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At around 300,000 miles my '07 Outback (base, non-turbo 2.5) started giving a slight shudder and throwing transmission fault codes when starting up a grade. I've flushed it with factory ATF and a new filter every 100,000 miles and hadn't noted anything abnormal in the pan. Due to the amount of use it's provided I figured it was due for replacement. I picked up a JDM replacement from an importer in Seattle at a decent price. When I got home I looked up the code on the bell housing (TZ1B7LHABA-2C.) From a different importer's website I found that the unit I bought was for an 03-05 Outback. They listed a different code for a replacement for an 06-07 (TZ1B7LHDBC.) There's also a paint pen mark on the transmission I bought that says EJ-25, but my vehicle has an EJ-253 engine. The code label on my original transmission faded into obscurity a long time back so I can't provide it, unless they put the tag in a different spot for the US market.

I called the shop I purchased it from and discussed it with them and they assured me that it was a compatible transmission. I then looked up a replacement on car-part.com and see that even the importer I got my replacement from lists a different unit for an '07 than they do for an '05. Before I expend a bunch of time and grief trying to swing the new tranny in, I'd like to verify that it's the correct one. Does anybody out there have a chart that breaks down the code meaning or any other input as to whether or not I have a compatible unit?

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There are no comprehensice charts.  Hopefully someone knows but I’ve never heard of anyone swapping between 00-04 and later ATs

you could compare FSM wiring harnesses pin outs for the TCU or trans harness. 
 

I wouldn’t make much about the EJ25 and EJ253 designations. “EJ25” is used ubiquitously to refer to various flavors of 1996-2011 EJ25s  

I have my doubts about 2007 CANBUS accepting an earlier model 

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I work with our mid 90s and there is a plate on the strut tower that shows the engine and transmission type originally installed in the vehicle. I saw pics of early 2000s that have it. Ours are riveted, yours might be a glued on label somewhere.

The A means it is 4 years older than the D. Yearly improvement/design change classification (Starts with 'A' and subsequently 'B', 'C', etc.).

The H means it had the same engine.

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@Rampage-I can swear I’ve seen that tag somewhere on my vehicle but it definitely isn’t on my strut towers. Thanks for the info on the alphabetical designations though-quite helpful.

@idosubaru-Do the pre-07 vehicles use a different communication protocol, or maybe a different version of Canbus? I’ll check the pins next week when I get some time off. Thanks for the suggestion.

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5 hours ago, AMZ said:

@Rampage-I can swear I’ve seen that tag somewhere on my vehicle but it definitely isn’t on my strut towers. Thanks for the info on the alphabetical designations though-quite helpful.

@idosubaru-Do the pre-07 vehicles use a different communication protocol, or maybe a different version of Canbus? I’ll check the pins next week when I get some time off. Thanks for the suggestion.

I’m unfamiliar with the 2005+ transition to CANBUS except to say that exists and renders engine swaps nearly impossible, maybe transmissions are more forgiving.  Compare trans side harness pin outs in the FSM. Those years are easily found for free online. 

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1 hour ago, idosubaru said:

I’m unfamiliar with the 2005+ transition to CANBUS except to say that exists and renders engine swaps nearly impossible, maybe transmissions are more forgiving.  Compare trans side harness pin outs in the FSM. Those years are easily found for free online. 

Can you elaborate on this? Is it the immobilizer technology that makes the newer engine swaps so difficult? Is there a work around?

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20 hours ago, Crazyeights said:

Can you elaborate on this? Is it the immobilizer technology that makes the newer engine swaps so difficult? Is there a work around?

 

I’m the wrong person to ask. the immobilizer and CANBUS. 

aftermarket controllers are a work around but I don’t think they cover all aspects of every swap depending which way you’re going. 

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