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Manual Tranny - 1999 Forester/Outback common?


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My 5-speed manual went out on my 1999 Forester.

I think the Forester has the same 5-speed as the Outback of that year, or did they put a different final ratio?

I know my old Outback was a 4.111. I'm hoping my forester is the same, there is a salvage yard with a 2000 Outback tranny...

 

Can someone post the model & years I can search for a replacement tranny?

 

Anyone have a tranny for sale?

 

Seattle, WA

Edited by mr.radon
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Hi,

As mentioned in other posts, opposedforces.com is a great resource for this info. Yes, they are both 4.11.

 

Choose your model>>Year>>Engine (choices can be a bit confusing)>>etc and under the TRAIN heading look for "Gear set-hypoid", which shows the FD ratio.

 

Go back to Manual Transmission and choose the Trans Assembly category and under the Supplement heading you'll get the Trans ID which should match what is on your trans.

 

I've noticed that many Trans ID's don't match between models, but the transmissions ARE interchangeable. And you can use a transmission from a '96 - 1999, as long is it's from an Outback/GT/LSi that had the 2.5 (the 2.2 used a 3.90, I believe). Newer models will work, too, but not sure on what years.

 

In '99 Subaru went to the different bellhousing w/more bolt holes (w/the Phase 2 block), but the older trans will still bolt up just fine.

 

BTW, I 'think' the 5th gear ratio on the Legacy OUTBACK model is different than the Forester. There is/was a Subaru transmission chart on the 'Net w/that info....5th on the Outback is higher RPM @ a given speed, IIRC.

 

TD

Edited by wtdash
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I'm using a 98 Forester transmission in my 97 Outback wagon with no issues at all. and yes the mounting changed a little for the Phase II but like said still bolts up.

 

And yes correct the Outback 5th gear is a little higher then the Forester.

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most of the 98-2002 cars with 5 speeds are 4.11 gearing. I actually have yet to see a N/A engine built in those years, with something other than a 4.11

 

if one was really worried about the ratio being different, pull the rear diff cover off your Forester and the donor car and check the number on the ring gear. You will see numbers such as: 40:9 = 4.44 (4EAT trans) I dont remember the ratio numbers that they imprint on the 4.11, but as long as you find the numbers just divide the big # by the small #

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Check your trans ID number against the trans chart to be sure.

http://www.northursalia.com/techdocs/trannychart/trannychart.html

 

The lower mount stud for the starter was replaced by a bolt somewhere midway through 99. If yours has the stud, but the trans you get uses the bolt you'll need to drill and tap threads or helicoil to hold the starter on.

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Cool, slaved a 5SP tranny home, got a 125,000 mile 2000 Outback's 5SP 4.111, as is my rear diff. $400 + tax...

 

So I threw the Forester on my lift and did the swap real quick.

 

This is the reason I was asking about the 4.111..... I checked, I didn't mismatch the finals....I thought that might have been the reason for the second failure as that replacement tranny was out of an Outback and I had a cheap Outback tranny available again....

 

Freaking A -

8 months ago I ripped the original tranny out, took it apart and found it had a (2) bad bearings in the center diff. The bearing races failed, spiting out the bearings which ate the gears.

I just took apart the second tranny and it ALSO had the same freaking center diff bearing failed. The bearing race was torn apart, bearings AGAIN got into the gears and busted a bunch of teeth....

 

What the freak! I have never had a SUBARU manual transmission go bad ONCE let alone twice. Is the 5SP AWD tranny just a POS? :mad:

 

Hell my XT6 AWD manual has over 350K miles on the original tranny and I beat the hell out of that car....ARGHHHHHHH :banghead:

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Can't say what the history was on either tranny. i know when i got the Forester the tranny fluid was black, smelled and had clips on the magnet (not good). I replaced the fluid, the tranny lasted like 3K.

The first replacement well no idea, didn't have fluid when I got it. It lasted 12K.

Second replacement, the fluid looked old but no chips on the magnet.

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  • 2 months later...

Alright I figured I'd post up about this second tranny that blew.

 

I took the first one apart, the bearings in the center diff were BAD.

I took the second one apart, same bad bearing! CRAP!

Both limited slips were in good shape.

Also, I confirmed that the 5th gear popping out was due to a bad end nut lock. The two sides of the nut were hit but instead of the metal engaging the notches on the drive shaft, they cracked and fell out. The nut was 4 turns from falling off, crappy tranny I tell ya....

 

To solve the issue if the rear and front diff were the same I lifted the driver side of the car and turned the front tire 20, then 40, then 60 times while checking how the rear matched. Seemed, pretty close. About 15 degrees off after 40 turns.

 

Since I got a Leaf and its getting 95% of all my miles now, don't see the Forester getting a good workout till ski season is in full swing!:clap:

Edited by mr.radon
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