Shifting/transmission problem

Brian · #1 05-13-2006, 09:41 AM

Yesterday, I started my SVX, and tried putting it in reverse, put it didn't want to catch right away. I had to try several times to get it to engage. The same thing happened when I put it in drive. Throughout the day, this would continue everytime I started out from park. It behaves as if in neutral and eventually engages, after several attempts, without a click or any sort of indication. Giving it gas very slowly seems to help it engage more easily. Starting out on a hill, I have to hold the break in while giving it gas until it eventually engages (kind of like a manual transmission). It only got worse as the day went on. When I was first starting out, I found that it sometimes delayed going into the next gear, but once I got going, it didn't seem to do much of that. A mechanic suggested I try some transmission conditioner, but it didn't do any good. I'm not going to drive it until I can take it to a shop after the weekend.

Is this an indication that my transmission is already shot? Could it just need a long over-due change of tranny fluid (it looks full and smells like it always did to me.) and filter? (Well, filters: I had a cooler and aftermarket filter intalled after I bought the car.) A friend of mine had a problem with his Trans-Am, where the shifter became inopperative because the device that grabs the cable controlling gear-change went bad. (The transmission was fine, but the grasper was bad.) Could that be my problem? Even if the SVX has a similar set-up, I'm guessing that my occassional delay going to the next gear when in motion indicates otherwise.

This is so frustrating, because I only had my car back for a little over a week after it had been in the shop for several weeks...and just 2 days after I'd finally had a very annoying, long-time exhaust leak fixed!

DarknessofDeath · #2 05-13-2006, 12:53 PM

i think your tranny is shot.
i went to test out a SVX and...it was tight like a MF

just to change from P to R. i put it back in park and left telling them that the tranny is dead.

Brian · #3 05-13-2006, 07:06 PM

Maybe, but mine seems more "loose" than "tight". I have no problem disengaging from park, moving the shifter, or putting it back in park. But the car acts like I've put it in neutral instead of drive or reverse (or 1, 2 ,or 3) - at least until it finally engages.

intelisevil · #4 05-14-2006, 09:02 AM

It sort of sounds like a low fluid problem, a fluid change would be a good place to start.

Drain and refill, don't get a transmission power flush. A few members have lost trannies after a power flush due to pieces of crud being dislodged, then blocking some of the smaller passages.

Good Luck,
Dan

Brian · #5 05-15-2006, 07:10 AM

It's good to have an optimistic post! (I really wasn't expecting one.) The shop I called won't get the gasket, etc. in until tomorrow - so it will be at least another day until I find out whether or not it could be as easy as a filter and fluid change.

DarknessofDeath · #6 05-15-2006, 08:36 AM

let us know.
i wasn't saying the tranny is completely shot. just sharing what i've test drove the one time.

besides i am sure my tranny is going downtown beneath the ground as well

Brian · #7 05-15-2006, 03:51 PM

Don't worry, DoD, a realistic assessment is the best to have, whether it's possitive or not. I was going to drive my car over to the shop, but although it went into reverse w/o much trouble to back to the top of the driveway, I couldn't get it to find Drive or any gear. It won't even find Reverse again. I'll have it towed tomorrow morning. I'm not feeling very optimistic now.

Trevor · #8 05-15-2006, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian

Don't worry, DoD, a realistic assessment is the best to have, whether it's possitive or not. I was going to drive my car over to the shop, but although it went into reverse w/o much trouble to back to the top of the driveway, I couldn't get it to find Drive or any gear. It won't even find Reverse again. I'll have it towed tomorrow morning. I'm not feeling very optimistic now.

This does look like possibly simple problem with the linkage to the selector, which is on the side of the transmission and operated via a cable. Have a look, using your noggin, while someone moves the lever. My concern is that "the shop" could take you for a ride.

Not an expert opinion, simply a suggestion out of concern.

Brian · #9 05-16-2006, 07:45 AM

Thanks, but the tow truck has already come to pick it up. Hopefully this shop is honest. Of course, I may take it elsewhere if it does need major transmission work done. I originally chose this place (when I could still get the car in gear) just for the fluid, gasket, & filter change and a further diagnosis.

Brian · #10 05-16-2006, 08:51 AM

The shop called. They said that there was all kinds of metal in the pan when they opened it. They said just to open up the tranny and find out what the problem is would cost $245. What is the best (and cheapest) thing for me to do at this point?

Brian · #11 05-16-2006, 02:36 PM

The mechanic is adamant about opening up and diagnosing the tranny before doing anything else. He wants the $245 before he starts too.

nipper · #12 05-16-2006, 11:38 PM

there is always stuff in the tranny pan. Did they put a set of pressure gauges on the tranny first (or was the car undrivable)? You could have a front pump problem, or all your internal seals could be shot. That sounds like a lot of money to just drop a pan, or (not familiar with the svx) is there a cross member in the way. My gut says you need a tranny, and should save the 275 for the next tranny.
Your description is of leaky internal seals. you have to build up pressure for the car to go, and it will just get worse.

nipper

Brian · #13 05-17-2006, 08:39 AM

The car was undrivable. The $245 is not just to drop the pan, but to take out the tranny and open it up to see what's going on inside. I seem to have a bad tendency to not heed good advice. I gave them the go ahead to do that. They said that if they repair/replace the tranny, most of that cost will be applied to that job, rather than added as an additional cost. ( :-/ nice hook, huh?) They require the payment up front because some people have stiffed them and left their undrivable cars there. I was there at opening, and the boss wasn't there, but the unintimidating guy on duty let me leave a downpayment of $200 instead of the full $245. (I know, that's hardly any better; I should have tried a lower offer.) He showed me the metal in the pan, including some relatively big pieces. (I realize it's easy to sprinkle some filings in there, so that actually proves nothing, nor does it argue against skipping the further diagnosis.) The guy who did(/should have done) the computer diagnosis wasn't there yet either. My car had been sitting up on the rack since yesterday morning, which can be taken as a good sign. My cousin's fiancé works at a gas station near that shop, so I asked him about the place. Although he has no experience with them, he said that a couple people told him they were good.

Brian · #14 05-23-2006, 08:31 AM

O.K. They finally got the tansmission out of my car. Of course there was stuff messed up inside, the most notable of which was that some shaft snapped, and that's what the mechanic blamed for the inability for the car to go into gear. Unfortunately, there was too much unfamiliar information for me to process all at once, and I don't recall the other internal problems or even the shaft's name. I figure that's probably not too relevant anyways, since "bad transmission" is a no brainer.

The thing that really concerns me is that he said the flywheel that connects the transmission to the engine is cracked. Is that part of the transmission, or part of the engine? If it's not part of the transmission, is that a common thing to happen when the transmission goes bad? Or is it more likely they broke it while removing the transmission?

I'm guessing it's part of the engine. He also mentioned that I might have a loose mount. (When I recently had my exhaut system checked out, one mechanic also said I might have a loose mount.) Is the following flywheel in question?

http://www.subaruparts.com/diag/?mod...category=011-A

Earthworm · #15 05-23-2006, 11:34 AM

Yes, that's the flywheel (flexplate). It is unfortunately a common issue.

As for the mount I'm betting the driver's side mount has torn. If you can see it it will probably be oily due to the fluid having leaked out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian

The thing that really concerns me is that he said the flywheel that connects the transmission to the engine is cracked. Is that part of the transmission, or part of the engine? If it's not part of the transmission, is that a common thing to happen when the transmission goes bad? Or is it more likely they broke it while removing the transmission?

I'm guessing it's part of the engine. He also mentioned that I might have a loose mount. (When I recently had my exhaut system checked out, one mechanic also said I might have a loose mount.) Is the following flywheel in question?

http://www.subaruparts.com/diag/?mod...category=011-A