Question about a used Transmission

[Saxman]

I'm looking at buying the transmission out of a lightly crashed 1996 SVX with 84,000 miles on it. It's still in the car, and they say that it runs good and there's nothing wrong with it. I'm already planning on buying the ECUtune TCU right away, and the Valve body eventually.

Does anyone have any input on whether or not this transmission would be a good replacement? They want $1000 for it and it doesn't seem like they're going to budge on the price at all.

They upgraded the clutch packs after like '95 right? Should I bother going into the tail end of the transmission and replacing the transfer clutches? Should I buy the transfer clutch drum upgrade from ECUtune?

[davew833]

$1000 seems pretty high. It seems like for quite a bit less you could drop in a 4.44 trans and diff.

[steamer99]

I agree with dave, I just did the 4.44 swap with a good one (transmission and diff.) from a 97 legacy GT with only 57,000 miles that I got for $500.00 with a 30 day not dead warranty. I thought that the car was prefect before but it is better now, specially after adding the "Quick Change" module.

[Saxman]

I'm worried about it failing on me, it says right on ECUtune that the 4.44 has less, and weaker clutch packs, so it's just going to fail again right?

it's going to cost me the same amount to do a 4.44 swap, I'm worried about the solenoids being bad as well.

I really don't know what I should do. Most of my driving is on the highway, so the better city fuel economy doesn't really help me, and they say the revs are higher on the highway so I'm going to be burning more gas.

I was looking at a 4.44 transmission, it has 55,000 miles, and it's been sitting for a a few years or more. They want $700 for it and $300 for the differential.

[dragoontwo]

Originally Posted by Saxman

I'm worried about it failing on me, it says right on ECUtune that the 4.44 has less, and weaker clutch packs, so it's just going to fail again right?

Clutch packs are only part of the transmission strength equasion. I'm not speaking for or against the 4.44.

However, the 4.44 gearing will be easier to get moving than the 3.54 gearing. That part comes down to the mechanical advantage the 4.44 provides.

[bwb3]

I think a $1,000 is a good price for a relatively low mileage, late model SVX, especially if you do the upgrades. Not having to swap the diff is also a plus, and cost offset.

Did the ECUtune valve body quote include providing him with your old core?
Gene

[Saxman]

Originally Posted by bwb3

I think a $1,000 is a good price for a relatively low mileage, late model SVX, especially if you do the upgrades. Not having to swap the diff is also a plus, and cost offset.

Did the ECUtune valve body quote include providing him with your old core?
Gene

That's where it gets foggy for me. the transmission is $1000, the ATF and gear oil to fill it will be about $130 or so, and then the upgraded TCU is $260, and the valve body is going to cost $600 with new solenoids (still unsure of the condition of the solenoids in either the 4.44 or the 3.54 transmissions)

No it does not I believe, I dropped the core charge figuring it would just be returned to me, but I guess there is going to be shipping.

I'm assuming the 3.54 solenoids are all still good because it's in a running driving car, but everyone says that you should replace at least the duty c solenoid anyway while the transmission is out of the car, so that's another $100 or so.

So I'm looking at about $2,000 worth of work to get this done, which makes me start to want to get one of LAN's rebuilt ones and then just be done with worrying about the transmission.



I guess what I really want to know, and what you kind of answered for me bwb3 is whether or not this used 3.54 transmission would be a good candidate for a temporary fix until I can afford one of LAN's transmissions.

How many more miles do you think it will last in it's current condition? obviously I would be getting a transmission cooler and external filter (permacool) to go along with it.

what I don't know is whether or not the last owner of the car took good care of the transmission, and whether he ever got rid of the campaign filter and if he ever had a transmission cooler on the car. Also I have no idea if the guys at the junk yard took the car out and raced it at all.

[bwb3]

Maybe others can chime in on how reliable the newer SVX transmissions are?
There was this poll some time back.

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/show...g+transmission

Gene

[1986nate]

Originally Posted by Saxman

I'm worried about it failing on me, it says right on ECUtune that the 4.44 has less, and weaker clutch packs, so it's just going to fail again right?

it's going to cost me the same amount to do a 4.44 swap, I'm worried about the solenoids being bad as well.

I really don't know what I should do. Most of my driving is on the highway, so the better city fuel economy doesn't really help me, and they say the revs are higher on the highway so I'm going to be burning more gas.

I was looking at a 4.44 transmission, it has 55,000 miles, and it's been sitting for a a few years or more. They want $700 for it and $300 for the differential.

4.44 transmissions all have the same amount of friction discs in the clutch packs as an SVX. This is proven fact. Also, the 4.11 from a Legacy LSi 2.5 also has the same amount as well. The 3.90 from a 91-94 legacy turbo also has the same amount of friction discs.

Regardless, with 4.44 gearing vs 3.54, the friction discs don't need nearly the same amount of torque holding capacity as the gear ratio allows for less strain.

[Saxman]

with the 4.44 transmission do I have to change over the speedometer mechanism so that it will display the correct speed on the speedo?

[Svx95]

I currently own a 4.44 and my speedometer is only 4-5 mph off so the speedometer says 75mph but I'm actually going 70mph. I also have 17's on the car so I don't know how much of a factor that plays.

[steamer99]

You have to swap over the speed sensor, the one on the 4.44 (from the legacy GT mine came out of and I assume others) has a 2 connector sensor the SVX has a 3 connector but it is on the passenger side output shaft so still reads road speed (verified by one of those "your speed is" radar signs). and rpm is about 500 - 600 higher than original at 60mph.

[Saxman]

The 500-600 increase in rpm's is what I'm hesitant about. I do most of my driving above 50mph, mostly on the Highway from 70-90, so I would be burning up more fuel which is not good.

I would very much like to keep the 3.54 gearing because of this, I think with the ECUtune TCU it would fix any "problems" with over heating right? Also if I got a valve body upgrade it would definitely fix the problems with the transmission right? with an external filter and cooler it should last at least another 120,000 miles at 84,000. Am I correct?

[Sean486]

Originally Posted by Saxman

The 500-600 increase in rpm's is what I'm hesitant about. I do most of my driving above 50mph, mostly on the Highway from 70-90, so I would be burning up more fuel which is not good.

I would very much like to keep the 3.54 gearing because of this, I think with the ECUtune TCU it would fix any "problems" with over heating right? Also if I got a valve body upgrade it would definitely fix the problems with the transmission right? with an external filter and cooler it should last at least another 120,000 miles at 84,000. Am I correct?

I think that is a fair assumption provided the transmission is already in good shape.

[dcarrb]

Originally Posted by Saxman

I would very much like to keep the 3.54 gearing because of this, I think with the ECUtune TCU it would fix any "problems" with over heating right? Also if I got a valve body upgrade it would definitely fix the problems with the transmission right? with an external filter and cooler it should last at least another 120,000 miles at 84,000. Am I correct?

I believe the quality of the reman or competence of the rebuild is key, regardless of modifications. I've put 40,000+ miles on stock transmission that was installed over 15 years and 120,000 ago (assuming the install for which I have a receipt was the only such service) and has no auxiliary filter, cooler, nor any other mods of which I'm aware, and it performs flawlessly. Certainly these days a premium replacement unit won't come cheap.

dcb