Its the transmission!!!
 

So the knocking and ticking I heard is the tranny....:eek:
I don't have the money to fix it, so she'll be parked. I'll have to buy new tires for the Sprint and start driving it again.
Might have to sell her...:(
Right now I'm so bummed I can hardly stand it. I love the car, but other big expenses have taken the funds to do a new tranny.
You guys have been great. I'll post in and let you know what I decide. I'm going to go cry over her now...okay, truth, I'm crying now...

(ya, I'm such a girl! OOPS, woman...)

Cynthia
Mechanic just called back. Found one used tranny in all of BC for $3600.

That seems a bit high? I am sure there are some people on here that can give you advice. I have a feeling you can find one cheaper or its perfect time for a MT swap? Don't get so down, our cars are like a heroin addiction, it has it highs and its lows.

The report is that its the transmission. Could be expensive but may be not so bad. Exactly what did "The Mechanic" tell you? :confused: Do not rely on a single opinion.

Let us know here the exact symptoms and use as many words as necessary.
A knocking, or particularly a ticking noise, could very well be confined to the flex plate which is part of the transmission, but not such big a deal. ;)

Cynthia, I'm really sorry to hear that it appears to be an expensive fix.

That $3600 seems wild high to me. I'm thinking you could have a Subaru reman transmission for about $3000 or maybe less, with better chance of it lasting a while.

Take stock Cyn and don't rush at a solution. The way I view it, if you considered every other nut and bolt in the car to be worth zero, which is not actually the case, then when fixed up the car will be standing you $3000, maybe a little more, maybe a little less. Would your fixed up SVX be worth that much to you?

It would to me I know, and if you think on it a while, you may see things in a better light.

Keep your spirits up.;)


Joe:):)

Also, remember it doesn't HAVE to be an SVX tranny. Impreza & Legacies use the same trannnies up to like '97-98. Just remember to get the rear diff too.

Thanks gang.

I know that things will seem better in a day or two. Its just been a really hard last few months for me personally/ professionally/ financially, and this tipped me over the edge. I love that car. I know that it will be fixed, it just might not be for months...I hope it will be me that fixes her.

I asked about the flex plate, and he said no. That it needs the whole tranny. I'll get more info soon. Also, maybe a second opinion? These mechanics have been great with me and the car so far, and I trust them. They try to do fixes in the best and least expensive way for me. (when every muffler shop and other mechanics said I needed a whole new exhaust, these guys laughed, cut out the part with the crack, and welded in a new pipe for $100. Been quiet ever since. Just an example.)

I'll let you know what they say.

I'd get a second opinion :) Just to be sure.

Cynic, I've got a tranny for you if your diffs are good.


$400, plus wherever we end up with shipping. If you'd like it.

Heck, if you could get the durn thing down here, I'd be happy to put it in. And you'd still be out less than a thousand, esp. with the current exchange rate. :)


-Patrick

The noise is a ticking plus a knocking/thumping as you accelerate or slow down. My son also said he could feel it in the shifter if he held it tightly. Can't hear it at idle or when revving the engine.
Mechanic says its the whole trans-axle/transfer case that needs to be done. Differentials look to be fine.
I asked about a manual swap, and he said they're a pain in the butt to do and don't usually work out well. I may take it to another mechanic I know tomorrow to look at.

A friend of my son's has an STi tranny he'd swap out for us?
I'm going to have to think about all these options. 4.44? manual? reman?:confused:

Patrick, I may take you up on that tranny! <3 You're a prince...

Actually, everyone on this site is wonderful. My mechanic doesn't think going on-line for car advice is smart, and basically said to disregard what I learned on here, but he doesn't know you guys, so I disregarded what HE said.

Feeling (slightly) better already. :o

lol he doesn't deal with SVX on a daily basis does he? I think this community is very knowledgeable and helpful~!

I've got red lights and warning bells going off in my head about this guy now.

Umm, transfer case? I believe he is talking about the front differential

Cynic, if you are so inclined, have yourself or a friend get under that car, or when you take it to the second mechanic, have him drain the front differential fluid. Watch as it comes out. Heck, any 10 minute lube place could do it. If my hunch is right, you are going to have some front differential teeth coming out with it, or a lot of metal shavings. I'm beginning to think your transmission is fine.

If its the differential, you REALLY don't want to buy a tranny for 3000 bucks when a 150 dollar used differential will do.

I don't know that I would trust this guy to do any more work on your SVX, unless its to change out the exaust bearings or blinker fluid.

Lmao >.>~~~

"I don't know that I would trust this guy to do any more work on your SVX, unless its to change out the exhaust bearings or blinker fluid."
I thought that the SVX only had one muffler bearing.:rolleyes: (ask OT)
I did see a boat trailer leaking tail light fluid today at work.:lol: (the weird part was that it has been in the shop for over a week waiting to get the hull welded back together and just now started leaking.?.)

Seriously though, it does sound like a front diff type issue. Have you taken it to a dedicated trans shop? Even a well rounded and honest mechanic isn't a master of transmissions as they aren't typically repaired in most shops that aren't tranny shops. Transmission shops are a specialty area in the auto repair business for a reason. I managed one for a while and now have a different perspective on them. Don't look for the biggest add in the yellow book, just ask around.

p.s. This is the slow time of year for automotive and more than a few places are looking for $$$ wherever they can find it, so I hope good luck finds you and your car.

I'll take it to the tranny shop that worked on it when I first got it. (the tranny was binding, but they fixed it...bad maintenance on previous owner's part)
Then I'll post back and let you know. The guys who looked at it today are pretty good...but as you say, they aren't trans specialists.
Thanks.

front diff isn't so bad to fix but I wouldn't drive on it too long... Does the sound accelerate with speed or with engine rpm??

Tom