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  #1  
Old 05-26-2002, 02:22 AM
brunette
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Gear box

Hi, having just been directed to the Down Under forum I am repeating my problem with my SVX -

I have a 92 SVX Auto - I live in Australia - and it has developed a problem where the engine tends to overrev without a proportionate increase in forward movement as if the automatic gears are jumping from first to top without using the 2nd gear. I am not mechanically minded, but presume this is a 3 speed automatic gear box and wonder what the problem is and would appreciate any comments which would tell me how to correct the cause of the problem and what the necessary rectification is, and whether it would be an expensive procedure to correct it. The vehicle has done approximately 90K miles (145k kms).
Another problem is that there is a tapping which appears to come from the engine, and this also developed recently.
I have no idea as to the expected lifespan of these vehicles, and the engine in this particular vehicle is a 3Lt none turbo.
I look forward to any comments, especially as this is my first post.

Does anyone know of a reputable repairer/dealer for this problem and what the costs could be please?
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  #2  
Old 05-26-2002, 05:46 AM
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2-3 flare

Hi Brunette,

First, may I repeat Randy's welcome. Great to have new members, even if it is unfortunate that gearbox trouble brought you this way.

Randy's advice in the US forum seems to me to be spot on. I am in Ireland myself, not in Oz, but I have been on this forum since the beginning. Same reason as you, nice car, shame about the gearbox. I don't have any advice as to where you might get a fix.

I can say for sure, you need a specialist. Some of the locals are sure to know of a good place for replacement or repair. Yes, I do know that Australia is a pretty big place for the use of the word "local".

Jamesvx or Trevor or Harvey[ob-au] will give you a steer on where to go near you for a fix. That didn't exactly come out the way I intended either.

Oh well, I'll just repeat the welcome, and be assured someone here will have advice on how to get sorted.

Joe

BTW, it's a 4speed box, but I have been running for six months with only first and third. Mine is due in for a rebuild.
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  #3  
Old 05-26-2002, 07:16 AM
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Re: Gear box

Quote:
Originally posted by brunette
Hi, having just been directed to the Down Under forum I am repeating my problem with my SVX -

I have a 92 SVX Auto - I live in Australia - and it has developed a problem where the engine tends to overrev without a proportionate increase in forward movement as if the automatic gears are jumping from first to top without using the 2nd gear. I am not mechanically minded, but presume this is a 3 speed automatic gear box and wonder what the problem is and would appreciate any comments which would tell me how to correct the cause of the problem and what the necessary rectification is, and whether it would be an expensive procedure to correct it. The vehicle has done approximately 90K miles (145k kms).
Another problem is that there is a tapping which appears to come from the engine, and this also developed recently.
I have no idea as to the expected lifespan of these vehicles, and the engine in this particular vehicle is a 3Lt none turbo.
I look forward to any comments, especially as this is my first post.

Does anyone know of a reputable repairer/dealer for this problem and what the costs could be please?


Hi and welcome! There are a few of us Down Under and we are as passionate about the SVX as our US and foreign cousins (even if some of us don't yet own one - evil eyes at Randy!! )

Anyways, a few comments and thoughts. Firstly, 'Amuse' is located in Brisbane and has only had his SVX a relatively short time - someone local is always good to have so as to obtain a second opinion and also to find servicing outlets.

As for the transmission - well, first off how long have you had the car? There are not that many in Oz to begin with so there is the possibility that some of us may know the history of the car. I've been looking for agggessss (glares at the evil Randy again!! ) and it would also seem that traded-in SVX's are sent interstate (I've seen it happen to a few) so we may be able to sort out the transmission as to whether any previous work was done it or the like.

As for the tranmission itself, the 92's were almost guaranteed to fail and Subaru Australia shipped them to a place called A and J Automotive in Melbourne where they were reconditioned - it was about $5000 although in many instances, Subaru paid half - too much time has passed for this to be the case however anymore.

My 2 cents - I would send the tranmission there - they were chosen by Subaru for some reason (note the impracticality of shipping trannies to Melbourne from all over Oz!) so that is where I would send mine if it happened to me - I simply would not trust anyone else with it.

Anyways, email me on jamsvx@yahoo.com and I can give you some more details and my contact number.

Regards

James

Sydney Australia
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Last edited by Jamsvx; 05-26-2002 at 07:18 AM.
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  #4  
Old 05-27-2002, 07:20 PM
oab_au oab_au is offline
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Hi Mate.

Don't let all the doom and gloom get to yea. We still have good mechanics in Oz that can think out problems. I would take it to a good transmission shop up there, get it serviced, bands adjusted, cooler lines flushed to remove any crap lodged there. Have a talk to them, see what they have to say. If it is treated at the first sign of trouble, it can save in the long run. It's like a manual clutch that starts to slip, you don't wait till it burns out, you get it adjusted.
All the best, keep us informed.
Harvey.
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  #5  
Old 05-28-2002, 04:40 AM
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Yes Harvey,

We do have some real mechanics down under who can think, trouble shoot, adjust and fix rather than just replace regardless.

I cannot believe as I am sure you can't some of the botched transmission overhauls reported from North of the line and the money which changes hands for such poor workmanship is something else. They would get a short shift down this way. N.B. accidental pun!

Regards Harvey and all the best to you Brunette.
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  #6  
Old 05-28-2002, 05:27 PM
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Re: Hi Mate.

Quote:
Originally posted by oab_au
Don't let all the doom and gloom get to yea. We still have good mechanics in Oz that can think out problems. I would take it to a good transmission shop up there, get it serviced, bands adjusted, cooler lines flushed to remove any crap lodged there. Have a talk to them, see what they have to say. If it is treated at the first sign of trouble, it can save in the long run. It's like a manual clutch that starts to slip, you don't wait till it burns out, you get it adjusted.
All the best, keep us informed.
Harvey.
Sorry if I may have come across as a doom and gloom merchant but I would just be very wary about who would do work on an SVX - I have come across a few SVX's with trannies done by local workshops and when I have called for a chat with them and asked what was done (waiting for the magic words "updated to 95+ specs with proper gaskets (metal not cellulose)" and "we recommended a transmission cooler) - they were not forthcoming.

A tranny is a tranny is a tranny but unless they aware of the specific traits of a the SVX transmission, you can see where I am coming from. That said, Harvey is correct - there are still reputable and knowledgeable people about so have a chat to them first.

Regards

James
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  #7  
Old 05-29-2002, 06:06 PM
oab_au oab_au is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by Trevor
Yes Harvey,

We do have some real mechanics down under who can think, trouble shoot, adjust and fix rather than just replace regardless.

I cannot believe as I am sure you can't some of the botched transmission overhauls reported from North of the line and the money which changes hands for such poor workmanship is something else. They would get a short shift down this way. N.B. accidental pun!

Regards Harvey and all the best to you Brunette.
Sure Trevor, we down under are progressing in the same direction with our service people. We use to train our mechanics in all aspects of automotive technique, with all the hand skills that called for. Now days because of the economic climate, less tradesman are taking on apprentices, so it has been the motoring organisation that are doing the training. It's not in their interest to teach them skills that are not necessary in their work, eg. "follow the troubleshooting chart and replace the part, see if it fixes the problem, if not try replacing the next bit."
I've been at it for almost 50 years now and I don't get fazed out by what people say, I run my own course.

With Brunette's gear box problem, the first sign of 2nd to 3rd gear flare, points to the band needed adjusting, the band is applied in 2nd and is realised in 3rd and the high clutch is applied, if the band is worn it releases too early and the engine. RPM rise till the high clutch applies.
As James said " A tranny is a tranny is a tranny" (gee wish I had said that). The SVX auto box is the same 4EAT that is in the Liberty and Impressa, sure it has more clutch plates and some other mods, but it is the same. Any good auto tech that can work on them can do a SVX unit.
So why does the SVX have trouble and the others don't have as much? The high diff ratio places more load than the others, Also because of the high ratio, driving in D around town, means that gear box RPM is very low less that 2000RPM, the pump output is low, cooling is reduced, and the torque converter because of the high torque multiplication needed produces a lot of heat. A recipe for failure. Shift back to 3rd the engine RPM rises to around 3000, and the box is happy.
Anyhow rave, rave. I hope Brunette takes it to a auto trans specialist for a service and band adjustment,cost about 200 to 250 and you may get another 145,000kms out of it.
Harvey.
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  #8  
Old 05-29-2002, 08:06 PM
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I agree with you regarding the 'replace with known good part and re-test' ridiculousness. Fewer and fewer are more than parts replacers. However it's becoming more and more difficult to find even a set of brushes for an alternator these days. Then again I'd be leery of trusting the average 'mechanic' to rebuild one in the first place. I seriously doubt that 80% of the mechanics under thirty years of age have even seen the inside of an alternator or starter. "What's a slip ring?" "You can clean the contact plate in a starter solenoid? What would that do?" "Repair an electric window motor? How do you get it apart?"

I may be showing my age a bit here (and I don't feel all that old - at least not tonight, anyway ), but how can someone fix or properly diagnose something if they don't even know how it works in the first place? Oh well... do you want fries with that?
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  #9  
Old 05-29-2002, 08:18 PM
oab_au oab_au is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by Beav
I agree with you regarding the 'replace with known good part and re-test' ridiculousness. Fewer and fewer are more than parts replacers. However it's becoming more and more difficult to find even a set of brushes for an alternator these days. Then again I'd be leery of trusting the average 'mechanic' to rebuild one in the first place. I seriously doubt that 80% of the mechanics under thirty years of age have even seen the inside of an alternator or starter. "What's a slip ring?" "You can clean the contact plate in a starter solenoid? What would that do?" "Repair an electric window motor? How do you get it apart?"

I may be showing my age a bit here (and I don't feel all that old - at least not tonight, anyway ), but how can someone fix or properly diagnose something if they don't even know how it works in the first place? Oh well... do you want fries with that?
Yes its a sad state but they are deskilling all the trades.
I taught auto trade before I split to the forrest, now my son teaches the auto trade, so I can see the difference taking place. Yes how many alternators have been replaced for the sake of a set of brushes. May be the same number of transmissions for the sake of a band adjustment. Do they still adjust bands over there or just waite for **** to happen and replace the box.?
Harvey.
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  #10  
Old 05-29-2002, 08:37 PM
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Bands? Bands? What the heck are bands? There aren't any bands in the box. Are you sure this thing needs bands? I don't think they use bands anymore. This is electronic, I don't think it uses bands.

Does that answer your question?
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  #11  
Old 05-29-2002, 08:44 PM
Boone
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This FAQ talks about adjusting the brake band for the shift flare problem. I haven't heard anything of this on the network, until now.
http://my.voyager.net/~tmclane/

Last edited by Boone; 05-29-2002 at 08:46 PM.
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Old 05-30-2002, 04:00 AM
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It takes some of the old and wise to throw some real light on the situation. I have been convinced from the day I started viewing posts that 85% of the problems reported re the SVX originate from poor workmanship in servicing and correction ( or lack of correction ) of minor faults often in fact calling for only adjustment.

We are all going down the same road but I think you up there in the realy big smoke are a tad ahead of us down here but we are catching up ( or falling behind depending on how you look at things. ) All my life I have prided myself on being able to fix anything but as all are sayng this is a dying or dead art. There is a some of this spirit to be found within the vintage and classic car restoration fraternity which activity is beyond my patience.

Recently I fixed camera which a so called expert said could not be repaired. It was a technical fault to be sure but only needed a little applied nouse and analysis to sort out. Electric motors alternators etc all can be repaired but manufactures don't want this to happen.

Beav I noted your remarks re staked drive shaft components and how to fix. (Nice to see you down this way by the way.) I have tackled welded up shocks etc which can be taken apart and the valves revamped to change the settings if one is determined in the search for improved lap times and money is short. Todays boy racers simply write a cheque at the local speed shop and often as not it is for something which amounts to nothing but eye appeal and to idiots eyes at that.

I am getting carried away and must shut up as we all know where we are coming from as we have been there! There are other more interesting things worth getting frustrated about even yet! No further comment will be forthcoming.

Regards to all who HAVE been there, Trevor.
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Old 05-30-2002, 04:55 PM
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I know I've griped somewhere else around here about the money that people throw at things. Occasionally all of us become privy to inside info. I realize that these figures are out of date but they're still relevant in a way.

In the mid to late '70s regular shocks (Monroe, Gabriel, etc.) cost the manufacturer less than $3 each to produce (my memory may not be right but I'm thinking it was actually 50 cents per shock.) Koni claimed their's cost $6 each. They were retailing for around $40-$60 then.

When Chrysler debuted the Grand Cherokee they dropped the price of the older model in order to not over price the new unit. That lasted for one season. The next year they upped the price on the Grand and returned the price of the old model to its former price. They said their original plans to discontinue the older model's production was shelved as they were still selling them at a phenomenal rate and the margin was the best in the fleet. At that time they claimed the average Cherokee cost them $6000 to produce and they were selling for $15,000 - $22,000.

Boy, have I/we steered this thread totally off course?
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Old 05-30-2002, 05:01 PM
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I remember seeing this long ago on Yahoo, but I don't think any of the regular mechanics on the fourms have voiced their opinion on whether the procedure outlined is correct or appropriate for the 2-3 flare that most of us 92 owners are seeing.

KuoH

Quote:
Originally posted by Boone
This FAQ talks about adjusting the brake band for the shift flare problem. I haven't heard anything of this on the network, until now.
http://my.voyager.net/~tmclane/
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  #15  
Old 05-30-2002, 05:21 PM
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Here's the poop from the manual:

Adjustments

If engine speed increases abruptly on 2-3 shift, or if there is a delay of more than 1 second on a 3-2 kickdown, excessive clearance between reverse clutch drum and band may exist, adjusting screw should be rotated clockwise. If there is a braking action on 2-3 shift, excessive small brake band clearance may exist and adjusting screw should be rotated counterclockwise. Adjust brake band as follows:


Using socket tool No. 398603610, to hold adjusting screw in place, loosen locknut.
Loosen or tighten adjusting screw within 3/4 turn, to properly adjust band, then tighten torque to 19-21 ft. lbs. If slipping occurs on a 2-3 shift, excessive small brake band clearance may exist. If transmission shifts directly from 1st to 3rd, excessive large brake band clearance may exist. Adjust brake band as follows.
Using socket 398603610, to hold adjusting screw in place, loosen locknut.
Torque adjusting screw to 6.5 ft. lbs., then back off adjusting screw 2 turns. Torque locknut to 19-21 ft. lbs.

Around the shop we always comment that brevity of instructions indicates more difficult labor. As simple as the instructions seem the job pays 1.8 hours...
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