lasersforeyes Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 I'm hoping some of the knowledgeable folks here can help me out... I just finished installing a new-used 5sp transmission in my '90 Legacy. I turned the car on, let it warm up, everything seemed fine, until I got it halfway down the block on the test drive and it started chugging and died. Managed (barely) to start it again and it revved really high and then died again. This time, I was unable to restart it without a jump, got about five feet, and it died again. All the electric was also acting weird, like a battery on the way out? But the battery is new and I hooked up everything as it was. Could the lack of a ground wire from the transmission harness cause this? There was a ground wire on my old transmission, but not on this one. I'm at a loss, unless I massively screwed something up and I just can't think what it is. I've never done a transmission install before, though, so I'm dreading what it might be. Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 What CEL do you have? The lack of the ground wire is should not cause this, but you should swap that gound wire over to the new Trans. The Trans is also grounded through the engine connections. Did you get the same gear ratio trans so it matches your rear diff? Did you unplug the engine harnes when you installed the trans? Any other things you did at the same time? Check the CEL Codes and let the board know what they are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 Also check that intake hose between the AFM and throttle body for looseness/cracks/other hoses not connected. The no-crank problem could be fuse related. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 Kinda sounds like a loose battery cable. Make sure the battery cables are tight at both ends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 The negative battery cable grounds through a bracket on the starter/bellhousing bolt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lasersforeyes Posted November 20, 2011 Author Share Posted November 20, 2011 What CEL do you have? The lack of the ground wire is should not cause this, but you should swap that gound wire over to the new Trans. The Trans is also grounded through the engine connections. Did you get the same gear ratio trans so it matches your rear diff? Did you unplug the engine harnes when you installed the trans? Any other things you did at the same time? Check the CEL Codes and let the board know what they are! Thanks for the replies, everyone. I'm not getting a CEL. Might be because I'm not getting much of anything as far as lights go... As far as I was able to research, the gear ratio for 5MT transmissions was the same for all non-turbo US-made Legacies between 90-96 (the new trans came out of a 94). I didn't unplug the engine harness except where it connects to the transmission (one connector, right on top of the trans, the one that now has no ground wire) The battery cable grounding wire is connected and tight... (both the one to the frame and the one on top of the bell housing) Would a speed sensor screw with it this much? I kept the speed sensor that came with the new trans because it looks like my speedo cable plugs into it just fine, but I still have the old sensor...maybe I should swap them? Can't think why that would give me starting problems, though... Could it have to do with the starter motor? As far as I can tell all electrical connectors/grounds on the starter are good, too, and the starter itself is part of a rebuilt engine that was JUST put into the car, so unless something happened to it sitting out while I swapped the transmission, it's a good one... Again, thanks for the replies. I will see if I can flash any kind of CE code, even though the light's not coming on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lasersforeyes Posted November 20, 2011 Author Share Posted November 20, 2011 (edited) Update: Got it to give me a code, and it's flashing 31: TPS, 42: idle switch, and 22: knock sensor. I know that the TPS was specifically changed not six months ago...checked all the wires to and from the TPS and there's nothing loose or looking like it's shorting. And I didn't even touch the TPS or any of those connections. Also the knock sensor is new with the engine. On another note, is there anywhere that has pictures or diagrams of engine/under-hood transmission components? I'm looking at a couple of things and the manual I have is super unhelpful as far as visuals go... Edited November 20, 2011 by lasersforeyes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lasersforeyes Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 Oh and now the horn is randomly going off when I do manage to start the car. (after jumping the battery, of course.) Holy crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocei77 Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 unfortunately I can't assist with the tranny issues. The horn going off is part of the security system. There should be a sticker near the battery that tells you what to do whenever you disconnect the battery (same problem, just different cause for you). You follow the same procedure as programming a remote. If not there advise and we'll repeat procedure. O. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Still say bad battery connection. You checked the grounds but did you check the Positive cable? If it's the original battery terminal with the wingnut off to the side of the post clamp, make sure the wing nut is tight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lasersforeyes Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 Yep, I've checked both the ground and positive cable...I haven't looked all the way along, though...it might be corroded somewhere...I'll look again in the morning and hopefully something will become apparent. I still don't know why the engine was revving high then dying when I can get it started, though...would the TPS and idle switch fault codes have something to do with that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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