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please help transmission failing


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Okay so I posted this in another forum and not very helpful. eas originally concerned I had a bad torque converter now scared I blew the tranny.

 

97 subaru outback 2.5 AT trans 187k replaced engine at 180k due to a bad hg

 

Started with a serious loss of power at speeds over 40mph and uphill as well. engine rpm will increase as i give gas but acceleration is very sluggish or even a drop in speed if trying to maintain 60mph with an incline. i can push on gas and my rpm go really high almost sounds likeits in neutral and i sloooowly accelerate even at 4500 rpm. i occasoinally overheat as well after i pull off freeway. rough idle while stopped at light. was pulling misfire on 3 and 4 replaced plugs and wires now pulling. p0740 failed tcc solenoid. i was leaning towards torque converter itself after reviewing a description of torque converter function from toyota that i found on this site. turns out the lock up solenoid is on the vavle body inside tranny (told this by dealer) they seem to be leaning towardstranny. Lost other gears on freeway first I could get to 40 in d now only 25 in d and 30 in 2 with rpms around 3500. Thinking my only option is to replace tranny don't know if it will even be worth it because I was going to sell after i replaced motor. Still going to sell cuz I need the $.

 

Atf smells burnt and is gray

Would love to hear something else but dont want to waste time and money avoiding the inevitable.

Edited by angeltali
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Buy a bunch of trans fluid and change out the nasty stuff at least 2-3 times. Sometimes you can have luck that a couple of flushes will clean out some crud in the valve body and free up the inner workings after you drive it around. If this works then your only investment is the fluid and your time involved. Same cost if it doesn't fix your problem.

 

You can search the forum here for an approximate amount used in each change.

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engine rpm will increase as i give gas but acceleration is very sluggish i can push on gas and my rpm go really high almost sounds likeits in neutral and i sloooowly accelerate even at 4500 rpm.

 

Lost other gears on freeway first I could get to 40 in d now only 25 in d and 30 in 2 with rpms around 3500.

 

Atf smells burnt and is gray

Well, if you had stopped when it was slipping to start with, rather than driving it until it wouldn't go anymore, you might have had a chance of saving it.

 

At this point, it's done. If you just keep giving it gas to keep it moving even though it's revving but not keeping speed, all the power from the engine is going into burning up clutch packs. They don't heal from that.

 

It was probably low on fluid to start with, and if you'd stopped and filled it back up it could have saved it. Since you ran it till it cooked, it's done.

 

You check the fluid when it's idling in park. The dipstick is often hard to get an accurate reading, so check it a few times.

 

Did the transmission overheat (AT Temp light flashing) or did the engine overheat (temp gauge in the red)?

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As far as the atf: was low when first noticed a change added fluid but didn't improve. CHanged yesterday actually black. But not grainy didn't find any pieces of metal.

 

Never got any other light or codes. Just solid check engine with p0740. Overheated like I mentioned only sometimes at a light. Plus once I'd push gas and get moving over 5mph it would immediately drop back to normal wtf?

As far as last comment.... That car didn't get pushed like u think simply noted rpms where no response was occurring as i push gas needle would jump didnt do again. Wouldn't drive over 3200 rpm which is where it would sit going 65. and don't think I'm driving a f'd up car at 65 kept rpms under 3000 where everything worked ok and didn't just keep driving every day.

 

Now the day it was driven someone else Drove the car 2-3 of miles. said it seemed fine less than 3 later it was done.

Edited by angeltali
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ATF went from gray to black? Im not an expert but both of these colors sound very odd to me.

 

Question for others on here: Since it starts out red doesnt it just go shades of brown when it burns?

 

Question for original poster: Did whomever replaced the engine do anything with the transmission fluid at that time?

 

I agree it sounds like tranny is toast, but try changing out the fluid several times (at least 3) as it does not drain it all at once. It might work with good fluid, worth a try for 30 or so bucks.

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Just solid check engine with p0740. Overheated like I mentioned only sometimes at a light. Plus once I'd push gas and get moving over 5mph it would immediately drop back to normal wtf?

Radiator fans plugged in and working? They should both come on when you turn the AC on, which makes it easy to check.

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ATF wasn't changed when motor replaced. I got a good 6 quarts out with the drain. Definitely more than i expected. Fluid was grey on dipstick prob why looked different when drained. Took a closer look and it is a dark brown. Looked black on towels. Pretty sure both fans are turning on but will double check that. What would I be looking for in diff fluid if the ATF is mixing with it? Will change again but can't really drive much to get fluid moving through really don't want to take it over 25. Is it normal to have better response driving in 2 than d?

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