Twitch de la Brat Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 I have a1990 legacy that has some transmission issues. I basically rebuilt the top end of the engine about 1 year ago. After I put the engine back in the tranny decided to stop functioning after probably 50 miles or so. I took it to an "expert" subaru mechanic and he told me I needed a new tranny. This is the same mechanic that told me to replace my head gaskets or get a new engine. I replaced my head gaskets and later came to find out that I had a bad fuel injector, not a blown head gasket. So I went there again since they were the only subie shop that I knew of. they told me to replace my tranny. So I brought it home and started twiddling with it because I know that transmissions don't go bad out overnight. I did the standard fluid check and found that I was low on tranny fluid and it had air bubbles. I filled it once, twice, three times and, ect. I kept putting more and more tranny fluid in and it kept saying it was low until after who knows how many times I filled it. Then I could drive it around without slippage or anything bad happening. I was just about to leave to get the plates transfered off my brat to it this morning when out of the blue, it quit working. So, anybody have any suggestions or clues on what I could do to get it to work again and hopefully permanently this time? Thanks, Twitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Are you leaking fluid anywhere? Back when transmissions had vacume modulators its possible to burn tranny fluid. Now that is no longer the case. Also trannies do NOT like to run low on fluid. How is your fluid level and what condition is it in? nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtdash Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Hmm, I know the shop that you're referring to and this isn't the 1st misdiagnosed issue I've heard/read about. Does the Power light flash w/the key on? Here's how to read and pull the Trans error codes: http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/trans.html You'll be looking for 'previous problems'. Are you sure the torque converter was properly seated? It's a pain to get back in just right. There are posts here about doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch de la Brat Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 To answer the first question, my fluid is fine and there is no burnt smell coming from it. But for some reason I can never get the same reading twice. Its either way over or on the low side. Its very weird, I've never had this happen to me before, but the last time I checked it, it was normal. As for the second question yes the power light turns on when I start the engine. It flashes 5 or 6 times. The torque converter was a pain, but I'm pretty sure that I seated the torque converter properly. I had to do it a couple times for the engine sit flush with the tranny case. Does anybody have any ideas on electronics? Because most of the time the only time that something is intermittent is if its electrical, and it has been happening off and on since I put the engine back in. Any plugs that I may have smashed or had come loose on me? Thanks you so much for all of your assistance. I am in need of my Subaru asap because if you have seen the news here in the northwest that we have well over 2 ft of snow. AWD is so incredibly nice in the snow, ya know? Thanks again, Twitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtdash Posted December 19, 2008 Share Posted December 19, 2008 So....did you pull the codes? If you want 'electronics' info that's my 1st suggestion. Takes 5 minutes and you don't have to drive the car. Big snow, indeed!! 30 inches in my front yard in the last 18 hours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaingoatgruff Posted December 19, 2008 Share Posted December 19, 2008 (edited) ...for some reason I can never get the same reading twice. Its either way over or on the low side... i'd recommend that you keep checking the fluid level until you get the same reading over and over. if your readings vary its because they're not properly performed or inaccurate for some other reason. like nipper said, 4EAT's are little sissies about fluid level and i've noticed mine is picky about fluid quality even among new fluids by brands. it hates walmart's supertech atf with a passion but loves valvoline's dexron IV. as far as the torque converter is concerned, if it doesn't turn freely AFTER the engine and trans are all bolted together, its not in far enough. its that simple. any pressure between the flexplate and tq converter while installing is bad, mmkay? i've noticed that it helps to throw a rag over the splines of the input shaft (to prevent damage) and wiggle the sucker around with channel locks or something while pushing back (don't go overboard). if the input shaft isn't seated the tc will never seat. the tip of the input shaft should be about a 1/4" behind the trans mating surface and the tc's flexplate mating surfaces should be about 3/16" - 1/4" in front of the trans mating surface. 5/16" out is where mine develops pressure. ...and pull your tcm codes! Edited December 19, 2008 by mountaingoatgruff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch de la Brat Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 OK, sorry for the long time no reply, was working on the (insert expletive) car. I pulled the codes, or tried to pull codes anyway. I went through the gears like suggested and couldn't get anything. The power light was on through every gear. Does that mean anything? I looked it up on nipper's site but couldn't get any answers on whether or not that meant anything. Any answers from you guys? I've had the same result every time that try it. I'm almost to the point of parting the stupid thing out, but my attachment to it won't let me. Grrrr... It won't move!!! Help! I feel like I'm !!! Oh, btw its a 1990 subaru legacy with 280k+ miles with an engine replacement at 130k and and a rebuilt tranny at 150k. Not to mention my recent engine rebuild. Otherwise no history known. I replaced my alternator cuz when I bought it, the warning lights flickered on the dash. New alternator fixed that. Could that have any way affected my tranny? Any other questions please, please ask!!! I'll give any answer if you'll give me answer that helps!!! Thanks for all the patience, Twitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaingoatgruff Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 a 90 legacy should have the manual mode button right below the shifter release button, correct? otherwise its a 1-hold button somewhere on the shifter. either way, there's a button on the shifter besides the one you use to release the knob while shifting and that's the one you switch on and off to flash codes. to flash the current codes: 1. put the car in D with the engine off and push the manual button. put the ignition switch to the on position without starting the engine. verify that the "POWER" light and "MANUAL" light are both on. if they're not both on, check the bulbs. if they're both on proceed. 2. leaving the key in the on position, move the shifter to 3 then turn off the manual button. 3. move the shifter to 2 then turn the manual button back on. the "MANUAL" light should come on again, the "POWER" light should be on still. 4. move the shifter to 1 then turn the manual button back off. press the gass pedal half way down. the "POWER" light, which should have been on this whole time, should either flash quickly and constantly showing no codes to be read or it will flash a code with the long flashes representing the first digit and the short flashes being the second digit. to flash stored codes you follow the same procedure except you start with the shifter in 1 for the first step and end in D. i know wtdash provided a link for instructions but sometimes a different wording can show me what i did wrong. you only need to read the codes if theres codes to be read. the "POWER" light should come on when you start the car and go out a few seconds after that in normal operation. if it blinks 16 times after starting, there's an electrical fault in the a/t control system and a code in there waiting to be read. hope this helps nate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 don't feel bad, the only car i tried to flash transmission codes on a few times and i could never get it to work either. it's a totally stupid set up and i think it's hit or miss. the fluid level is fine now? what happens when you start the car and put it in gear? nothing? does it try to do anything? TRY THIS - unplug the transmission completely, the main harness by the engine harness, unplug it. the trans should work. that will default the trans to completely manual mode, thereby ruling out all electronics. it will be in 3rd gear only at all times (no matter what gear the shifter is in) and the 4WD will be "locked", so this is only a test mode. although i've done this before and powered the duty C so i could control the 4WD..and run it either FWD or 4WD with the trans in 3rd gear all the time. actually i drove a car like this all last year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch de la Brat Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 OK sorry for taking so long to reply, I've been busy trying to keep dug out. I ran my codes and nothing. I tried unplugging the tranny and the car wouldn't start or let me put it in park. It killed it when I did unplug it. I hope I was unplugging the tranny. I'm not sure which plugs they are. Anybody got some pics I could see? Just to make sure I've got the right ones. I've done everything suggested and still, this piece of crap won't go very far! I got it to go about 50 backwards in my driveway but that's it. Every once in while I can get it to move a little bit but when I got about 3-5 feet, the tranny cuts out. Any other help? And thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! I can't tell you much help you guys have been! You guys help so much more than those stupid chilton/haynes books. Thank you! ---------------- Now playing: Because-Of-You via FoxyTunes Twitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Have you checked the front diff fluid level? May be the seal between the diff and tranny is toast and the ATF is migrating to the diff. Did you pull the engine to do the head gaskets? If so maybe the torque converter was not seated and the hydraulic pump is now knackered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch de la Brat Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 Will check the diff level. That's the dipstick on the passenger side of the engine compartment, right? I'll see if that has an atf smell or looks like it has been contaminated. I recently went through and changed the fluids, so i know exactly what's in it. And yes, yes, yes, I made sure the torque converter was seated properly. Because the thing still goes into gear on occasion, and stays in gear all the way up to as fast as I have gone. I cranked that thing up to 60 and never slipped the whole time. I turned it off and parked it for quite literally 5 minutes, and it refused to go into gear after that. ---------------- Now playing: HotNCold via FoxyTunes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 That's the dipstick on the passenger side of the engine compartment, right? ?? I recently went through and changed the fluids Ah sir, I do not want to sound presumptuous but the only way I know to add fluid to the front diff is through the dip stick hole. Since you recently changed the fluid you should know where it is. The ATF in the tranny may smell of gear oil if this is happening. If you find the fluid level is good (very hard to get an accurate reading sometimes).... Some folks here say "Trans X" works wonders on low pressure from the hydraulic pump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch de la Brat Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 OK, well I had put some "Bar's Transmission repair" in it when it started to work but I haven't tried anything else yet. And this morning it is almost double the cold level, but that all changes when I let it run for while and try to get it to go somewhere. Then after warming up and putting it into gear, it drops to regular or below the recommended amount. WTF!!! And my diff fluid smells like 85-W95. No sign of any tranny fluid whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 sorry mate, but it sounds like the pump is toast I'll take it the ATF does not smell like gear oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch de la Brat Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 No oil scent in the tranny fluid. Ewwwww!!! Thanks, but I hope your aren't right, no offense. I just really, really don't want to have to do a tranny swap. Or even have the ____ing thing fixed. "Sigh" $#!+ !!! Anybody want to a legacy? JK. ---------------- Now playing: I-Kissed-a-Girl via FoxyTunes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch de la Brat Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 OK, I've heard that sometimes the tranny fluid will plug up in between the radiator and the tranny. I've also heard that the solution to this is to put a fuel filter on somewhere on the input line to the tranny cooler. Could this be what is afflicting me? Cuz my car sat for about 6 months while I weekended my engine apart and back together, and it may very well have let some sediment settle in the tranny. On the same note, would the fuel filter idea work? If not permanently, just to get the silt and sediment out? Thanks again for the help, Twitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 OK, I've heard that sometimes the tranny fluid will plug up in between the radiator and the tranny. I've also heard that the solution to this is to put a fuel filter on somewhere on the input line to the tranny cooler. Could this be what is afflicting me? Cuz my car sat for about 6 months while I weekended my engine apart and back together, and it may very well have let some sediment settle in the tranny. On the same note, would the fuel filter idea work? If not permanently, just to get the silt and sediment out? Thanks again for the help, Twitch Thats an SVX, a completly different animal. Also its not a fuel filter but an in line tranny filter. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboobaroo Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 You say the fluid level keeps being innacurate. IF you're checking it like you're supposed to, the car should be running and in PARK (or neutral but I forget) and at operating temperature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch de la Brat Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 DOH! I was shutting off the engine before checking it. That would explain the erratic fluid levels, but what about the fact that it won't go! Sorry, still a little sore about having to drive my dad's pos chevy corsica. The thing rattles worse than my brat, and has a leaking head gasket and to top it all off, its an auto. It doesn't get much worse than that car. And thank you so very much everyone! And thank you caboobaru for the reminder to keep the car running. Twitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch de la Brat Posted February 14, 2009 Author Share Posted February 14, 2009 Ok, well its reading well over now. I'm going to drain out some of the tranny fluid until it hits the proper level. And I tried to unplug the tranny control harness, it didn't work. It just made it not move out of gear. :frustrated: Any other Ideas? Thanks again to all ya'll for the help. Oh and bump. Twitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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