Ok, after all the crap I went through to get the turbo wagon on the road again, it started leaking pretty bad from the transmission front seal. So, I'm going to keep dumping the oil in and collecting parts to put a 5speed in it until I'm ready. The EA82T actually seems pretty healthy, it seems to have gotten new head gaskets within the last couple years, burns no oil, no cooling system problems, and generally runs ten times better than I ever expected, so no EJ swap plans just yet, unless someone sells me a running wrecked Legacy.........

My intention is to put either a single or dual-range 5speed in, but there are a few questions:

Can I yank the 3.70 gearset out of this 4EAT and drop it into a manual case, or do I have to swap the rear out to match? How do I work around the transmission computer, do I just kinda pull that harness and bypass the neutral switch so it'll start?

AFAIK, the automatic and manual internal components are not interchangeable. So, it depends on what final ratio you want to have in the end (so to speak...). Any manual tranny from a turbo car will have the 3.70 diff, and any non-turbo car can give you the 3.9 tranny and rear diff. BTW, the front seal on the 4EAT is easily replaced (with engine removed) and relatively inexpensive. Plus, the 4EAT can give the turbo wagon some really good cruise economy because of the low-numeric high gear and the lock-up TC.

Hmmm, so I'd basically have to find a GL10 or RX 5speed, maybe even a parts car so I have the stuff I need. This is basically a family highway car, I drive it to work some of the time and my wife uses it for grocery runs, doctor appointments, etc.

I did, in the beginning, decide that the first component removed would be the first one upgraded. I do think the inner output shell or shaft got a little bit of a bend to it when this thing came apart as well, since it does have a rhythmic vibration at highway speeds. I do need to replace the rear output sensor, since it got cracked and rubs the outer output shell. Subaru wants something like $360 for this stupid little thing, the whole 5speed conversion would be cheaper.

 

Any thoughts on the computer?

Any thoughts on the computer?

 

there's only a few things to wire on the 5speed - backup lights, 4wd indicator, neutral switch and clutch switch if applicable but that one's gonna be on the clutch pedal assembly, obviously. you can look up which wires in the a/t harness to splice into for these things then leave the others in the tcm connectors and just remove the tcm.

 

if you go with a s/r or d/r 5speed, you'll want to add some kind of 4wd indicator lighting to your dash. if you get an rx trans, you have to rig the diff lock stuff.