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  #16  
Old 11-10-2011, 12:56 AM
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Re: So I want to buy an SVX but...

Yes, a manual box is a good upgrade, but more to be done and more costly. Agreed.

Joe
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  #17  
Old 11-10-2011, 01:05 AM
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Re: So I want to buy an SVX but...

Quote:
Originally Posted by svxistentialist View Post
I forgot one thing, one important thing jetboy.

If the car you are considering buying has a black roof, it is of the older phase one variety, no matter what the year of first registration may say.

As you mention, sometimes they were in showrooms a long time before first registration.

If you purchase a car that is all one colour then that car is a phase two car.

Phase two cars will have the different [EOBD?] diagnostic plugs and may not lend themselves to chip tuning, but remember what I said about the 4.444 grearbox. That is the cheapest way of quickening up the car so you will notice the difference in performance.

Joe
Wow, thanks for your answers. In particular I wasn't aware of the Forester transmission, that one hasn't popped up during my search yet.

Icing, apparently they came with designations like CXW etc.. which supposedly says what's fitted. It seems to me that most sellers, or at least adverts, are not really stating everything about the specs. However, I'll call Subaru and hear them out how to ID the unit (we probably have some VIN equivalent here) and check what it is actually.

Just keep it coming folks and thanks so far.
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  #18  
Old 11-10-2011, 07:06 PM
Lookin4SVX Lookin4SVX is offline
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Re: So I want to buy an SVX but...

Quote:
Originally Posted by jetboy View Post
Will a small chip-tune like ECUTune actually notably improve performance or is it just one out of many things that must be done?
Quote:
Originally Posted by icingdeath88 View Post
It will make a noticeable, but slight, improvement.
My 92 is stock except for EcuTune Stage 1v5 & Small Car Quick Shift kit.
When it comes to passing people on the highway, it does its job very well.


Quote:
Because you mention chip tuning I can only assume you are a Subaru person and would like to improve the performance. I can tell you here and now that the most cost effective way of improving how the SVX goes and feels would be to fit a Forester auto gearbox and rear differential. These are low final drive, generally 4.444 and will allow the car to accelerate as you would expect from the horsepower.
Here is a video of an SVX with tranny swap doing 55-100mph.

I thought it be faster...why does it seem to be 3 secs slower than my stock tranny?
It shifts out of second @ redline at 67mph?? So you never see 2nd gear on a 65mph highway in a 4.44???
I really enjoy that drop to second in my svx when passing people on the highway..
Can someone with a 4.44 clear up my confusion. Is 3rd really that slow to pull or does the guy in the video have slow svx??

Last edited by Lookin4SVX; 05-19-2012 at 10:22 PM.
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  #19  
Old 11-11-2011, 07:35 AM
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Re: So I want to buy an SVX but...

Let's return to retrofitting passenger side airbag. There is all of a sudden a fairly OK deal locally! It's been at it for 208.000km and if it's really well kept (all exterior and interior looked nice) it might be worth it. But of course, it's 1992 and no passanger side airbag.

Do you know anyone who did it, are there any links or can you imagine straight away what has to be done? Is it "just" a matter of sacrificing glove compartment room?

Yes, I know you warned me but was that a technical or financial warning?

Last edited by jetboy; 11-11-2011 at 08:29 AM.
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  #20  
Old 11-14-2011, 06:28 AM
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Re: So I want to buy an SVX but...

Ok, no love for retrofitting

How about this part from Wikipedia:

"he first system, called ACT-4 (active torque split) by Subaru, was the same setup commonly found on other Subaru models of the period, and used a variable clutch pack center differential using a 90/10 power split ratio front to rear, which could transfer up to a 50/50 power split ratio for maximum traction if the front wheels started to slip. This AWD system was offered throughout the entire production run, and was used in vehicles manufactured for sale in the US, Canada, Germany, France and Switzerland. A sportier continuous traction delivery system, called VTD (variable torque distribution) by Subaru, was used in vehicles for sale in Japan, the UK, the Benelux region, Sweden, Australia, Spain, Austria and Brazil. The VTD AWD system is a permanent AWD due to its 36/64 split.[7]"

Since I'm in Europe I can probably shop around for desirables. Any thoughts about pros and cons on the AWD-subsystem? Apparently VTD sounds better but I only think that because it's "sportier". I understand this system has a rear wheel drive bias?

Any thoughts about what provides better traction?
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  #21  
Old 11-14-2011, 09:43 AM
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Re: So I want to buy an SVX but...

The VTD type are better. The only advantage the ACT-4 system would have is gas mileage.
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  #22  
Old 11-14-2011, 12:24 PM
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Re: So I want to buy an SVX but...

So what do we have with the 5/6 speed std . tranny 50/50 or 90/10 ? 90% being front until slip I would think .
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  #23  
Old 11-14-2011, 12:39 PM
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Re: So I want to buy an SVX but...

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Originally Posted by Conn SVX View Post
So what do we have with the 5/6 speed std . tranny 50/50 or 90/10 ? 90% being front until slip I would think .
The 5-speeds are 50:50. The non-DCCD 6-speeds (like what I've got) I'm about 90% sure are 50:50, while the DCCD ones are varying degrees of rear-biased depending on year and market. I think they range from 45:55 to 35:65.

The 5-speeds like yours have a viscous limited slip center differential. They are 50:50 until one or a pair of wheels slips and then the limited slips steps in and locks things up to control the slip. There's no fancy electronics to do any of the locking up, purely mechanical. In fact, the only electronic things on the 5-speed in an SVX would be the speed sensor and the reverse light switch.
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'94 Laguna Blue LSi ~159k.......JDM ultra short-geared 3.900 STi Version 7 6-speed w/ Cobb shortshifter, ECUtune 244,8.1mm/256,9.1mm i/e cams, group N motor mounts, '97 grille, JDM clear corners, Momo JDM Legacy GT steering wheel, apkarian's LED tails, silver STi BBS wheels, PWR radiator, redstuff pads f/r, drilled/slotted rotors, bontragerworks rsb #18, Koni/GC 450f/375r coilovers, Megan Racing adjustable lateral links, KMac c/c plates, Stebro exhaust, ECUtune 1v5, Optima battery in the trunk where it belongs. Turbo project

'97 Ebony LSi ~137k #036.......Power mode mod, JDM clear corners, BBS wheels. AUX/pocket mod

Now a mod "over there" ............Photo album
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  #24  
Old 11-14-2011, 02:34 PM
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Re: So I want to buy an SVX but...

Subaru source said all euro cars were VTD but Wikipedia says otherwise. Will be interesting to see as we get chassis numbers and start hunting for specs.
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  #25  
Old 11-20-2011, 06:42 AM
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Re: So I want to buy an SVX but...

There's actually one locally and I went to see it today. As expected, girlfriend hated it and I loved it.

Backseat was not as roomy as I had imagined, need to find a suitable child seat for smaller children, anyone here ever used one?

No passenger side airbag, so I won't buy this unit.
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