i have the legacy GT trans and my friend has the 99 forester.

we are trying to get his car fixed and wanted to know if the tranny from the GT will work in the forester.

thank you all in advance for any and all help!

 

No, the 98 is a phase 1 4eat, and the 99 is a phase 2 4eat. The two are not electronically compatible. For the 99 you'll need a 99-03 4.44 final drive 4eat from a legacy gt, impreza rs, or forester.

No, the 98 is a phase 1 4eat, and the 99 is a phase 2 4eat. The two are not electronically compatible. For the 99 you'll need a 99-03 4.44 final drive 4eat from a legacy gt, impreza rs, or forester.

thanks

You can check the connectors as well to verify if there's any question over years since you're right on the cusp - they're either the same or they are not.

 

98 GT trans would work in a 98 forester.

 

Is spin on filter and 8 bolt bellhousing always indicative of Phase II only or do some late 98s have that as well?

Outbacks are also PhaseII and 4.44 final drive 00-02 and 03-04.

 

Sometime around 03-04 the polarity of the duty C solenoid changed though not sure if that's just outbacks or 4 or 6 cylinders or what. But you can work around that with minor wiring. CNY_Dave knows more about that.

No phase 1 4eat has the spin on filter, that's indicative of phase 2.

 

The polarity of the duty c was swapped for the 04 model year. That's why I specified the 99-03 4.44 transmission as a direct replacement. In my head I typed legacy gt and outback, but I guess my fingers didn't get the message lol.

You can check the connectors as well to verify if there's any question over years since you're right on the cusp - they're either the same or they are not.

 

98 GT trans would work in a 98 forester.

 

Is spin on filter and 8 bolt bellhousing always indicative of Phase II only or do some late 98s have that as well?

i sold him the forester a couple years ago and i thought it had been a 98. he told me it was a 99 so i wanted to re check. 

Got it thanks brat man. Is that 04 change over true of all models, even VTDs?

 

I thought I had seen 98's with spin ons but since they rusted away years ago up here and I never mess with them anymore, must be VIN manufacturer dates or bad memory.

Model year changeovers get confusing. Anything made after 6/98 is a 99 model year, and that is why a lot of people think they've seen phase 2 stuff in 98 model year cars.

 

To my understanding of the vtd system, it doesn't use a duty c solenoid. At least not in the same application as standard 4eats at least. Granted I don't know very much about them, other than they don't have the typical fwd fuse the regular 4eat cars have.