Day 3 of Tranny Saga #3

[Aredubjay]

I've chronicled the Legacy Tranny Saga, and the TPS Saga, time now for chapter 3 of "As the Tranny Slips."

Couldn't stand it any longer -- called the tranny shop. "I believe they're putting pressure taps on it right now. Just a minute." Indeed, they were. According to the tech, they'd been on the phone with "Tech in California" yesterday and today. "You definitely have a slippage problem." DUH! (I said to myself) that's why I brought it in. "Your line pressure is low and we're trying to figure out if the pump's failing, it's a solenoid problem or it's the TPS again. You have one of those complicated ones. We're pretty sure it'll have to come out again." He said. "But, we want to diagnose it before we have to take it out. Tech said we wouldn't really 'see' anything if we took it out." Let's just hope they don't burn it up in diagnosis this time. He was genuinely sorry when I told him that I guessed it was time to call the car rental place. I can't bear to drive that giant pogo-ball (Full Size Panel Van) home again. So, I'm biting the bullet and renting . . . again. Somebody save me from this obsession.

[Seraph]

Originally posted by Aredubjay
I've chronicled the Legacy Tranny Saga, and the TPS Saga, time now for chapter 3 of "As the Tranny Slips."

Couldn't stand it any longer... Somebody save me from this obsession.

I know how you feel Randy. Last time mine was in a shop they said it will take a "couple" of days and ended up taking a little more like 3 weeks. I am not saying yours will take that long but I know your pain. I feel it too. Perhaps you shoud write a book on that.

Lwin

keep your faith up and you will soon be reunited.

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by Seraphim


I know how you feel Randy. Last time mine was in a shop they said it will take a "couple" of days and ended up taking a little more like 3 weeks. I am not saying yours will take that long but I know your pain. I feel it too. Perhaps you shoud write a book on that.

Lwin

keep your faith up and you will soon be reunited.

The last trip took 24 (gut wrenching, cussing, hitting things, kicking things, crying, laughing [to keep from crying], miserable) days.

I asked the tech, "is it gonna take 24 Days this time?" He said, "Was that how long it was?" I said "Yes." He said, "I hope not." Of course 11 days of that was waiting for a TPS from CDA Subaru (Never Again!!), which is now on the list of suspect parts. GAH!!! I'm so frustrated.

[Seraph]

if you need SOA parts call my guy and tell them I sent you. He should be able to hook you up within 2-3 days.

As for the intense pain that you get while you don't have your SVX, I have felt that too. I have never felt that much pain being away from any other cars before. But I have sleepless nights twisting and turning because of the lack of a SVX in my hand.


Lwin

[Aredubjay]

Thanks Lwin -- it'll be Monday before I'll need any parts, if I do. Perhaps the pump from the Legacy tranny (that I still haven't sold yet) will work, if that's the problem. Same with the solenoids.

PM me his number. Hope his prices are better than subaruparts.com, though. (not that they're high -- just takes longer to get here -- did I mention Drop Ship -- Scott, Ryan, are you listening? )

[svx_commuter]

RJ you are in "The SVX appreciation state of mind".

If they pull the resister by the battery the line pressure will max out. That could stop the slipping or at least it should if it is an electrical problem. If the solenoid is stuck or the line pressure valve thingys in the control valve body are sticking or worn out...... you could clean them valve thingys or replace replace the whole valve assembly. Did the pump get rebuilt the last time?

RJ is going to really appreciate his SVX when he gets it back.

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by svx_commuter
RJ you are in "The SVX appreciation state of mind".

If they pull the resister by the battery the line pressure will max out. That could stop the slipping or at least it should if it is an electrical problem. If the solenoid is stuck or the line pressure valve thingys in the control valve body are sticking or worn out...... you could clean them valve thingys or replace replace the whole valve assembly. Did the pump get rebuilt the last time?

RJ is going to really appreciate his SVX when he gets it back.

Yeah, I thought about the resistor . . . . . after I hung up, but, I figured if this tech in California is worth his salt, he should know about it. I don't think they replaced the pump or rebuilt it last time, but, the Valve Body on the Legacy tranny is supposedly the same as on the SVX tranny, so, if needs be, they can swap them out. Perhaps I won't be selling the Legacy tranny after all. We'll see. If not, can anyone put me in touch with a core buyer? Eddycat was going to check on one for me, but, things kinda didn't pan out.

[huck369]

Randy,
Sorry to hear that your tranny is getting worse, I'd loan you the 94, but it's sceduled to have the windshield put in this coming week.

[SVXphile]

< Somebody save me from this obsession>

Randy....I think that will only come when Huck,Steel, and/or others set up a shed next to their homes and begin a 5-speed organ transplant business. I really think it will be the only way to keep our cars going that will make any financial sense in the long run. Just a thought...Don

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by huck369
Randy,
Sorry to hear that your tranny is getting worse, I'd loan you the 94, but it's sceduled to have the windshield put in this coming week.

Huck, that's great. Thanks for the offer. I know "it's the thought that counts." Meanwhile, this weekend, I had to rent a car. 2002 Stratus. It was brand new, just got it in on Friday. 211 miles on the clock. It's a smooth ride, not too bad. Not enough headroom and the window sits up a little too high to sit your elbow on the ledge without your arm getting tired. Also, there's a little stretch of road on the way home, that has a short rise at the end of the passing zone. Sometimes you can't see if a car's coming until you've already started to pass the car in front of you. Never a problem with the SVX -- Power Light, zoom zoom zoom, and you're back in the righthand lane before you get near the car coming toward you. I'm afraid the Stratus was not that quick. Things got a little tense on that little stretch, Friday night.

[SSSVX]

Heee, Now I know what you drive to work!
Stratus '02 or SVX '92 is better? Want to read your car reviews please?

Do you really need to leave your car there so looong? If you're in my town, I'd love to recommend you the tranny shop that recently fixed my AWD. They do things quick and good. They have the business since 1963(second generations). Actually, they could fix my SVX in the second day. They have the used parts. But, because I wanted to order my own ATF fluid and stuff so it'd to sleep there for 10days. I'm happy with their service and attitudes. At the same time, they educated me of my awd stufff and explained to me.

And, the boss is a racer who won a lot of trophies in his office. I saw that. I don't know what kind of car he raced. He took the pictures for me that I sat inside his racing car(no door) picture in his body shop. one plastic seat - very light body - fiber?? - with the V8-550++hp engine. is fast! He tested every customers' cars before they're done. He tested mine too. He said the tranny is fine. Hope is real fine.

[Aredubjay]

These guys have been around since 1954. It's just that they don't get too many SVX trannies in there. Surprisingly enough, mine was the first, but, about a month after they installed my second tranny (the real SVX tranny that replaced the Legacy tranny), another SVX came in for tranny work. I don't know exactly what they did to it, but, I'm glad they're learning, cuz they're going to have to work on mine as long as I'm alive, cuz I sure as hell aint taking any of them to the dealership (gougers).

[immortal_suby]

Randy - you aren't the only one.
Mine started slipping on the 2-3 shift last week. I changed the fluid and filter but that had no effect. I soon lost 2nd gear almost completely. If I start out slow it would use 2nd up to about 3k and then rev to redline before slamming into 3rd with a nice squealing noise. Plugging the resistor behind the battery back in makes it even worse. I swapped the ECU, TCU, and TPS between my wife's car and mine - no effect. I am now completely without 2nd gear, 4th slips, and 3rd is starting to slip as well after 2 weeks of driving it and shifting manually to avoid 2nd gear.

I poured some snake-oil into the tranny last night, just to test it since the tranny is toast anyway, I'll post the (sure to be negative) results as they come.

I am not mad like most, I'm actually pretty impressed that it lasted to 155k on the original tranny the way I drive it. I knew this was gonna happen 2 years ago when I bought the car and resolved back then to not let it cause me to not enjoy the car to it's fastest extent.

As soon as I can locate the correct parts, I am dragging it to KY for a 5-spd swap. I actually considered doing this myself, but the removal of the steering column and the cutting into the firewall part scares me enough to let a pro take care of it. I can't wait to see the clutch pedal in there, but I think I am gonna miss doing 90mph at 3k on the tach.

My only question is what do I do with the auto box that comes out of it?

[vkykam]

Ain't the core value on that sucker worth $1200?

Hard part is cashing in on that without buying a reman...

VK

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by immortal_suby
Randy - you aren't the only one.
Mine started slipping on the 2-3 shift last week. {compressed to . . .}
I am not mad like most, I'm actually pretty impressed that it lasted to 155k on the original tranny the way I drive it. I knew this was gonna happen 2 years ago when I bought the car and resolved back then to not let it cause me to not enjoy the car to it's fastest extent.

As soon as I can locate the correct parts, I am dragging it to KY for a 5-spd swap. I actually considered doing this myself, but the removal of the steering column and the cutting into the firewall part scares me enough to let a pro take care of it. I can't wait to see the clutch pedal in there, but I think I am gonna miss doing 90mph at 3k on the tach.

My only question is what do I do with the auto box that comes out of it?

I wasn't mad when the tranny went out the first time. THAT, I was expecting. No problem. What I wasn't expecting was to have a Legacy tranny back in my car after a 2,200.00 rebuild. If I'd known BEFORE I'd paid the money, I wouldn't have been mad. Now, I got a little agitated when the newly rebuilt SVX tranny started slipping after I'd had it rebuilt, and they diagnosed a 130.00 TPS and they had to rebuild the high clutch (at their own expense) after burning it up in diagnosis. And now, I'm somewhat PO'd that it's slipping again after . . . well, the last saga ended the day I had to leave for last year's Reading meet less than a year ago, and, it showed up this time on my way up to see Huck to drive the 5 speed.

Sounds like you've burnt the high clutch, but, no, I wouldn't be angry either with the fact that it has lasted 155K.

So, are you having Huck do the re-fit?

As for the autobox, have somebody buy it or let them have it for the cost of shipping it to Level 10, and let them rebuild it.