4.11 swap in progress.

[crazyhorse]

I'm getting ready to swap in a 4.11 Impreza tranny. Unfortunately I don't have the rear diff, so I'll be in FWD mode awhile.

What I have:
'96 SVX 3.54 with blown Hi-Gear clutches.

What's going in:
'96 Impreza 4eat 4.11

What I have to swap from the SVX trans to the Imp trans:
Torque converter, after a flush of course. Can't have the brown nasties infiltrating my clean fluid.

OK, now I'm planning on removing the rear half of my driveshaft, until I can source a 4.11 LSD. It may be awhile, as funds are a bit limited due to my being unemployed.

Now for my questions
1. I need to know what size the axle nuts are, so I can get the proper socket
2. Any tricks to getting the axles out? I'm guessing I separate the knuckles at the strut.
3. Will I need to separate the ball joints as well?
4. Are the dowel pins in the engine, or the trans? They're in the trans right now.
5. Any secret handshake mojo that will make my life easier?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[huck369]

Paul, if you don't want to mess up the alignment, just unbolt the 3 bolts in the lower control arm that hold the ball joints, then the knuckle will just swing out far enough to get the axle loose.

As for removing the rear drive shaft, that works great IF your SVX has a 2 piece driveshaft, as some come with a CV joint in the middle which is not removable, which means you won't be able to leave the driveshaft out...so check into that pretty early in case you want to source a 2 piece one (I think you can use the front section of an auto Legacy in it, but might have to modify the carrier bearing mount some.

I wanna say the axle nut is a 32mm...but that is from memory....should be the same as on your Legacy.

Dowel pins can bein either the engine of the tranny, but not both so just make sure they are only in one or the other before you try to wresle the beast up in there.

Do NOT force the TC up on the motor...the TC should spin freely all the way untill the motor and tranny are completely snug...if at ANY point the TC gets where it won't spin freely STOP, as it isn't seated properly, so the tranny needs to be moved back untill you can get it fully seated....it should have about 1/16" between it and the case of the tranny on the rearward side

Thats about it for any unusual stuff.....but it is one HEAVY mother....so have some extra hands around, and a good tranny jack will make things much easier.

Hopefully it'll warm back up this week for you to woek on it...
You can always call me if you have any questions

[jeffast]

Originally Posted by huck369

(I think you can use the front section of an auto Legacy in it, but might have to modify the carrier bearing mount some.)

true to use the legacy front half you have to move one of the bolts out like half an inch, on my five speed conversion i just removed one of the grommets from the carrier, and that gave me enough room to slide the bolt through the carrier

Originally Posted by huck369

Do NOT force the TC up on the motor...the TC should spin freely all the way untill the motor and tranny are completely snug...if at ANY point the TC gets where it won't spin freely STOP, as it isn't seated properly, so the tranny needs to be moved back untill you can get it fully seated....it should have about 1/16" between it and the case of the tranny on the rearward side

+1 I did this the first time i put in an auto, and i thought it was seated fine, there should be no space at all behind the torque converter it should look like its going to hit the case if seated properly. i mean 1/16 of an inch might even be too much space, i am really anal, it's expensive to get a new pump put in a 4eat, i had a friend do it, and it still cost me like $450 including parts. any way good luck paul

[crazyhorse]

I won't be getting anything done today It's snowing.

[huck369]

Been snowing here today too....supposed to be in the 60's tomorrow

[It's Just Eric]

youll need something to prop the engine up so it doesnt fall forward once the trans is out....a nice short lenghth of 2x4 going from the alternator bracket to the radiator support works well

[mudrat79]

Go find a 4:11 diff out of an older Legacy 90-94 5-speed car

Pull side cases and rear case off the diff of both your SVX and it Keep the SVX side cases side specific as you will be using them again...

Look at the side case inside edges on both the SVX and open 4:11 Case to see if the 4:11 has machined reliefs in 4 spots, 2 per side these are in the SVX for sure, been to long I can't remember if the 4:11 will have them,Should both look identical if they are there....If not you will have to do a bit of grinding to make them match....I'll try to find a pic and send it to you of what I am talking about. It is a relief to allow the ring and LSD to come out of the carrier....

Pull the ring gear out of the SVX LSD unit unbolt the LSD from the ring gear

Now pull the ring gear with open spiders from the 4:11 diff.

Unbolt the ring from the spider set.

Now bolt the Lsd unit to the 4:11 ring and put it back into the 4:11 case

Now use the SVX side cases to bolt back up on the 4:11 case
(Remember these are Side specific for bearing and pinion preload.)

Use a Permanent Black sharpie and Write 4:11 on your SVX rear case and Bolt it to the 4:11 diff

You now have a 4:11 LSD ready to accept your factory rear SVX axles

Hope this made sense for you .....

To everyone else, Sorry I've been gone so long......I'm doing another 5 speed SVX now also...

Later, John

[subeman90]

he is right...get some 4.11 gears and get them in there. Skip the "find a 4.11 LSD game" and make your own.

[mudrat79]

CrazyHorse, I just got done doing my LSD swap....

I took a 92 Leg. sedan 5 speed rear diff and did what I explained to you in my first post.

I did not have to grind anything in the 4:11 case... It was very tight getting the Viscous LSD into it, but it went....

Feel free to contact me if you need further assistance, Good Luck,

John.

[crazyhorse]

Thanks for the tips y'all. They're helping immensely. The old trans is on the ground with a distinct THUD! I'm in the process of flushing the old fluid out of my TC, manually.

Lifted SVX anyone?

[huck369]

Cool...half way home....(of course getting the new tranny UP into the car is a little tougher than dropping the old one out) but I know you can "Get-er Done"

[jeffast]

you know this makes me think of the staples commercials, i think you need an easy button

[crazyhorse]

So, the SVX is back on the ground & terrorizing the neighborhood once more. YAYYYY!!!

Thanks to you all, who helped me with advice & encouragement. Y'all ROCK!

As I was dissecting the original trans, I opened the rear cover, and had a thought. Dangerous, yes, I know. If putting the FWD fuse in applies power to the Duty C sol full time. Wouldn't cutting the power to it lock the transfer clutch? Any reason this wouldn't work?

My thoughts are a RWD 4eat SVX. Yes, locking the transfer clutch would make you pull the front axles. Subequently needing the stubs put in thier usual places. I just think it'd be cool to be one of 2 SVXi that can do proper doughnuts Not to mention drift, and throttle steer.

[huck369]

Originally Posted by crazyhorse

So, the SVX is back on the ground & terrorizing the neighborhood once more. YAYYYY!!!

Thanks to you all, who helped me with advice & encouragement. Y'all ROCK!

As I was dissecting the original trans, I opened the rear cover, and had a thought. Dangerous, yes, I know. If putting the FWD fuse in applies power to the Duty C sol full time. Wouldn't cutting the power to it lock the transfer clutch? Any reason this wouldn't work?

My thoughts are a RWD 4eat SVX. Yes, locking the transfer clutch would make you pull the front axles. Subequently needing the stubs put in thier usual places. I just think it'd be cool to be one of 2 SVXi that can do proper doughnuts Not to mention drift, and throttle steer.

Paul,
You would need to weld the transfer clutch up solid to get it to not slip, as it's only designed to put 40% of the power through it, so even "Fully Locked" it will still allow slipage....plus there is no way to "Dissengauge" the front diff, other than taking it apart and removing the ring gear....so you would still be getting 50% of the power to the front...
Someone on here drilled out the transfer clutch pack, and put dowel pins through them to get a solid lock to the rear, in a tranny that had shreaded the front diff, to make a RWD 4EAT....but as I recall, it didn't last long...but was fun while it's lasted!


But Glad you got her back on the road, and the 4.11's put the power down much better thatn the stock 3.54's did don't they

[crazyhorse]

The 4.11's put the power down TOO well for FWD! Wheelspin is just a toe tap away. I gotta find me a 4.11 rear diff!

I'll get on that once I get a job again.