flywheel and tranny--HELP!
 

Help...........

First some history:
I have owned my SVX a couple of months now. Unfortunately a few weeks after my purchase I accepted the fact that my tranny was on the way out. I was experiencing the first symptoms of tranny failure, like a delay between 2nd and 3rd gear. After much research, I convinced myself that perhaps I could just put off the tranny replacement until absolutly nessesary. I'm thinking maybe I can get 5 to 10,000 more miles out of this one. A thousand miles later so far so good. It is a bit thunky and the transfer clutches bind occasionally. But I just kept driving it.

But then....................

A few weeks ago my engine started ticking a bit, and it gotten progresively worse after each week went by. I checked the oil, it was fine. O also spoke to people at the NE SVX meet, earier this month. Didn't seem like a big deal. Put some thicker oil in it was somebodys solution to my problem.
Anyway, this ticking has gotten louder, and now a new noise has developed. It sounds like a heat shield or exhaust vibration. It makes this noise when starting the engine or when revving past 3000 rpms. ( the noise continues up to 6 or 7 thousand, maybe higher?)

I brought the car to my local mechanic. (He is a subaru guy, but seems a bit intimadated by the SVX.) We listened and listened and looked and listened, put it up on the lift and listened some more. It seemed to us that the noise was coming from the flywheel. Perhaps it is cracked?

Thanks for reading all this, here are my questions:

Could have putting off the transmission replacement created this new problem with the flywheel?

If I have the flywheel replaced (and not the tranny) could it just crack again?

Should I bite the bullit and have a remanufactured tranny put in and have the flywheel replaces while I am at it?

Ouch!!! I really didn't won't to spend this king of money right now.

Thanks
Ken

http://macsdeli.com

Well, first of all, I doubt very much that your noise continues past 7000RPM. I don't know whether the rev limiter cuts the engine at 6500 or 7000, but it's one of the two. Mine shifts at 6500 at WOT.

I doubt very much that your transmission issues caused damage to your flywheel, but then I can't very well explain why I think that. My wife's Legacy has a very, very long 2-3 shift (especially in the cold) - it has since we picked it up last summer. It has not gotten better or worse, it just stays the same with no sign of giving out permanently.

It's highly doubtful that it will fix itself - I have yet to see that happen on any car. Eventually the transmission and/or the flexplate will leave you high and dry. As long as you are willing to accept the consequences of your decision all you have to do is pray it doesn't happen on a bridge or while straddling railroad tracks. Or when you're on your way home to meet Ed McMahon on the doorstep, to collect that big check... :)

Thanks Beav and Pockets for the reply,

At this point, I think I will get the flywheel replaced and keep driving with the existing tranny.

Ken

If anyone else has an opinion on this, please post!!