Hank Roberts

So -- help me understand this. Is the transaxle not part of the transmission? I find a tech reference to the neutral switch, and one of the codes we have says the "automatic transmission neutral switch" is giving the wrong info (since it's a manual transmission, this is part of the puzzle) PURPOSE Informs the ECM when transaxle is in neutral. LOCATION On transaxle case, operated by shift fork rod. OPERATION When the transaxle is shifted into neutral, the shift fork allows the neutral switch to close. When the switch closes, it completes a path to ground, signaling the ECM that the transaxle is in neutral. ----- Still trying to figure out the other wires. But this is enough to explain why the mechanic believes the computer needs to be hooked up to the switches after replacing the transmission, since this is one of the codes -- isn't it? What am I missing here.

>pin on the ECU No idea on that. But if there is an ECU setting, it hasn't been touched. I've never found any documentation about those. > various transmissions What I got wasn't the exact same as this car had. With the replacement transmission, the car was a complete slug in first gear instead of the fairly snappy accelerating vehicle it had been before, despite popping out of first. The replacement transmission was like pushing glue, trying to get up enough speed to get across an intersection at a four way stop for example, it just crawled slowly from a stop each time. That could have something to do with the crank angle sensor, I guess, and just be coincidental it broke at this point? >sounds like the original tranny is an easy fix Maybe, but all that's offered is a complete rebuild -- CCR offered to do that, but with a three week turnaround time, after they found they didn't have one already rebuilt to go in this car. Doing just the easy fix with 240,000 miles on the transmission -- rather, having it done, since I can't do it myself -- seemed a risk that with this many miles, everything will be somewhat worn -- that was what I was told when I asked if someone would try fixing the known problem with it for me.

I guess it's time to dig the 1969 Dodge Sportsman camper van out, since no matter what we're going to take the kids on the camping trip as planned in the middle of next week. I don't think the Subaru is going to be working, at this rate. Amazing. The guys at this shop have been in business since 1980 doing Subarus, at least one of them is factory-certified. But they think all the wires need to be hooked up, for the car to be done right. Which wire isn't needed and what does it not do? So the crank angle sensor error is -- what, another mechanical failure, just coincidentally? Crank angle wouldn't give an error because he computer thinks it has an automatic in it? (we know the neutrall switch error is an automatic transmission error code -- people get it if they take an automatic out of the car and put a manual in, I've read elsewhere -- but how does the computer know, if not by the wiring?).

The local Berkeley shop has now put in two replacement transmissions -- both of them wrong. First a rebuilt from CCR -- wrong spline (CCR sent one for a turbo), didn't fit. Pulled, returned. Then a "used Japanese" obtained locally in Berkeley. It had, I found out a week later, one less electrical connection point -- the original had connectors for one more wire input for the computer sensors. (I think five switches on the original, four on the 'used' one,not sure.) (they've taken that one out too, and gone looking for an exact replacement. I'd've thought that was the right thing to do from the start, but I'm not a mechanic....) The local shop didn't tell me about this til I brought the car back in -- mechanic said, well, he tried to work it out logically, and thought it might work OK. But no, in 500 miles, it ran funny, got codes -- crank angle sensor, neutral switch, and I think I last saw an unlisted one, a simple "6" on the engine check light codes, unpredictably. So, apparently the Subaru manual 4wd 5-speed dual range transmission comes in a variety of styles. Anyone know for sure? What are the variations in sensors/wires on the 4wd-5speed-dual_range transmissions that might be put into a GL wagon (rightly or wrongly)? Fortunately, my original "all it did was pop out of first and third gears" transmission was still at the shop, and they've hauled it over to the company that supplies the used Japanese models to try to find a match. By now, at least in theory, CCR or someone could have rebuilt my original (sigh). But who knows for sure. If you know any better (grin), please advise.

I see the "Similar Threads" feature has supplied five links below this one -- maybe the artificial intelligence here has found the info for you. I didn't follow them, but they look likely. I've had problems finding info with searches here-- something about the "Similar Threads" feature is smarter than I am about picking keywords.

I grew up in N.C. and Virginia, in the '50s and early '60s -- back when gasoline was around $0.32/gallon, and a "nickel Coke" had just gone up to six cents in the machines at the gas stations. What a blessing; no mountains to hold an inversion layer most of the time, like the Pacific Coast cities have, and the big coal burning plants up north sending their plumes northeast, not southeast as long as the prevailing winds held. I remember 1964 or 1965 -- the summer week that the first big smog persisted, all down the Atlantic coast, but didn't cross over the Blue Ridge mountains into the Shenandoah Valley (which, back then, didn't yet have Interstate highways, so didn't then collect a layer of diesel truck smog of its own). People around Roanoke were driving up to the Blue Ridge Parkway overlooks, to look east, to see and take pictures of the brown cloud below them hiding everything north and east. Some drove downhill halfway down toward Lynchburg, to smell it. It was awesome, at the time.

The reason this is getting worse, is that it's getting worse. As of five or six years ago, smog from China was reaching the Pacific Coast states in increasing amounts. Last I heard it figured, as China industrializes (burning a lot of coal, and with a third of the country getting a lot of acid rain) the increase in aerosols crossing the Pacific is going to about equal the best possible reduction in locally produced pollution in Alaska down to Mexico. We can hope China cleans up their act. Here's one of the episodes from a few years ago: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast17may_1.htm QUOTE: air pollution comes across the Pacific from Asia -- at least in the spring -- punctuated by a surge of pollutants once or twice a month.... presumably due to the wholesale movement of air from Asian urban areas across the Pacific. This prevents the pollutants from being diluted by mixing with cleaner air. During these surges, the air entering the West Coast can have pollution concentrations as high as 75 percent of federal air quality standards END QUOTE -- there are more recent examples, I was too lazy to search for them. But basically, this is why we're smogging California vehicles -- kids growing up here deserve at least no worse risk than we older folks had, and the best we can hope to do will about break even as the air coming off the Pacific Ocean gets dirtier and dirtier.

Well, from the garage -- CCR returned their call and promises to send a return freight authorization for the turbo transmission, and take it back. Seems like they've agreed the mistake happened. The mechanic here says he may buy from them again, won't burn any bridges. But given the doubt about what they shipped, I doubt either the garage or CCR could warranty this misidentified tranny before checking it carefully for other errors if any. He says CCR told him they can't send the right transmission -- they don't have one in stock, and for CCR to refurbish my old transmission, it'd take 3 weeks including turnaround shipping. Makes sense for a home rebuilder, but not for a business that needs all its bays kept busy. The garage got the right model used transmission in already today, from a used-Japanese source, and they're putting it in now. Crossing fingers it all works.

I have bad carpal tunnel, and no garage, so I'm unable to do major work like this myself -- once you can't hold onto tools, all you can do is research. Which is why I'm asking.

I've tried leaving phone messages and email to CCR, and never gotten a reply. On my recommendation based on what I found here, my mechanic in Berkeley did reach them by phone (he said with considerable difficulty getting them to return calls) and ordered a replacement transmission for my 1988 GL dual range manual 4wd wagon (SPFI). He got CCR's transmission, put it in, and -- it didn't match. He just phoned -- they sent a turbo transmission. Now, I'm glad I paid him 20 percent extra to be the one to make the order himself and deal with CCR. He's not -- he's eating all the labor cost of this now. There isn't time to swap with CCR for the right transmission -- I have kids coming in for a once a year family trip. He's going back to Plan A, getting a used Japanese transmission locally that he can put in this week, so I'll have the car usable. I hate this. I need to know what to expect now. So -- please tell me about dealing with CCR. Problems I expect; how a company deals with them is what's critical to reputation, and I don't see anything said about that here. So I'm asking. Bottom line is -- Buying a transmission for a 1988 manual GL 4wd wagon -- the shop here was careful to say that they did NOT order a "turbo" transmission -- you don't expect to receive a turbo transmission -- right?

If the EGR system is working -- as I understand it -- it's to change the fuel-air ratio after the combustion chamber heats up, when you want _less_ total percentage of oxygenated air in the mix. When it's working, the EGR system is feeding some already-burned air back in to lower the total percentage of oxygen. (I know this much, if I do, because the persistent EGR code problem I had, which had baffled a year's worth of mechanics for the prior owner, happened because someone had screwed up one hose trying to make the light go off. Result -- both channels in the engine (one leading from the exhaust side to the EGR, the other from the EGR back to the combustion chamber) had packed up solid with carbon because the valve was not being properly operated by the solenoid. So replacing everything outside the engine itself didn't help. Fix was taking the engine apart enough to soak and clean out the gas ports. Twice, because the first guy didn't think or bother cleaning them both out -- didn't understand how it worked or went home early, wtfdik. Meanwhile, the engine had been running with too much oxygen in the combustion mix the whole time it was hot, for a year. The previous owner who sold it to me had had no end of trouble getting it to run well in that condition. Let us know how it works for you if you try it. I don't know how fooling the EGR system compares to just having it totally clogged. I'd guess the same thing is happening in the combustion chamber either way -- overly much oxygen while running at normal temp.

$25 for the first car, $15 for each additional car, more or less. Is this the best deal for these? It took me a few weeks to find this link -- and I see there's a service bulletin listed for many of the things I've asked questions about. Nobody's mentioned referring to the service bulletin when opining about problems, that I recall. Are these being looked at by anyone, routinely? Seems like each vehicle ought to have a checklist with it noting which of the service bulletins have been taken care of!

Confirming, yes, CCR has transmissions, rebuilt, available. I figured, at this point, anything 'used' is risking something that's _very_ used. Since my hands don't work all that well and I'm paying shop fees, no point. The 1988 is the newest car I've ever owned by a long shot and the only one I've ever had with a computer in it. I'm hoping it's worth putting the repairs into. California car, at least, and no sign of rust or damage. Bless the commuters who buy 4wd and don't use them much, I say.

OK, transmission's being ordered from CCR.

The valve takes some exhaust gas -- very low oxygen -- and routes it back into the combustion chambers, so when the engine is hot, the lowered oxygen to fuel ratio is appropriate. If you're spoofing the EGR system so the engine thinks it's working, you're basically running your engine with the wrong ratio, too much oxygen for the amount of fuel at that temperature. Someone else will have to comment on what that does. But I can remember (in the early days of the latter half of the last century of the previous millenium, when we drove dinosaurs) that it wasn't, um, productive in the long run to forget to push the choke in after getting the truck running. Might be the same thing, basically. Don't trust my opinion -- I don't.

OK, so -- how the HECK do you get into the roof pillar, to take out an old dead antenna? I will go look under the carpet and try to follow up the cable. I've been through three big books and found nothing. The Subaru glovebox book (for this 1988 GL wagon) at least tells me the antenna is supposed to pull OUT (it's a snapped off stub). Hoping someone active here now can tell me how to dig one out before I or someone for me goes to a junkyard to try the dissection -- and find out how much cable to take with a replacement if one's found (where does it disconnect, at the antenna end I hope, rather than pulling the whole console out to get to the radio also?)

I've passed the recommendation for CCR on to the mechanic at SOS Subaru (he'd looked at their web page as I did and didn't see transmissions listed; I've emailed them and he'll phone them later today. Since my hands don't work well, this is going to be done by the mechanic -- he can find used parts too, and may be better able to assess them (and will warranty them if he puts them in, taking some of the risk). But I'd rather get a rebuilt and he just didn't know about CCRinc. He's surprised at the CCR price, but if they convince him he'll use them as a supplier. To me, again with the carpal tunnel, I don't have an alternative.

Anyone got an online source for rebuilt _transmission_ for the GL 4wd wagon? I likely will need one in Berkeley CA -- very soon. Before my mechanic pulls the engine out to replace all the )(&)(%$#&% gaskets and head bolts that the prior owner's mechanic apparently reused, leaving it leaking oil badly --- I've got to help him locate a rebuilt transmission if one can be found, because it's been popping out of first gear and now 3rd gear on deceleration. And at 254000 miles on the transmission. The mechanic here says he used to rebuild these often but now with labor rate high and parts very hard to find he can't rebuild it - and he's not sure he can find one that he could put in and trust would work for me. If not, I may have a car for sale because I won't be able to fix it myself. It's at this point just iffy whether to give up, since the carpal tunnel keeps me from working on it myself and I don't have a workshop to put it in anyhow.

I've already been through the sensor-related components on the engine -- PCV and EGR - valves, solenoids, and the ports in the engine itself those are attached to were all clogged solid. Had get them clean, to get past recurrent check engine light problems. All happened far enough away from me that I didn't know how bad it had been til after it was my car. Since I do need the 4wd manual low range wagon, and so far it has been good otherwise, I'm persisting. Yeah, sounds like it was overheated, or else assembled with reused gaskets and used bolts -- or both -- to me, but I'm a novice at Subaru engines -- and the mechanic I relied on (for Toyotas) since 1976 retired a few years ago! Thus, having to educate myself here -- so I can face this next step.

Good pointer, thanks Erik! Summary -- too expensive to buy ARP studs, though they can provide them given measurements. Below that thread the board gave me links to a LOT more threads than I found using the Search function for 'gaskets' -- to sum those up: -- copper can be made up special order given a template, but the template available is for a turbo engine gasket. Looks like stock Subaru OEM for my situation. More info welcome! I'll try to keep summarizing anything else y'all point to -- there's far more here than I'm finding by searching for threads, and your memories are better than the computer for finding them. Next question is -- how much better can it be made and how soon does it start leaking badly again!? Oh, and the list for significant leaks for my engine is: Back cover of timing belt Valve cover gaskets Cam tower Front engine seal Head gasket And I know oil is leaking, because, besides the dipstick evidence, when I open the hood, the low spots on the flat metal plate between engine and wheel/axle hold pools of fresh oil; wiped out, it looks clean (sigh); rechecked after driving, it's filled again. This is beyond a safe little leak.

Thanks to the forum tool that shows related threads -- the answer's yes -- answered before asked: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9246

My old friend was, um, at best delusional about the condition of his GL 1988. The used engine he had put in 60,000 miles ago has been godawful. Fixed the clogged EGR ports and misrouted vacuum tubes, now it's just oil leaks -- 2 quarts per 500 miles. The compression is even -- I've been told -- but each mechanic so far has said oh, no reason to check the cylinders individually ... I mistrust this. Right? Wrong? Totally off track? I'm totally suspicious now of hidden flaws and undisclosed damage -- was it ever overheated badly? I dunno -- and the local mechanic, who does seem so far to know his stuff, says it's losing oil everywhere. Badly, which I know it is. So -- since it's a manual with low range 4wd, I'm keeping it -- it needs more work. I know these engines do leak oil. Tell me about gaskets. Berkeley's 'SOS Subaru' says there's only one kind of gasket, the ones made for Subaru. In these threads, I read mention of copper gaskets, and NAPA gaskets, and I don't know what all else. For an 1800 SPFI engine, what's good? Tell me about bolts. I know about fake bolts -- aviation, including hang gliding and the Space Shuttle, is plagued by counterfeit bolts. http://twilight.saic.com/qawg/Misc/EH92_4.htm Tell me about using studs instead of bolts, if anyone makes them for the 1800 engine -- I understand the logic (put them in finger tight instead of torquing them, then torque the nuts on the studs -- makes sense, done on other engines, but on Subarus?) Tell me about re-torquing (after warmup? After 500 miles? Only on new OEM bolts?) Tell me again about gaskets (grin). Yes, I'm probably going to end up paying the local shop for this -- the car lost two quarts of oil in 500 miles, the one trip I made to the mountains. And, what else -- assuming going in and replacing all the gaskets and bolts -- is worth doing, in there? ----- Yes, I realize it'd have been simpler to buy another engine from Colorado. I promise, next time, I will.

Thanks for this detailed report, I'm facing the issue with my 1988 GL soon. I feel like I owe it to the kids to add links for anyone who wants to understand why to capture CFCs. Current latest info: http://www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk/pooled/articles/BF_NEWSART/view.asp?Q=BF_NEWSART_157792 QUOTE (my excerpts, see original for full text and their links) 29 Apr 2005 Large scale ozone losses have occurred above the Arctic this past winter with over 50% of the ozone destroyed at altitudes around 18 km. ... Overall temperatures in the ozone layer were the lowest for 50 years .... large areas of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) - clouds in the ozone layer- were present over the Arctic region at altitudes between 14 and 26 km. This [area] is the largest in the 50 year record, and especially in the last 20 years, the period when the ozone-depleting compounds have been high. The chemical balance in the stratosphere is changed significantly by the presence of these clouds, altering the breakdown products from manmade CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) so that rapid chemical ozone destruction can occur in the presence of sunlight. The cold conditions affected the distribution of nitrogen oxides, allowing ozone loss to continue longer than usual. ..... the atmospheric concentrations of CFCs [has] started to decrease. But the atmospheric lifetime of these compounds is extremely long and the concentrations will remain at dangerously high levels for another half century. ... the Arctic ozone layer will mainly depend on ... temperatures at the altitude of the ozone layer. Over the past forty years the conditions there have become significantly colder.... the cold Arctic winters.... result in large ozone losses. In 2005 the average extent of conditions cold enough... was four times larger than it has ever been .... This continuous cooling trend is ... a result of increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere [and so will continue]. END QUOTE Background: http://jwocky.gsfc.nasa.gov/eptoms/dataqual/ozone_v8.html http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/ozone.html http://www.atm.ch.cam.ac.uk/tour/tour_images/total_ozone.s.gif

http://kmhafer.datsun510.com/Subaru.htm

Ah, THAT works. <bump>