to pop up that I can pull myself.

 

 

Yeah from what i can find the 1st gen legacy trans at least uses the 24 spline clutch so any other differences should be minor I hope.

 

Think there is any difference in FDR in the FWD transmissions? All I could find was a pretty vague article on Wikipedia that listed a bunch of Subaru transmissions. It just listed the fwd 5 mt trans at 3.454 fd. But it didn't specify for legacy loyale or impreza.

Edited December 2, 201114 yr by Fairtax4me

opposedforces.com goes back to 93 with the imprezas. the legos and the imprezas trans are the same for the same year. subaru was too small a company to have a different trans for each line.

 

most FWD trans in the early 90s were 3.7 final drive ratio, i'm pretty sure for the auto trans at leats..

 

i think, the auto trans FWD in 95 went to a 3.9 final drive ratio.

 

theoretically, there was a FWD available in 97. the option is listed on the car-part.com site. but i have never heard of any one who had one here in the US. i don't remember if the listed option was an auto or a manual trans.

 

with a manual trans, you only need to worry about the clutch and, apparently, the spline count.

 

on car-part.com you may need to search each year to see if there is a trans available.

when searching the late 90s, they list each year as a different part because the ''code number'' changes with most years, but in reality there is no difference between 96 - 98 auto trans.

 

sorry to be always talking about auto trans, but that is what i know.

Well that didn't take long. Found one in a 90 legacy with 194k on it. Just have to hope it works. Car was nice though. I took all the seats too. They're grey but in really nice shape and the drivers seat has adjustable height and lumbar.

Well that didn't take long. Found one in a 90 legacy with 194k on it. Just have to hope it works. Car was nice though. I took all the seats too. They're grey but in really nice shape and the drivers seat has adjustable height and lumbar.

 

Back in early 90's Subie Legacy seats were comfy built, and covered with grey "mouse fur" cloth. Lots more comfortable then standard OBW seats out of the mid to late 90's. Enjoy the "mouse furs."

The old seats seem to hold up better too. Both of my cars the foam in the side of the bottom cushion is collapsed and you can feel the steel bar of the seat frame. Most of the older cars I've sat in the seats are still in good shape.

sounds like you already got one but i have a Legacy FWD MT.

I'll keep you in mind if this one doesn't work out.

 

Now for an important question. The trans I got has a cable speedometer drive. But I'm pretty sure the car has a digital speedometer. Can I pop out the cable end and thread the digital drive part in there? Or will I have to dig into the trans and swap gears?

The trans I got has a cable speedometer drive. But I'm pretty sure the car has a digital speedometer. Can I pop out the cable end and thread the digital drive part in there? Or will I have to dig into the trans and swap gears?

you should be able to tell for sure when you get it but unscrew the cable and the electrical sender just swaps right in it's place.

Yeah I kinda figured i could just swap it over. Thanks for the info!

Wheeewwwww... the repair list is a lot longer than I hoped it would be. Well over $1,000 if I have to go with all new parts. From the front cat back the entire exhaust is about to dissolve away from rust. Filler pipe is shot, lots of oil leaks, power steering leak (pump seals), rear struts, battery, a door lock actuator...

Junkyard here I come!

 

Got a clutch kit on the way though so I can pop the new transmission in it and hope for the best. :-p

im parting a fwd legacy if you need parts

I saw that in the classifieds. Don't think any parts I need will swap between first and second gen cars though.

 

Speaking of first gen parts though, do these look like first gen Legacy fog lights?

yep- the trans will swap over if you need it

 

those look maybe like 1st gen fogs, more like bmw.....but they would say hella if they where

Yeah I know the trans would, but I don't think it would be worth it to ship it from MT to VA. :-p

 

I'm gonna pull the fog lights off and see if they have a part number on them somewhere.

You could get an AWD transmission and lock it into FWD using the "subaspool" sold by these guys: http://www.subarugears.com/index_files/Products.html

 

It replaces the center diff.

For $200 plus shipping from Australia? I can find someone with a welder and make my own.

Well after patching up the exhaust where the flange fell off of the rear cat I got a chance to drive the car and actually be able to hear the transmission. Main shaft bearing is shot in this one too. The synchros feel alright though so Im tinkering with the idea of just replacing the bearing.

Main shaft bearing is shot in this one too. The synchros feel alright though so Im tinkering with the idea of just replacing the bearing.

Gloyale has a great thread on splitting a MT open and replace that bearing i think. pictures and all - matt (subeman90_ was just asking about internal trans picks this week or last and i posted a link to it. nice thread.

 

i have an XT6 that might have a bad bearing to so i might be doing the same thing next summer. probably the same amount of time as sourcing another trans, doing the swap, storing it, sending it to the junk yard, etc.

Yeah, the junkyard I get just about everything from is ~65 miles away. About $25 in gas to go there and back, usually works out if I find something I need and it works. But they don't have that many Subarus.