So I bought a 2001 Legacy/outback (before they became separate body models, I believe) and it had a bad transmission. He sold me, with the car, a transmission. I have the engine out and was swapping the two transmissions when... the flex plate doesn't match the torque converter. 

 

 

1) I haven't tried yet, but can I put the old torque converter on the new transmission (if it fits)?

2) Can I purchase the flex plate from a forester that would match the transmission I have?

 

 

The transmission that I HAVE (the bad one) has a sticker that says tz1a3zs2aa-p4 The new one is tz1a3zc3aa-pm. I might have those backwards, I'm away from the shop right now. I'm not finding these in the lists of transaxles - and when I google it, the results are russian. 

 

Thoughts? 

 

 

for reference, when I bought it, the bad transaxle drove with a 'clunking' but not too bad. After a hard parallel park, it drove with a crazy heavy clunk back to the shop and was done. 

Pretty sure the 2.2 and 2.5 used different flex plates/torque converters. If that's the case the trans may have come from an Impreza or older legacy with a 2.2.

 

Torque converter should swap, but the bigger question I would have is if the final drive on the new trans matches the rear diff in the car.

 

There's a VIN stamped on the side of the trans. Get the VIN to find out exactly what year/model the trans came from. The FDR can be determined from that to find out if that trans is going to work for you.

what does FDR mean? 

Front Differential Ratio, would be my guess.

Final Drive Ratio

 

3.90 , 4.11  etc

 

O.

NEVER use the torque converter out of a bad trans. Instant fluid contamination. They cannot be cleaned, etc. 

 

Just get the right flex plate. Find out via the code on the bell housing what it came from and order a flex plate for it. 

 

GD

So the code on the bell housing - and that's a sticker, I haven't looked to see if there's something stamped into it - both transaxles start with 'tz' and I haven't been able to find that code anywhere. Thoughts? Where can I look it up? 

NEVER use the torque converter out of a bad trans. Instant fluid contamination. They cannot be cleaned, etc. 

 

Just get the right flex plate. Find out via the code on the bell housing what it came from and order a flex plate for it. 

 

GD

 

 

Unless the bad trans is actually a bad front diff, if the diff fluids haven't mixed with the ATF.

Obvious to most of us, some might not know the front diff is separate.

Edited May 9, 20178 yr by CNY_Dave

google:

Old:Tz1a3zs2aa  1999 Forester - only site OTHER than Russian was from an Australia site and it showed this trans attached to an EJ20.
'New": tz1a3zc3aa  2002 Forester - 2001-2002 - parts.subaru.com

 

I'm going out on limb here....that original trans you removed was not the right one, either.

 

I can't get to opposedforces.com from work but if you use that site and drill down to YOUR car - 2001 Outback - you'll find the 4EAT listed under the transmission section.

 

 

And if you look under the TRAIN >> Differential (trans)>.Gear-set hypoid you'll see the FDR.

Edited May 9, 20178 yr by wtdash

Here's an update: the newer transmission had a vin, the old one didn't. The newer one came from a 2002 Forester that was manufactured 12/17/01. I've ordered the flex plate that B&R auto wrecking says is a match - it comes from a later outback. So maybe mine had the wrong flex plate due to a wrong transmission swap a long time ago. 

 

The gear ratios are correct, says the dealer. 

 

NEW PROBLEM - the stub shafts on the new transmission are missing and apparently I can't use the old ones - so I had to order those too, $65 each with the circlips. But tomorrow the flex plate will arrive and I'll fine out if it's the right one, and Thurday, the stub shafts will arrive, and apparently I can use my old axles. 

 

I'll update as the new parts arrive.