FirstSubaruGLwagon Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 OK,,, here the deal.... I just bought my first subee for $175. it has 188K on the odometer. In the morning the tranny won't engage in Drive or 1st only in 2nd. I have to travel down the road about half a mile befor it will began to shift properly. Then it works fine all day:confused:. I replaced the Transmission Modulator Valve- no effect. I cleaned and inspected the Govenor valve and Gear, the gear is metal and fine and the valve moves smothy.- no effect. Needless to say I checked all tranny and case fluids. Any sugestions or Ideas? Is it toast? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstSubaruGLwagon Posted June 2, 2005 Author Share Posted June 2, 2005 OK,,, considering the wagon is "Poop brown" wich is good because it hides the rust,,,,, and the considering the milage,,, and the fact it need struts,,. Should I sale it? or would it be best to bbuy a new tranny? is should it be manual or auto??? thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brumby Boy Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 What color is the auto fluid?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyromanic Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 OK,,, considering the wagon is "Poop brown" wich is good because it hides the rust,,,,, and the considering the milage,,, and the fact it need struts,,. Should I sale it? or would it be best to bbuy a new tranny? is should it be manual or auto??? thanks. The answer to your question depends on a few things. How attached to the idea of having a Soob are you for example. Also your level of skill, determination and guts. Youve been asked what color the fluid is. Also does it smell burnt is good to know. Either way, really, I would change the fluid if you havn't. If you have the determination, time, and place to work, you might consider doing a swap to 5 sp manual. I did it with my 85, took me a few days, but then I'm disabled. Fellers of normal health do it in a couple, once they have all the parts and pieces lined up. If you consider a swap, 5sp man's can be had at junkyards for maybe 75 or 100 bucks. But thats always a gamble. CCR sells reman ones for 550, which is how I would go. I guess it all depends on how much you want one of these cars. Remember that many feel that the auto trans in theses cars are not worthy of repair. Opinions will vary. When I bought my 85 with auto, I went through the exact same thing. Checked the same issues you did, then tore it out and threw it away. I love my 5 sp dual range. Lifted the front with a byb 3 inch yesterday. Will try to finish the rear today. Owning and driving a 20 year old car is kind of a hobby. Or maybe a lifstyle would be a better way to put it. Kind of like old Harley Davidsons. It would be way cheaper and less time consuming to ride rice, but no where near as much fun! Good luck! Pyro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstSubaruGLwagon Posted June 3, 2005 Author Share Posted June 3, 2005 The trans oil is nice and Red I just changed it. The gear case oil is kinda pink and clear. ( possible seal leak?) Thanks for the sugestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainkettel Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Have you tried to adjust the transmission? On the drivers side near the back of the transmission there is a lock nut (17mm) and small square stud that is used to adjust the transmission for high gear. You loosen the lock nut and turn the square head in a quarter turn at a time. Too much and you will create wear on the band. That's what your doing is adjusting the band. You can find how to do this in a Subaru factory manual. Haynes said to take it to the dealer, ya right! Find a factory manual and check it out. Might help before you go and change out that tranny...Good luck... The trans oil is nice and Red I just changed it.The gear case oil is kinda pink and clear. ( possible seal leak?) Thanks for the sugestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstSubaruGLwagon Posted June 9, 2005 Author Share Posted June 9, 2005 Thanks for that sugestion! I just stumbled accross that adjustment. "band break adjustment" in a chiltons service manual. I am going to try that tomarrow. Will let you know what happens. Thanks:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstSubaruGLwagon Posted June 13, 2005 Author Share Posted June 13, 2005 Thanks for that sugestion! I just stumbled accross that adjustment. "band break adjustment" in a chiltons service manual. I am going to try that tomarrow. Will let you know what happens.Thanks:) Well, I tried the band break adjustment, as directed in the book, with no effect So,,, here is the current solution,,,, A. start car let it warm up for 10 minutes.. or B. start off in 2nd and shift to "D" about 1/4 mile down the road. something deep down inside is saying "sticking tranny valve" O well, learning to live with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 If you felt comfortable completely disassembling the governor valve (you DID completely disassemble it, right? All of the sliding parts have to move with no resistance, "like butter"), then you might want to consider removing, disassembling, and cleaning the tranny's valve body. This is not a difficult task, just somewhat annoying. Drain fluid, remove vacuum modulator and adjacent solenoid, remove fluid pan, remove 2 transfer tubes, and undo the valve body bolts. Put the unit on the bench and carefully disassemble. Be prepared for ball bearings, springs and such. There are 3 check valves (spring with ball or cap) between the 2 body halves, but everything else is under the bolted plates on the sides of the body. Make sure that you have a replacement fluid pan gasket. These trannies do not use a filter, just a screen, so if you can get a gasket cheaper than a kit, go for it. Good luck. I have "fixed" several 3ATs just by cleaning things up and getting fresh fluid in them. BTW, draining the fluid only removes about half of the fluid, so to do things right you either need to drain-and-replace several times (cheap way) or get an ATF flush at an oil changer (expensive way). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstSubaruGLwagon Posted June 14, 2005 Author Share Posted June 14, 2005 Humm,,, Sounds messy.,,, I just might do that! One of the disadvantages to living on the coast is ,sand, sand , sand ,sand ! I dispise having to do any work under the car even with a mat down, that darn sand some how finds its way into everything. so a tranny dissasembly is one of those things where you must have a shop around to work in around here.( down here we like to pack a little sand in with the bearing grease to give it that extra silica lubrication) :-p Thanks again to everyone for there helpful and experianced sugestions! Im also still tring to find a way of sidesteping the insainly high price for struts for my little wagon. my 175 dollar deal is turing into a 500 dollor car. well, at least the seats are in really good shape;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstSubaruGLwagon Posted June 14, 2005 Author Share Posted June 14, 2005 OH,,, and did I mention,, the clock actualy works!!:-p $175 LCD clock, good deal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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