Here's the info on my new car. I got a 96 outback with a blown HG. Replaced the HG and had the heads reworked. Engine runs like a top, but the tranny shifts hard and sometimes doesn't come down from overdrive easily. It seems slow to go into overdrive also. If you put on the A/C the problem gets worse. I was thinking of replacing the tranny with a JDM, but I want to get everyones opinion first. Maybe there is something else I should look at first. The car has 243,000 miles on the original drivetrain. Body and interior wize it is in great shape with no rust. My wife like it, but is complaining about the power issues, which I think are tranny related.

 

Help me out here, I want my wife to be happy and feel safe in this car. It was a cheap purchase at 500.00 so putting some money into it isn't an issue. I just want to spend the money wizely.

 

Thanks Guys. You are always so helpful.

Is the ATF fresh and clean and the proper level? Does it have torque bind at all? If the AT thinks it has detected slippage of its clutches it will raise the line pressure to try to stop the slipping but it also makes the shifts hard.

I'm wondering about torque bind. The fluid is new and just had the tranny flushed last week. How can I check for torque bind? The present tires are all matched, but I don't know the history of the car.

One torque bind check is get into a dry parking lot and make sharp turns/circles/figure 8's in forward in reverse. The vehicle should make the turns with little or no throttle. If it stops, feels like the brakes are on, binds, pops, etc., then it might have torque bind.

 

Of course all tires should be measured with a narrow tape measure around their circumference to see that they are within 1/4" circumference.

I'm wondering about torque bind. The fluid is new and just had the tranny flushed last week. How can I check for torque bind? The present tires are all matched, but I don't know the history of the car.

 

i doubt this is your problem but...double check the trans part number lable on the bell housing at the starter. (TZ102Z....) make sure it matches the id tag on the driver side shock tower.

 

i swapped a 96 leg wagon A/T & TCU into a 95 leg sedan and it shifted funny. i put the original 95 TCU back in (with the 96 trans) and all is well.