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1998 Legacy Wagon Auto tranny question


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I have a Leg with a slipping transmission, when I shift into drive it doesn't want to take off, it spins and doesn't want to go into first, I can put it into drive1 and then it'll go, also only in first there is a bad audible grinding noise, it also clunks when going into 2nd, but shifts fine anything above that

 

my question is, should I not even bother with this transmission and put in the replacement, or is it as simple as a filter/fluid change and I should be good to go?

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have you checked the fluid? changed the fluid? anything come out with the fluid...chunks, debris, etc? is it torque bind? does it ever bind when turning? does the light blink when you first start the car?

 

make sure the noises and grinding aren't driveline related: rear diff, driveshaft, ujoint, axle...etc. don't want to blame an expensive trans on something simple.

 

if all else fails you can have a used trans installed for well under $1,000 if you do a little looking around. it's not too hard to find one around $300 and have it installed for a couple hundred.

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I would go with the fluid change first. I have a 2003 OBW that only has 65000 miles on it, and it was shifting a little rough. The fluid was brownish but not burnt. I drained and refilled with fresh Valvoline ATF, and the shifting improved to perfection. I did a second drain and fill a week later because you only change 40% of the total capacity with each drain. I could not believe the difference in performance...

 

Now, I know your symptoms are worse, but changing the fluid is quick, easy, and cheap. Changing a transmission is not quick, easy, or cheap..

 

Of course do as suggested and check the fluid you drain for gunk, metal shavings, etc. to give you a sense of the overall condition.

 

Matt

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I've checked the fluid but havent changed it, it looked brand new (might have been added by the guy I bought it from) it does bind I guess when I'm turning after first starting it, which light would blink? tranny light? if so then no it doesn't

 

is the fluid drain easy to find? I know where the fliter is but I heard it's a pain to do if you don't have a lift. also can the fluid be drained with the car at an angle?

 

thanks for the help guys

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with no jack you can "prop" the car up on a curb or something if you know what you're doing. it's very easy, but if you slam into the curb at a bad angle and bust the bead on your tire or puncture the sidewall then i don't recommend it. i've done it a zillion times.

 

sounds like you have torque bind so the noises you're hearing are more than likely stresses on your drivetrain (driveshaft, diff, axles, bushings...etc), and not your transmission. although it could be trans or both of course.

 

fluid change can help torque bind and torque bind can also be repaired without removing the trans by replacing the rear extension housing which should be cheaper than replacing the trans.

 

i'd have some kind of screen available to filter the fluid out as you drain it, might find something in it (hope not, but.....)

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are you positive all of your tires match perfectly? no differences in size, wear, etc?

 

the rear extension housing is the very end of the transmission that the driveshaft slides into. it is not the rear diff. it houses the transfer clutches that are likely causing your binding. it is fairly easy to remove from the transmission as an assembly and replace either the clutches or just replace with an entirely new rear extension housing from another auto trans. it's easy as far as auto trans work goes, normally you'd be hard pressed to do much repairing or replacing of internal automatic transmission parts, but this is one item that can be done.

 

if it's been like that for awhile i wouldn't expect a fluid change to help.

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you didn't answer a question: do all the tires match, size, tread wear, etc?

has the car ever been towed?

 

you don't have to remove the transmission or open the case to replace the rear extension housing or just the clutches if you want to do it that way. it's bolted to the back of the trans. there is some excellent information on the boards here, with really good pictures detailing how to do this. use the search button and plug around for appropriate terms.

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you didn't answer a question: do all the tires match, size, tread wear, etc?

has the car ever been towed?

 

you don't have to remove the transmission or open the case to replace the rear extension housing or just the clutches if you want to do it that way. it's bolted to the back of the trans. there is some excellent information on the boards here, with really good pictures detailing how to do this. use the search button and plug around for appropriate terms.

thanks and yes all the tires are the same size and worn the same, I don't know if it's ever been towed

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if you haven't tried this yet, you should; if you have please disregard.

 

put in the FWD fuse ( i don't even remember if it's an a/t) and see if the "grinding" goes away. binding is secondary. grinding is primary. if it always grinds, thewn you probably need a tranny.

 

isolate the grinding first. it has the potential for being more serious. if the grinding goes away with the fuse in, then you look into the binding / clutch pack problem.

 

of course i'm not an expert, just a suby driver.

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I haven't ad a chance (been crazy busy) but I'm planning on trying it today after work, I'm also worried about the slipping, that seems to be about the fluid and not the clutch pack, so I should still have that problem with the 2wd fuse in.

 

now if my solenoid is bad I'll still have binding with the fuse in right?

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well I still have torque bind and a noisy first with it not wanting to shift untill warmed up, so I have the other tranny and I'm just gonna swap them, is there anything that sounds like I might need a rear end too? (I have one already, I just hope it's problem free after I do the tranny)

 

oh nd I knew the dash was replaced so the mileage wasn't accurate but I found a registration in the glove box that said it once had 278,000, so I'm glad I'm in with the subaru community 'cause I'm likely going to need some more parts

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I have a Leg with a slipping transmission, when I shift into drive it doesn't want to take off, it spins and doesn't want to go into first, I can put it into drive1 and then it'll go, also only in first there is a bad audible grinding noise, it also clunks when going into 2nd, but shifts fine anything above that

 

my question is, should I not even bother with this transmission and put in the replacement, or is it as simple as a filter/fluid change and I should be good to go?

I hate to say this, but i haven't given bad news in a while.

 

You're doomed.

 

The delay between r/d or P/d is due to a front pump or internal seals going bad. The whine is the front pump going bad. The reason it goes when you put it in 1st manually is that all the available pressure is going directly to the 1st gear circuit instead of being shared by other circuits. Also this locks out the A solenoid by allowing it to be fully open. The A controls line pressure, which is what your lacking. The clunk is most likely a bad over running clutch.

 

nipper

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yeah I have a replacement tranny, it'll be in next week, btw I paid $1000 for the car and $200 for the tranny so I have some room left to put into this car

 

nipper, is all of that going to be remedied with the replacement tranny? is all of that located in the new tranny?

 

and would any of those symptoms have anything to do with the rear end? (which I have another of, I just need to know if all will be clear after the new tranny, or if I should expect to switch that out too)

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yeah I have a replacement tranny, it'll be in next week, btw I paid $1000 for the car and $200 for the tranny so I have some room left to put into this car

 

nipper, is all of that going to be remedied with the replacement tranny? is all of that located in the new tranny?

 

and would any of those symptoms have anything to do with the rear end? (which I have another of, I just need to know if all will be clear after the new tranny, or if I should expect to switch that out too)

\\

 

All those problems are inside the tranny, assuming the replacement tranny is good, yes it should remedy the problems.

 

nipper

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since nipper says it's line pressure problems. there are a few things that can cause fluid line pressure or flow problems that are easy to check/fix: old or clogged radiator (clog in the ATF side tank), kink or bad ATF hoses, dented transmission pan. the whine sounds like issues are beginning but could be lack of flow to the trans (which won't cause desirable things to happen!).

 

very unlikely you have rear diff issues. but even if you did they are super duper easy to replace (unlike the trans).

 

if you're doing it yourself or want to offer good advice to your mechanic make absolutely darn sure that the torque converter is properly seated the last 1/4" before installling and bolting everything up. the torque converter apperas to be seated before it gets that last 1/4", so if you don't know it's easy to assume it's in all the way. that last 1/4" can be very tricky, it can take awhile to seat, which makes people think it's in all the way. not doing this will ruin your new transmission as soon as the engine to trans bolts are tightened.

 

might want to install new hoses and an aftermarket cooler or new radiator so you're ATF cooling is back up to spec's and nothing causes issue there.

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