First SVX, Trans cooler + other Q's
 

Hello,

I recently bought my first SVX.

Its a 1992 Pearl AWD from Canada - and remains in Canada as i live here ;)

Overall she seems to be in excellent condition, aside from some clearcoat peeling and the usual quarter rust. But don't worry shes gettin complete paint in the next few weeks.

Mechanically its got 126 xxx KMS (78 xxx miles) on everything original. Technically im the third owner, but the second only drove it for 200 kilometers, and before that an older couple were the original owners.

Im going through the process of changing ALL the fluids. engine oil, ATF, Diff's etc. One question about changing the tranny fluid.

Since I have a 1992 is there any filter upgrades or parts I should install? Or simply chage the fluid? I know i read somehwere the 94+ have different filters or something along those lines.

Second would be, after paint I'm looking at getting a trans cooler. I have read it is a good idea, but I am wondering what the best kind is. My local Trany shop highly recomended a self regulating cooler - this exact one herehttp://www.importperformancetrans.com/coolers.shtml

Is this one relativly decent? I've never dealt with transmission coolers and am by far no expert but these seem to be prety decent and make sense - It will be winter soon so I dont need the tranny cooled at start up when it is 0-10F outside, but once she heats up the self regulator should kick in.

Any ideas thoughts? Any other quick general maintanance recomendations are also appreciated.

Thanks,
Rob

Filter -- Look on the frame rail, under the battery, you'll see a black cylindrical object with two hoses coming out of it, that is the added-on external tranny filter. If it's there, get a new one from the dealership (They are not all that expensive), if it's not there, get the retrofit kit from the dealership (Not much more, includes hoses & mounting bracket). I am pretty sure that the tranny has an internal filter as well but I am not certain since I never took the pan off mine to check. While you're at the dealership grab an OEM engine oil filter (Part # is xxxxxAA030 or xxxxAA031 (if they have the newer filters) it's the same filter as the Outback and Tribeca H6, and grab a couple of drain plug gaskets, you'll need one for the engine, one for the tranny (same as the engine), and get one for the front diffy if you are going to change the front diff fluid as well.

As for cooling, you don't need anything super extreme, since in the winter it will keep the fluid from warming up and it won't go into overdrive. Best thing to do is get a decent sized cooler, and plumb it inline with the stock cooler, that way the coolant will warm up the fluid, but the additional cooler will keep it from getting too hot. (In other words, you don't need a truck-sized tranny cooler)

get a purolator oil filter for the porch i can't think what model now but its in the how to docs somewhere its a lot bigger than the stock filter by 30%