HEAT might not be the prime cause of tranny failure

[svxxx26]

Joe, your plan for keeping the SVX tranny alive looks good. I plan on doing everything on your list except the temp-actuated valve to control fluid going to the extra cooler (don't drive it much in cold weather) and the higher capacity pump (unless I do a rebuild). I already use the High-temp Redline ATF.
I have a B&M Supercooler, but it doesn't seem to work too well on the garage shelf.

[svxistentialist]

Robin Williams, eat your heart out!

Gerry, my plan is the distillation {love that word} of various posts and FAQ's and technical bulletins and e-mailed help I got from members both sides of the Atlantic.

You are right about the thermostatic solenoid; if you fit the temp gauge first, and your peaks are not sky high nor normal temp holding too low for too long, you don't need it. And, it is small enough to get lost on your garage shelf anyway.

One thing does bother me though. Oil flow rates. With similar piping to original in the auxiliary cooler, oil pressure is going to be reduced, so flow rate may change, possibly not optimal cooling. Not a fluid dynamics engineer, so I am not certain about this. My instinct would be to put a restrictor in the new circuit to maintain presure at factory setting, or maybe a similar restrictor in both oil lines. This would maintain pressure at the right level, while at the same time ensuring similar oil flow through both coolers. Problem solved, fit and forget.

Any Subie techies got ideas on this?

Joe

[svxistentialist]

Just noticed!!

I have lost my "Junior" Member appelation!!


I can post with the big boys, yeeeeaaaah.....

Soon I will be headed for the Mighty High Exalted Wizard status like Aredubjay.

Joe

[svxistentialist]

Almost forgot, Gerry.

Don't put the RedLine High Temp ATF on the garage shelf, The cat could slip and hurt hisself[es]

Joe

[eddycat2000]

Originally posted by svxistentialist

Any Subie techies got ideas on this?

Joe

Yes Joe, But I don't think you'd be interested in hearing them.

DFWI, If you have the updated radiator, and you drive like a sane person, then the tranny will last the amount of time any mechanical device was designed to. Other than that, IMO, you can waste great deals of money trying to fix a problem that is a delay tactic at best.

Just a thought. Take it at face value, I haven't, nor will I install the early atk50 filter, and I've seen a bunch of transmissions crater since the 4eat was introduced.

[svxistentialist]

Originally posted by eddycat2000


Yes Joe, But I don't think you'd be interested in hearing them.

, nor will I install the early atk50 filter, and I've seen a bunch of transmissions crater since the 4eat was introduced.

You are wrong here dude, I hang on every word of people who know what they are talking about, and who have experience in their field. You are highly qualified both ways, I appreciate your reply.

I would be interested to know your opinion on the change in oil pressure and possible effect on oil flow rates. Or, are you saying, with the non-mesh rad, an additional cooler is un-necessary?

I don't know what an atk50 filter is, is it the factory retrofit for the '92's?? What would you recommend? Would a magnetic filter for metal particles be any addition?

Last, I asked this before. My box is stuck in 3 and reverse. Joe 90 suggests this is "safe" mode and clearing the TCU might bring back the other gears. Diagnostic shows no fault. What do you think? What causes "safe" mode to deploy, would I have an underlying mechanical fault the diagnostics don't pick up?

Joe

[eddycat2000]

Originally posted by svxistentialist



I would be interested to know your opinion on the change in oil pressure and possible effect on oil flow rates. Or, are you saying, with the non-mesh rad, an additional cooler is un-necessary?

I don't know what an atk50 filter is, is it the factory retrofit for the '92's?? What would you recommend? Would a magnetic filter for metal particles be any addition?

Last, I asked this before. My box is stuck in 3 and reverse. Joe 90 suggests this is "safe" mode and clearing the TCU might bring back the other gears. Diagnostic shows no fault. What do you think? What causes "safe" mode to deploy, would I have an underlying mechanical fault the diagnostics don't pick up?

Joe

Yes, In my opinion if you have the updated radiator the additional cooler is unnecessary. It would just be for peice of mind.

Yes, the ATK50 filter was the additional filter to try and prevent the premature failure of the tranny on '92 MY SVX's. And you already have a magnet in the tranny pan. If you've got enough metal floating about in your trans to require another one, then you probably are going to need another tranny anyhow.

I doubt that clearing the TCU will bring your trans back to life, but stranger things have happened I guess. The only time I have had a problem with the trans defaulting into *limp home* mode is when something was screwed up with speed sensor 2. (I think, the one in the extension housing). The one that I had was a 2WD and that particular sensor is located inside of the trans, rather than externally like an AWD. What happened was intermittantly the wire to the sensor would short out on a very sharp peice of casting inside the trans. That one took about 40 hours to find. You could drive the car for a hundred miles and it would be fine, then bang, limp home mode. At least I found it....

[svxistentialist]

Interesting observations Eddy. With your knowledge of prices, would it be cost effective for me to buy a new or replacement rad, and save the cost of the extra cooler?

Don't forget my car is Dec 91, and does not have any external filter. If the factory one is no good, what would be a good one to put in, I am presuming one is needed for safety.

Also, another strange co-incidence. Self diagnostic for Existing problems sets off the rapid blinking, I presume no fault. Doing the self diagnostic for Previous problems throws up 23, 32 and 33. 33 is your vehicle speed sensor 2. {23 is engine revolution and 32 is vehicle speed sensor 1}
Do you think it would be worth my while replacing these sensors now before stripping the box, or would I be throwing money away?? The car has 90,000 kms on it,
about 56,000 miles

Joe

[svxxx26]

<<would it be cost effective for me to buy a new or replacement rad, and save the cost of the extra cooler?>>

My B&M Supercooler was around $50.00. A new radiator is in the $400+ range. Be nice to find a good, used one.

Although pricey, the radiator option ranks high on the piece-of-mind scale, although a cooler connected in parallel would eliminate clogging worries.

Just some non-techie thoughts

[eddycat2000]

Originally posted by svxistentialist
Interesting observations Eddy. With your knowledge of prices, would it be cost effective for me to buy a new or replacement rad, and save the cost of the extra cooler?

Don't forget my car is Dec 91, and does not have any external filter. If the factory one is no good, what would be a good one to put in, I am presuming one is needed for safety.

Also, another strange co-incidence. Self diagnostic for Existing problems sets off the rapid blinking, I presume no fault. Doing the self diagnostic for Previous problems throws up 23, 32 and 33. 33 is your vehicle speed sensor 2. {23 is engine revolution and 32 is vehicle speed sensor 1}
Do you think it would be worth my while replacing these sensors now before stripping the box, or would I be throwing money away?? The car has 90,000 kms on it,
about 56,000 miles

Joe

If you have a dead trans, and you want the next one to hold up, I'd update to the newer radiator. It's kind of up to you as to what is cost effective. If it were mine, it would be, if only because I have seen very few tranny failures with the new radiators in place.

As for stripping the sensors, it's not as easy as all that. Some sensors in the extension housings had connectors on them, (not sure what years, expecially on the SVX), but if not, then you have to remove the entire tranny harness, i've had to do several, and they are *not* fun to do. If in fact you do have a dead trans, then when you get a genuine Subaru reman, it will come with the sensors. I'm assuming that is what you would do if automatics are as rare as you say over there. They aren't rare here, and several people that I know have had rebuilds done in independent shops with less than satisfactory results.

But remember, as always when talking with me, I'm a purist, and nothing aftermarket goes in my car. I've dealt with Subaru for many years and you can't find a better product with a better warranty in my opinion.

[eddycat2000]

Originally posted by svxistentialist
The car has 90,000 kms on it,
about 56,000 miles

Joe

One thing I should point out...that's really low mileage for a tranny failure. Do you have access to a Subaru dealer near you? If not contact Subaru direct and see if they want to help you out with the cost of a replacement. (If your tranny is in fact dead). There are no hidden warranties on any cars that I have dealt with, but the factory reps do have a certain amount of descretion<sp> when determining if they can pay a portion of the replacement cost. Generally speaking, if they do help you out what happens is that they pay for the part and you pay for the labor. Just a thought, but you are in kind of a unique situation.

[svxistentialist]

Thanks Gerry and Eddie

Dealer situation here in Ireland is also unusual. The SVX was never sold in Ireland, so the dealers have no technical info or backup to relate to it. The car was sold in the UK, but I have already gone that route, and they won't deal with my car, because it is considered as a "grey" import, i.e. I imported it myself second hand from Japan, and the distributor policy is not to support them.
So Fuji Heavy Industries are not being too co-operative in supporting their product on a world wide basis. No wonder dot com and the Internet are sliding downhill fast.
Possibly, I will presume the electronics are OK, and the limp home mode is caused by mechanical failure. I am waiting on the manual to arrive from Subaru before I entrust it to an independent to strip it down. Also, I would like to find an auto specialist who might have some chance of wiring it up to an electronics diagnostic rig when the clutches and whatever are rectified.

joe

[svxistentialist]

Originally posted by svxter
I probably will at some point. It's just the statistician in me that keeps coming out.

Bill,

A thought;
Why not send a bulk e-mail to everyone on the SVX Forum who has supplied email address? It could read
"Please go to the following address and return the poll on transmissions. We may be able to use the results to get better warranty support"
or something like that, and include the link to the Forum.

Come to that, there is nothing stopping you doing the same with Yahoo addresses or the Yahoo e-club.

Worth a try?

Joe

[Jamsvx]

A dealer here in Sydney has been keeping an eye out for an SVX for me for some time now and two have popped up - one was too old (for the asking price!!!! SVX's are never old!!) and the second was, again, too much.

Anyhow, they know me to be an SVX fan as is the salewoman who is assisting me and their service manager and it was he who explained, as I had heard earlier, that the transmission failures in the first generation/series car (ie 92-94) was the result of a paper/cellulose gasket in the transmission deterioating and thence making its merry way into bits and pieces of the tranmission whereas the update cars came with a metal filter and he had never heard of a post-94 SVX failing in its tranmission - note though that Australia only got 5 of the updated SVX's!!!

Jamsvx

PS: hi svxistentialist - I hail from Portlaoise and have been here since 87 - I always wondered whether SVX's visited Eire - is yours a 4ws?

PPS: my website is nearly complete- takes AGES with geocities pagemaker and I have some interesting stuff on the 4ws models!

PPPS: congratulations Aredubjay - you are a deity amongst mortals!!

[svxter]

Originally posted by svxistentialist



Bill,

A thought;
Why not send a bulk e-mail to everyone on the SVX Forum who has supplied email address? It could read
"Please go to the following address and return the poll on transmissions. We may be able to use the results to get better warranty support"
or something like that, and include the link to the Forum.

Come to that, there is nothing stopping you doing the same with Yahoo addresses or the Yahoo e-club.

Worth a try?

Joe

Good thought, Joe. I'll check into doing that sometime in the next few weeks, although it may be a week or two before I can do it, as I'm coming up to a really busy time between now and the middle of May. Thanks for the suggestion.

Saving your pennies for next year?