Transmission question

At v low speeds (eg parking) I frequently get several thumps from, I think the transmission as if the box is changing gear - but travelling at less than 1mph!!

Any ideas guys 'n gals?

Thanks

[svxistentialist]

Hi Tony,

First you should run the diagnostic to see if anything is electronically amiss. It would give you a clue where to start.

The ATSG manual I have says the following:

Shock is felt shifting from N to D range implies:

Deterioration of ATF
Faulty N-D accumulator
Valve sticking
Faulty control unit [this means TCU I think]

Shock is felt when shifting from N to R range implies:

Valve sticking
Faulty 4A accumulator
Deterioration of ATF.

This is something for you to look into. I would be suspecting sticking valves [particularly if no code shows on the diagnostic] or a faulty accumulator. These are easy to get to dropping the sump. The whole box does not need to come out.

Best of luck.

Joe

[Andy]

Originally posted by TonyShaleUK
At v low speeds (eg parking) I frequently get several thumps from, I think the transmission as if the box is changing gear - but travelling at less than 1mph!!

Any ideas guys 'n gals?

Thanks

Hi Tony,

I had a very similar thing before I changed my resistor behind the battery, it may not be your problem, but it is an easy place to start.

Regards


Andy

[Trevor]

The resistor is within specifications if between 9 - 15 ohms. Mine measured 12 ohms so was exactly correct.

[Nobody]

Hi Tony, I have (or had) similar problem but only when car was sitting over nite and in the morning I want to go this thump or shock occured when moving to R or D. It did it only when sitting over nite so I assumed there maybe some problem with pressure in tranny. As tranny died month ago and my tranny guy check it he also confirmed that the pressure inside is not ok. Hope it is only some selenoid problem which is the cheepest way.
Hope you find Joe's advices useful, as for me I would start with ATF change and check dropping resistor, which is actually responsible for smoother changing gears...
Peter

[Jamsvx]

My tranny does the same thing...D into R...a slight pause then THUNK...especially noticeable in the garage downstairs (it echoes)

My transmission was replaced 5,000km before I bought it (ie, at 57K...not 72K) and has always done it - Subaru checked it out and said that fine.

However....


I do have a complaint about the sticking accelerator....sometimes it does not drop back a gear and there is a resistance through the accelerator then BAM...slams down the gear, rpms rise, Cassie screams about hooning and off the SVX goes

A mystery!

[Trevor]

Originally posted by Jamsvx
My tranny does the same thing...D into R...a slight pause then THUNK...especially noticeable in the garage downstairs (it echoes)

My transmission was replaced 5,000km before I bought it (ie, at 57K...not 72K) and has always done it - Subaru checked it out and said that fine.

However....


I do have a complaint about the sticking accelerator....sometimes it does not drop back a gear and there is a resistance through the accelerator then BAM...slams down the gear, rpms rise, Cassie screams about hooning and off the SVX goes

A mystery!

Hi James,

If the accelerator pedal is " sticking " surely the problem is machanical e.g. binding cable or throttle shaft and will be easy to locate. Not a mystery rolling about on the floor I hope If nothing is actually mechanically binding you should check and clean the TPS as a first option.

Regards, Trevor.

[Trevor]

Originally posted by Nobody
Hi Tony, I have (or had) similar problem but only when car was sitting over nite and in the morning I want to go this thump or shock occured when moving to R or D. It did it only when sitting over nite so I assumed there maybe some problem with pressure in tranny. As tranny died month ago and my tranny guy check it he also confirmed that the pressure inside is not ok. Hope it is only some selenoid problem which is the cheepest way.
Hope you find Joe's advices useful, as for me I would start with ATF change and check dropping resistor, which is actually responsible for smoother changing gears...
Peter

My car also does this intermittently and I have put it down to the parking pawl being asked to disengage while under load or holding in because of load while on a slight incline, but I have not diagnosed it exactly. I have not regarded it as a problem as such.

As I also drive on the correct side of the road I trust I am not intruding here.

[Nobody]

Hi guys, I have just spoke to my tranny guy and...
my tranny is gone, burnt inside. There were no signs of problems just this thumbs when changing from P to R or D in the morning, than suddenly one day goes only to 2 nd and reved. No burnt smell at dipstick. I have changed ATF half year ago, tranny was replaced by Subaru Germany 20 000km ago (todays it is about month after warranty expired). Damn thing I will go to take some pictures(it is comleetly decomposed into parts) so if you are interested I could put it here or somwhere on the net. I have just lost 1200 USD for repair...
Peter

[Jamsvx]

I am so sorry to hear that - would you have any recourse against the people who replaced it?? Does not sound like they did a proper job *nb: not that I am finger pointing*

At the risk of sounding like a ghoul, photos would be good since we all hear of what damage is wrought upon the SVX transmission but never actually get to see it.

Trevor, thanks for the feedback - I have checked the throttle linkages and they seem fine - Blake has also driven it but he could not detect a problem - it seems to come and go

Cheers

James

[Nobody]

Hi James, I was too optimistic with pictures, what I actually saw was bunch of gear wheels, lamellas all burnt and smell like a hell (place where my tranny gone :-))). I took some pictures but I think nobody will see anything. You must take it to the hand and feel burnt surface between fingers. I do not know who caused it maybe my local subaru dealer did bad job with replacing ATF or used bad ATF, who knows and there is no chance to prove it...
What I have learnt with car maintenance here is when you have someting important to do you must watch them if they do it right. I think that it is also common for other countries than Czech Rep., they can ask you for an astronomical price and do 5 USD job....:-))
It is the same with my tranny, they have asked for 1200USD but who knows what they will do :-)) I will pray:-))
You have to love SVX to go over such a thing otherwise kick it from a reef.
Peter

[Sonar]

-I don't think that the tranny is responsible for my problem.
Maybe a CV-joint ....?
It rattles (barely hearable) mostly in right turns on acceleration for the first 50 meters or so.

(hope I spelled things right, the -spell check- button does not work )

[oab_au]

Originally posted by Nobody
Hi James, I was too optimistic with pictures, what I actually saw was bunch of gear wheels, lamellas all burnt and smell like a hell (place where my tranny gone :-))). I took some pictures but I think nobody will see anything. You must take it to the hand and feel burnt surface between fingers. I do not know who caused it maybe my local subaru dealer did bad job with replacing ATF or used bad ATF, who knows and there is no chance to prove it...
What I have learnt with car maintenance here is when you have someting important to do you must watch them if they do it right. I think that it is also common for other countries than Czech Rep., they can ask you for an astronomical price and do 5 USD job....:-))
It is the same with my tranny, they have asked for 1200USD but who knows what they will do :-)) I will pray:-))
You have to love SVX to go over such a thing otherwise kick it from a reef.
Peter

Peter. I don't want to point the finger BUT.

This looks like a typical example of the transmission being replaced without cleaning the debris, of the last one, out of the transmission oil cooler. If the cooler was still blocked, there would be no lubricating oil flow to the gear train, so it overheats and burns up, as you have seen.

I would check to see if the cooler is still blocked, if so you may have a claim against the re builder. As only the original gear box would have had the faulty linings, that blocked the cooler. If it was rebuilt correctly, it would not block the cooler again.

Harvey.

[Nobody]

Hi Harvey, my tranny guy went through oil lines and oil cooler, and he told me that it is/was ok :-(. There is too many things what could happen. Definitelly bad oil pressure caused that gear wheels caked together. The problem could cause faulty selenoid, it is hard to diagnostic it because the standard diagnostic test gives only result ok/fault and do display that it works but wrong...
It does not matter...I will pay and hope I will enjoy it :-)))
Peter

[svxistentialist]

Originally posted by Sonar
-I don't think that the tranny is responsible for my problem.
Maybe a CV-joint ....?
It rattles (barely hearable) mostly in right turns on acceleration for the first 50 meters or so.

(hope I spelled things right, the -spell check- button does not work )

On-power rattling.

Hi Sonar,

This can be caused by a few things, depends what you mean by "rattling".

A buzz, fizzle or light tinny rattling is caused on mine by loose heatshields over the exhaust or cats. These can be tightened up in an exhaust shop, generally by brazing. This type of noise [which can be fairly loud and annoying] can also be caused by a loose panel inside the resonator in the exhaust. Some people take them out altogether, but I don't like this, it will affect the gas velocity leaving the engine and harm your performance. Try the heat shields first.

If it is CV joints, it will be more like a clicking or clunking, about one every half second, and will happen as you turn. You could try it in an empty supermarket car park. Turn the car clockwise and anti-clockwise under full lock. If a CV is gone, it will clunk as described. Be careful though, if you power it under full lock with a bad CV, it could break and leave you stranded. Try it gently.

Joe