Six speed SVX - Page 4

alex_umn · #46 04-16-2003, 03:07 PM

cdigerlando, sorry if I'm skeptical, but how to you know this? People said the five speed wouldn't work, yet here we are with more than a few on the road now. My logic remains as such:

1. Stock WRX tranny bolts to back of SVX engine.
2. WRX STi tranny bolts to back of stock WRX engine.
3. WRX STi tranny will bolt to back of SVX engine.

Looks like I'm going to have to either trace the front of the new bellhousing onto a piece of paper and then see if it will match the old five speed. Either that or muscle it under the car tonight, something I'd rather not do until the starter bolt hole is threaded...we'll see what happens in either case I guess.

Chicane · #47 04-16-2003, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cdigerlando
I hate to burst your bubble, but the new 6 speed does not bolt up to the old engines, unless you have a special mounting plate designed and installed. The bolt patterns are different. You could use a WRX STi version from 98 or 99, or better yet, use an old used RS tranny and beef it up with something other than sh**ty Chalak gears, like quaife. Check the impreza sites related to Chalak. They are worse than stock. Quaife's are expensive and I don't know anyone who uses them. Then if you want to get really slick, do quaifes in the front and rear.

I disagree as well. If a 5spd from a WRX fits into an SVX, so would a 6spd.

- Rob

wawazat?? · #48 04-17-2003, 04:40 AM

He's a Parts Manager at a Subie delaership in Canada where they were performing a 6 speed swap a couple of months ago.

Todd

alex_umn · #49 04-17-2003, 02:48 PM

Well I just took a piece of cardboard and stuck pens through all of the bolt holes on the five speed. I then held the cardboard up the the six speed, and these holes/pens aligned properly with what was available on the new transmission.

I won't necessarily call this absolute proof that the setup will work, but I'll call it a good sign...

In total, with this setup there will be four large bolts and two unthreaded studs holding the transmission to the back of the engine.

wawazat??, thanks for the info...

SVXtasy · #50 04-17-2003, 03:15 PM

If this works for you i will be very temped to do the 6-speed rather then the chalak synchro gear set. are you staying with the stock rear dif?

SVXtasy

alex_umn · #51 04-18-2003, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SVXtasy
If this works for you i will be very temped to do the 6-speed rather then the chalak synchro gear set. are you staying with the stock rear dif?

SVXtasy

I'm actually using a new rear differential from a WRX STi. I decided that I wanted to have the larger r180 3.90 ratio instead of smaller/weaker r160 gears in the old r180 case. The fact that the 3.90 gearing is very hard to find in either size has been a longtime chore to say the least. If this all works out, I'd suggest to people that if they want to get a six speed, get the rear diff and axles to match in the package if possible.

The new halfshafts seem to fit our cars perfectly, but we'll see when I try to install tonight or tomorrow.

Subafreak · #52 04-18-2003, 08:23 PM

So R160 gears will fit in an R180 case? What exactly is beefier about the R180 besides the larger case?

elninoalex · #53 04-18-2003, 09:45 PM

Isn't it just that the gear is another 20mm larger in diameter?

Subafreak · #54 04-26-2003, 08:27 PM

I bet you've been so busy enjoying your new 6 speed that you havn't had any time to post us on it, right?

alex_umn · #55 04-26-2003, 08:59 PM

Actually, I've been dealing with moving stuff back and forth to the machine shop this week. I've been working on this today. The hole in the tranny case that needed to be threaded was tapped for a 14mm bolt with a 2.00 pitch, and the hole on the starter that corresponds with that was bored out as well.

I was about to post more pictures but iPhoto ate them when my comupter ran out of memory while transferring off the CF card. Damned old machines. I'll try to get some more pictures tomorrow.

Right now the tranny is about one inch away from the back of the engine. I'm trying to figure out how the clutch throw out bearing gets attached to the clutch fork. I'm just not used to pull-type clutch setups, I guess. Daylight will definitely help

After the tranny is in I need to put the new rear differential in and then see if my old tranny mount will work. The mounting bolts on the back of the differential were ot long enough so I got those out (they were indeed tapped studs), so now I just need to get some 12mm bolts that are 1.75 pitch, that are long enough, to get that piece installed.

More tomorrow.

Subafreak · #56 04-27-2003, 06:14 PM

Hope you got that clutch fork figuired out today, some times I wish I had a regular push style clutch too. The tricky part is not pinching it between the throwout bearing and the tranny when you bolt the tranny to the motor, watch out for that as you will have to unbolt it again to get it out.

alex_umn · #57 04-27-2003, 09:57 PM

Okay, the tranny itself is in. To get the clutch fork working I just took out the shaft that supports it, then aligned the fork tines with the brackets on the throwout bearing, and put that same shaft back in after the transmission was installed. Of course, this was suggested in my shop manual AFTER I had done it already. Meh.

I forgot just how much I hate aligning the transmission input shaft with the pilot bearing in the flywheel. This is only harder with a such a heavy transmission. I'm glad I got a transmission adapter for my floor jack a while back, otherwise this would have been impossible.

Unfortunately I need to get the crossmember I had made last year either modified or replaced now; I'm thinking that this could be done by an exhaust shop that would also install my Stebro system...hrm.

There are more pics in my locker...gotta run eat sloppy joes now

Chicane · #58 04-28-2003, 10:52 AM

Woohooo! Congrats Alex! I can't wait for you to get this sorted out!

- Rob

cdigerlando · #59 04-28-2003, 03:31 PM

In response to my skeptisizm, I had only heard that the new model motors do not bolt up to the old trannys. This goes for autos as well as manuals. This does not mean that it can't be done with a simple engineered and machined match plate. Its just not a bolt on project, if that is the case.

What I had heard was that the bolt on patterns are not compatable, although I had not tried it myself, and do not speak from experience. So if you have removed the tranny and checked the bolt patterns then I stand corrected. I will be very interested to see how your project turns out.

What I ment to say is that the project would work with an older model WRX or WRX STi tranny. I think if the newer tranny matches up you will be much better off with that tranny since it should be stronger than the older ones due to the weight of the newer model years. Maybe you should hold out for a 2004 6 speed for that matter. I don't know if there is a significant difference.

Pure_Insanity8 · #60 04-28-2003, 05:08 PM

Kick ass, Alex! She's actually bolted up! Have you figured out a solution to that stud that was a little too short (on rear diff cover, right)? I take it the garage dried up enough to work a little easier, huh? I forgot to ask you if you needed any stands or another jack. I've got some stands and a 3 ton floorjack... just let me know. Also, if you could use a hand (I would kinda like to learn some, too) just gimme a call.