'97 Outback 5MT tranny going south

[JavaTee]

Here's a little background. I have a '97 Outback wagon 2.5L (it's on it's second engine - Thanks Flow Subaru . I found a local engine with 92K and replaced the headgaskets, timing belt, and Idler pulleys <-which is the reason the first one destroyed itself) and it has 240K on the 5mt & drivetrain.

I've called around locally, to have mine either rebuilt, or find a low mileage replacement (she's my daily driver).

Rebuilt (around here) starts at $1200.

New from Subaru (next shipment around June/July) $4400.

 

Would it be stupid to purchase one of the JDM engine/tranny combos and just use the tranny? (Note: I would love to buy the twin turbo model combos <-$1800 I think the tt is from a Legacy GT with 4.11 gear ratio - correct me if I'm wrong!).

Or would it be worth the nightmare of doing the wiring harness to make a WRX/STi package work instead?

 

Thanks,

T.J.

[GeneralDisorder]

Check www.car-part.com for a used replacement transmission.

 

It's very likely that it just needs a rear input shaft bearing - which is about $65 from the dealer. Pull the tranny and check it for input shaft play. It's not that hard to install the input bearing. If you can do HG's on a 25D then you can split the tranny and replace that bearing.

 

GD

[JavaTee]

It's very likely that it just needs a rear input shaft bearing

 

Thanks for the car-parts link.

 

I wish it was as simple as the input shaft, but I had the main bearings (and associated gaskets/seals) replaced by a shop a year or two ago. Now with 15K on the tranny, the tranny will shift into gear(s) but the shifter doesn't 'stay in place', you can move the shifter around without the car coming out of gear - probably a shifter bushing. The thing that concerns me is the main drive bearings, and the seals around/for the cv axle output shafts - they are loose.

With the high mileage of the tranny, I figured it would be easiser to just swap out transaxles.

 

Thanks,

T.J.

[Gloyale]

Thanks for the car-parts link.

The thing that concerns me is the main drive bearings, and the seals around/for the cv axle output shafts - they are loose.

 

 

The seals may be leaking, but I'll bet dollars to donuts the bearings aren't loose.

 

If those bearings were loose, your ring and pinion would be soooooo loud, and destroyed quickly.

 

You are feeling the Axle cups wiggling on the stub, and stub shafts wobble inside the diff carrier. It's normal. But the diff carrier must still be solidly held in the bearings or else the car would not drive.....quickly.

 

Replace the seals on the side outputs. Easy to do with trans in car, or removed.....not nessecary to split the case.

 

As for the shift linkage, replace the bushing....or in that year you may have to replace the whole joint.....either way, again it's not part of the trans, just the shifter.

[GeneralDisorder]

The seals may be leaking, but I'll bet dollars to donuts the bearings aren't loose.

 

If those bearings were loose, your ring and pinion would be soooooo loud, and destroyed quickly.

 

You are feeling the Axle cups wiggling on the stub, and stub shafts wobble inside the diff carrier. It's normal. But the diff carrier must still be solidly held in the bearings or else the car would not drive.....quickly.

 

Replace the seals on the side outputs. Easy to do with trans in car, or removed.....not nessecary to split the case.

 

As for the shift linkage, replace the bushing....or in that year you may have to replace the whole joint.....either way, again it's not part of the trans, just the shifter.

 

Agree with all of that.

 

GD

[JavaTee]

Replace the seals on the side outputs. Easy to do with trans in car, or removed.....not nessecary to split the case.

 

As for the shift linkage, replace the bushing....or in that year you may have to replace the whole joint.....either way, again it's not part of the trans, just the shifter.

 

THANK YOU for the very informative info.

 

Any do's/don'ts for the axle seals?

 

The shifter won't be a problem.

 

Thanks,

T.J.