4eat how good?

[Guest Need4Speed]

Hey all:

 

I was just on the i-club reading all the post about how much the WRX manual transmission sucks, etc. Well, of course, i have a auto. I've heard that the 4eat (or is it e4at) is pretty much bullet proof, at least after the my99 when the torque bind issue was fixed.

 

Just wondered what you guys thought of the issue?

 

Dave

[Guest CipeR]

Is the 4eat unchanged from the 1989 legacy?

[Guest PaganQWA]

The E4AT in my '90 Legacy kinda sucks. 200rpm lag to shift, thakes a long time to warm up enough to shift into 4th and even longer for the torque converter to lock, and the open front differential makes for an unstable take off. I spose its good for carring the kids and dog around but not something id want in my WRX

 

Surely it has been updated though?

[Guest Need4Speed]

Well, since your E4AT has lasted 12 years and the 5MTs in WRXs last about 6 months, I guess yours wins!!

[Guest wawazat]

My SVX had LOVED ALL 5 of its E4AT transmissions!

[Guest PaganQWA]

I garuntee mine wouldnt last 6 months if I trew twice the torque and horse power at it That is pretty sad though for a WRX... How did the FUBAR the manuals so bad??? All of their old ones have been tough as nails!

 

5 ATs huh? Doesnt that tell you something? :cool:

[Guest Need4Speed]

Sounds like the trannys can't handle additional HP. I'm sure the 5MT is fine for a 2.5L N/A car with maybe 165hp, but fails prettys easily with the 220Hp the WRX sends through it. I've heard that the 5mt tranny is basically unchanged for a few years. I lamented the fact that I had an 4eat but I'm glad now. I've heard the 4eats can last at least 150K miles with regular maintenance.

[Guest Legacy777]

ok guys!

 

The 4EAT which is what it is, was used in alot of vehicles, from a ford taraus to mpv minivan. It is essentially a truck transmission. So it is beefy. However there are some things crap out or have issues.

 

The first gen legacy 4EAT's had problems with producing excess metal shavings. An external filter kit was added. The other weak point with these transmissions is the line pressure. There is a return spring that is behind a valve, which keeps line pressure up during shifts and what not. Over time the spring wears out, and doesn't keep the valve closed and line pressure drops and the transmission basically will destroy itself.

 

Other major issue with any auto tranny is heat. Addition of a tranny cooler is good idea.

 

Auto's will hold the power better then manual.

 

Personally The reason why you have heard of so many WRX manual failures is because the kiddies that get them can't drive a manual tranny worth ****! I'm sure if you go cranking alot more power then maybe you'll have issues. The WRX has had 200+ hp in other countries for several years with no problems.

 

The driver means alot!

 

So with that said. Auto will handle alot more power better then manual. However manual is still good if treated properly.

[Guest CipeR]

How hard would it be to find that pressure release valve with the tranny installed?

 

If the engine was out of the car would it be easier?

[Guest Legacy777]

I honestly don't have a clue.

 

I am planning on going up to Wa this summer. Goin to drive up, and one of my mom's friends owns a tranny shop. We are goin to redo the valve body and possibly shift kit and such. I will ask as many questions as i can, and try to take pictures. But until I actually do it.....I really don't know.

[Guest PaganQWA]

I dont know how it being used in a minivan can constitute it as basicly a truck transmission Far as I could find it wasnt in any truck, just Ford probes, carpis and subarus. Maybe its tougher then we give it credit but i dunno if its 'beefy'

[Guest Legacy777]

this is what I have been told from someone that has worked on automobiles, and transmissions for most of their life.

 

I've also gotten the same thing from Robert at forced air as well.

[Guest CipeR]

You know, from what I can tell the 4eat from 1989 is pretty much exactly the same as the 4eat from 2002. The only differences between all the different "versions" is the TCU. For example the 4eat out of a wrx would be able to perform the manual mode of the early legacy if the TCU was designed right.

 

The only real differences are termination of different outputs, as in it might have a different shaped plug.

[Guest PaganQWA]

Can't belive everything ya hear I did quite a bit of digging yesterday after reading this thread and couldnt find a single 'truck' it came in. Closest thing I could find was the 2000 MPV van used a G-4EAT. I didnt just search the net either, I was calling places too and picking a part some brains

 

Maybe next time you talk to them you could get some examples? I think a truck with a 4EAT would be kinda kewl hehe

 

peace

[Guest Need4Speed]

Is the 4eat in the legacy/impreza the same as the one in the SVX?

 

Also found this link, may be useful:

 

www.autoworld.com/news/Su...Design.htm

[Guest applegump]

I thought the 4eat was designed and manufactured by Subaru, or is it? If not who manufactures them? Also, I think it is time they introduce a new auto tranny maybe a 5eat.

[Guest Legacy777]

The MPV is considered a "truck" both you and I know it's not a truck...however with how the tranny is setup it's considered a "truck" tranny.

 

The 4EAT FWD tranny is the same tranny that is in the FWD SVX. I do not know for sure about the AWD version however.

[Guest boybill]

AWD SVX shares a tranny with the Legacy turbo.SVX's only came with 4eat. Subaru didnt believe that their 5-speed tranny could take 228ft/lbs for many thousands of miles.The third statement I read somewhere,so take it just as that. The 4eat definately does have the problems that Josh stated.These can be corrected with a proper rebuild. Or so I have read.(once again). I am going to give it a whirl.There is a shift kit available to fix many of these problems,and I plan to install it when I do my rebuild.I will report results when the work is done.

BillC

[Guest Commuter]

I've heard that internals of the Subaru 4EAT are mostly Allison. Allison was (?) a GM division at one time and still produce primarily for GM I believe. This may apply only to the US made Subaru's, I'm really not sure. I've also heard that the tranny casing is a Subaru design (for what that's worth).

 

Commuter

[Guest Legacy777]

bill,

 

Do you have the name or info on the shift kit?

[Guest boybill]

Josh,

www.bulkparts.com/

 

This company sells rebuild kits and also shift kits. The shift kits are made to be installed during a rebuild in order to correct the problems inherent with this transmission. I think the shift kit is actually under the transmisssion name and not subaru.Just look around a bit and im sure you will find it.I remember someone on the BC-BF group mentioning a shift kit that required machining to the valve body to install.I will have to look that up in the archives. BillC

[Guest PaganQWA]

This is a really great post with tons of good info on the 4EAT... maybe it could be put under the Archives? :cool:

[Guest Legacy777]

yeah I think that's a good idea Pagan,

 

Russ....wanna make this a sticky, or keep an eye on it, when it putters out.

[Guest Bagheera85]

So how much work are we talking to do a rebuild on this tranny? Can this be done at home? I have a friend who has rebuilt a manual tranny(or was that 5 trannies for his 500hp RX-7?).. but I hear auto's are a bit trickier...

[Guest Legacy777]

yeah that are trickier......I'd be able to give you some feedback after this summer when i do mine.