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  #16  
Old 11-28-2007, 07:49 PM
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Originally Posted by svxistentialist View Post
Be careful how you go with this Trevor, in case you are compounding a problem. Too much ATF does not stop the car from moving, it will usually overflow out the filler pipe and/or burst some seals on you.

Too little ATF will stop the car moving.

Crazy is probably nearer the mark on your problem. Most likely culprit is a clogged strainer, and the pickup tube is not getting enough oil back in the box to run the system.

This may also explain why it's showing overfull; the oil can't get past the strainer back into the box.

You need to drop the sump and clean or replace the strainer. Then refill with clean oil, possibly use synth or semi-synth as you are in a cold place.

Pay particular attention when filling, don't overfill.

Your problem might also be caused by a sticking valve, BTW, but my guess is you have a clogged strainer.

Joe
the previous owner changed the filter a couple of years ago
but, i looked on the maitenance schedule and didnt see that the filter change was listed
how often should this filter be changed, do you think?
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  #17  
Old 11-28-2007, 07:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Hondasucks View Post
You did check the fluid at normal operating temperature, idling in park, right?
It won't show the correct level if it's not running (and on a level surface)
Also, the distance between the L dot and the F dot, is one PINT (1/2 quart) not 1 quart like the engine!
and yes, i had the car idling in park, when i checked it; this was all after driving about 8 miles, so the engine was definitely at normal operating temp.
i did all the other stuff the manual said too, like putting it in each gear before idling in park to check the level...
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  #18  
Old 11-29-2007, 02:36 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor View Post
It has been clearly defined that the problem is specifically corrected my moving the manual range selector. The selector ultimately affects oil distribution as a prime function. It may not be moving fully into the "home" detent within the box, when in the drive position.

A clogged strainer would surely affect line pressure at all times and thus result in several problems.
I see where you are coming from. It is best to drive in 3 in city traffic anyway. Plus in cold zones, you are driving on higher revs, which will help heating the engine/oil to optimal temperatures.

The fact he is saying it happens at the FIRST traffic lights indicates he is treating it as a problem related to a cold engine/gearbox. It will also be more difficult to pass cold thick oil through a partially clogged strainer, a problem that will lessen as the oil heats up and thins, and cures the pressure problem you mention.

For sure he should check the linkage as you say, but it is also possible the clogged strainer will "appear" to have an overfull oil level when the oil is cold and thick, so this may still need looking at.

Joe
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  #19  
Old 11-29-2007, 02:41 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tiv0 View Post
the previous owner changed the filter a couple of years ago
but, i looked on the maitenance schedule and didnt see that the filter change was listed
how often should this filter be changed, do you think?
There is no specific schedule listed for it AFAIK. It is one of the items that gets visually checked when the sump is down. It's not a thing you would like to see clogging up, as it may indicate the gearbox was "cooked" at some stage, clutches burnt and a lot of particles in the oil.

The ATF needs to be changed once a year, that would be when the visual inspection gets done.

Joe
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  #20  
Old 11-29-2007, 08:36 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor View Post
I have always advocated that when “ Drive” is used at lower speeds, the transmission will hunt up and down through the ratios at every light throttle opportunity, thus causing unwarranted wear and tear. Therefore it is logical to use 3, unless on the open road.

Fourth ratio is actually, and more so in practice an overdrive, particular in US cars with a high final drive ratio. It would have been wise to have labelled the control as 1,2,D, O/D.
+1
I started a thread bout it a while ago
http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/showthread.php?t=37996
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  #21  
Old 11-29-2007, 10:09 AM
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Good call Richard....the answer is clearly there
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  #22  
Old 11-29-2007, 06:31 PM
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just as an update
the car hasn't had any problems within the last two days, however i got lucky today and hit the light when it was green.

i also tried driving around in 3

call me an idiot for asking this
but im assuming when everyone says they drive in 3, they start out from a stop in 1 then shift to 2 and finally to 3, yeah?

and also, what would the "speed limit" be for 3rd gear, on average, about 50?
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  #23  
Old 11-29-2007, 07:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tiv0 View Post
just as an update
the car hasn't had any problems within the last two days, however i got lucky today and hit the light when it was green.

i also tried driving around in 3

call me an idiot for asking this
but im assuming when everyone says they drive in 3, they start out from a stop in 1 then shift to 2 and finally to 3, yeah?

and also, what would the "speed limit" be for 3rd gear, on average, about 50?
Well, no, when people say they drive in 3, they actually mean you select 3, and then let the auto do its own thing, starting in 1, changing up to 2 and then 3.

By driving in 3 around town you are denying the auto the option of selecting D, which is an overdrive. This has a double bonus in terms of shifts [which gradually wear the clutches], in that there is one less change up for the box to perform, plus if you are going slowly it does not need to shift down either because it decides D[4] is too high.

Once past the speed limit area on the open road you can select D as an overdrive, which will be a little quieter for driving.

I'm not sure what you mean by "speed limit". If you mean the max achievable speed, that would be around 135 mph at 6700 revs or so.

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  #24  
Old 11-29-2007, 07:05 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tiv0 View Post
just as an update
the car hasn't had any problems within the last two days, however i got lucky today and hit the light when it was green.

i also tried driving around in 3

call me an idiot for asking this
but im assuming when everyone says they drive in 3, they start out from a stop in 1 then shift to 2 and finally to 3, yeah?

and also, what would the "speed limit" be for 3rd gear, on average, about 50?
Idiot? No ones gonna call you an idiot, don't worry bout that When people say drive in 3 as suggested the simply put the selector in 3 and let the transmission shift from 1-2-3 on its own. Not shift it thru the gears as a manual. As far as speed limit goes 50 is fine. I don't put the selector into D unless i'm gonna be doing over 65. Seems to be how most other people do it also.
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  #25  
Old 11-29-2007, 07:27 PM
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Thanks for the info, Trevor. You're invaluable, as always.

As for speeds, I let it go to D at 40. Anywhere 40 and above, it'll grab 4th and make a nice growl (1600RPM or so). Yay Stebro!

I'll check that thread, thanks Richard.

Craig
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  #26  
Old 11-29-2007, 10:39 PM
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Originally Posted by ridered777 View Post
Thanks for the info, Trevor. You're invaluable, as always.

As for speeds, I let it go to D at 40. Anywhere 40 and above, it'll grab 4th and make a nice growl (1600RPM or so). Yay Stebro!

I'll check that thread, thanks Richard.

Craig
Craig,

It is nice indeed to be able to address a member by their christian name.

Be sure that you did not hijack this thread, as your query was relevant.

Your thanks to both Richard and myself are very much valued.

Sincerely, Trevor.
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  #27  
Old 11-30-2007, 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by shotking View Post
Idiot? No ones gonna call you an idiot, don't worry bout that When people say drive in 3 as suggested the simply put the selector in 3 and let the transmission shift from 1-2-3 on its own. Not shift it thru the gears as a manual. As far as speed limit goes 50 is fine. I don't put the selector into D unless i'm gonna be doing over 65. Seems to be how most other people do it also.
alright
thanks for that
ive been going from 1st, to 2nd, to 3rd....ahaha
it will all be so much easier now

once again though, i am a bit confused
the car has been running fine in the mornings, no problems
so i decided to check my ATF today to see where it sat
and just like last time i let it run in park on a level surface, but the ATF level on the dipstick was at Low

so, im just going to throw out an idea
could the filter possibly have been clogged, and then when i pumped some out, it helped the filter let oil through?
because now the stick says low, so im just guessing that maybe there never really was "too much" ATF in the tranny??
maybe the filter wasnt able to let oil through when there was too much in there...i really dont know
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  #28  
Old 11-30-2007, 04:27 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by svxistentialist View Post
Be careful how you go with this Trevor, in case you are compounding a problem. Too much ATF does not stop the car from moving, it will usually overflow out the filler pipe and/or burst some seals on you.

Too little ATF will stop the car moving.

Crazy is probably nearer the mark on your problem. Most likely culprit is a clogged strainer, and the pickup tube is not getting enough oil back in the box to run the system.

This may also explain why it's showing overfull; the oil can't get past the strainer back into the box.

You need to drop the sump and clean or replace the strainer. Then refill with clean oil, possibly use synth or semi-synth as you are in a cold place.

Joe
Quote:
Originally Posted by tiv0 View Post
alright

the car has been running fine in the mornings, no problems
so i decided to check my ATF today to see where it sat
and just like last time i let it run in park on a level surface, but the ATF level on the dipstick was at Low

so, im just going to throw out an idea
could the filter possibly have been clogged, and then when i pumped some out, it helped the filter let oil through?
because now the stick says low, so im just guessing that maybe there never really was "too much" ATF in the tranny??
maybe the filter wasnt able to let oil through when there was too much in there...i really dont know
This is what I was suggesting in my earlier post above; a clogged strainer not letting through the cold viscous oil in the morning before the oil heats up. Remember the oil will be very slow to heat up in your cold location, partly because of the oil cooler in the rad.

It's easily checked Trevor. Drain it, drop the transmission sump and inspect the strainer. Clean or replace as necessary. Also replace the external filter if there is one, they are not expensive, better to be sure.

Joe
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  #29  
Old 11-30-2007, 05:48 PM
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In response to Joe's statement above (below),

"Remember the oil will be very slow to heat up in your cold location, partly because of the oil cooler in the rad."

I am a believer that half the reason for having the trans cooler incorporated into the radiator is to use the engines heat, via the coolant in the radiator, to speed-up the warming to operating temp of the transmission fluid. When the ATF temp exceeds the temp of the coolant, then the radiator is acting as a cooling (heat dissipating) device. My heater core receives warm coolant in a couple of minutes from the motor, so I assume that it starts heating the ATF, although slowly, at around the same time. That is what my logic is telling me anyway.
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  #30  
Old 11-30-2007, 06:53 PM
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Spot on. You're not confused at all!

The oil [atf] cooler is a liquid/liquid cooler or heat exchanger if you like. Because liquids are better in terms of heat capacity than gases such as air, they can heat more quickly or cool more quickly, depending on the temperature differential.

For this very reason I don't like to see people disconnecting the OEM oil cooler after they put in an additional cooler. The OEM cooler is designed to be proficient at getting the coolant, which is heating up, to warm up the ATF oil, so the gearbox is working efficiently in a short space of time.

However, bear this one fact in mind; this man is driving his car in sub zero temperatures. The thermostat will close off the radiator in very cold situations in order to let the engine warm up in the jacket to get to good temperature for the engine oil.

If driving with the thermostat closed so the rad is not in use, you have a very cold rad getting cooled more by the cold air of passage, so the oil coming from the gearbox into the corner of that rad is being cooled, not warmed, unless the thermostat opens.

In such driving situations the oil from the gearbox is going to be very heavy and viscous.

In fact, even if the thermostat was open and the rad was starting to heat up, I'll warrant the amount of cooling available from driving in the sub-zero air may well be sufficient to keep the oil temperatures colder than optimal anyway, particularly in a car like the SVX that ambles along at extremely low revs because of the way the gearbox instantly seeks the higher ranges.

I myself would tend to drive in 3 or 2 in such situations, but I like my heat when driving.

Joe
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