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Which transmission to run? JDM STI, FXT?


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I need to buy an EJ awd trans for my loyale. Ill be running an ej22D na-t hybrid and aim to push at least 200WHP. Not anything crazy. So here are my options for trans, I need those axle stubs and cable pull clutch. I would prefer 4.44 since i’ll be running 27” tires.

1. 94 impreza 5 speed 3.9. I’ve got a cheap one lined up but i’m not sure they’ll hold abuse? I’ve also seen/heard about tons of them blowing up especially after 200K. 

2. 98 Outback 5 speed 4.11. It’s very hard to find these in good cond. And most auto dismantlers want $400+, pretty steep imo. Also have heard of issues just like above.

3. WRX 5 speed, but heard they are glass boxes. I can get a blown one for couple hundred and rebuild it with type RA gears? But ill be looking at $1500 at least

3. JDM 5 speed STI transmission 4.11 (i think for Gc8). Online it says they are a lot stronger than the usdm 5 speeds. On Ebay they are priced at around $600-800 shipped. Transmission code : TY752VB3FA

4. JDM 02-05 WRX XT turbo 4.44. How is the strength on these trans? I can get one shipped to my door for $775. Transmission code TY754VBAAA

 

Which option would you guys choose? My budget is $1k. I’m not too easy on my transmissions but I also won’t be doing many launches either especially over 3K rpm.

Thanks

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If you have a budget of only $1k, don't even consider swapping gearsets.  The EJ 5-speed is pretty labor intensive to rebuild and honestly, not something that most DIYers should tackle.  Lots of tolerance stack up that will quickly ruin the trans if you get it wrong.

Our 2002 WRX has 152k miles on the original transmission.  It's had a lightweight flywheel and Exedy Stage 1 clutch for the last 63k miles.  Before that it was raced by dual-drivers in as many as 15 autocrosses per year.  The center differential is finally starting to show signs of age.  I don't for one second think these are "glass" transmissions, then again, we never side-stepped the clutch, just soft but quick launches.  Each year after 2002 got incremental improvements, so the '07 USDM 5-speeds are as strong as the JDM boxes.  The FD in these boxes is pretty low and the gearing is long.

I might try to find a '93 WRX transmission.  4.11 FD and really short gears, shorter than any 4.44 JDM box.

 

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34 minutes ago, carfreak85 said:

If you have a budget of only $1k, don't even consider swapping gearsets.  The EJ 5-speed is pretty labor intensive to rebuild and honestly, not something that most DIYers should tackle.  Lots of tolerance stack up that will quickly ruin the trans if you get it wrong.

Our 2002 WRX has 152k miles on the original transmission.  It's had a lightweight flywheel and Exedy Stage 1 clutch for the last 63k miles.  Before that it was raced by dual-drivers in as many as 15 autocrosses per year.  The center differential is finally starting to show signs of age.  I don't for one second think these are "glass" transmissions, then again, we never side-stepped the clutch, just soft but quick launches.  Each year after 2002 got incremental improvements, so the '07 USDM 5-speeds are as strong as the JDM boxes.  The FD in these boxes is pretty low and the gearing is long.

I might try to find a '93 WRX transmission.  4.11 FD and really short gears, shorter than any 4.44 JDM box.

 

Ok I was thinking swapping gears is out of the question. Id have to pay someone to do the transmission build for me and labor would be too expensive.

My friend also had a bugeye WRX, just daily drove it and he blew the trans around 150K.

Now for this 93 WRX trans is it that year specific? Is there any years with the same gears like 94-95 WRX? Id have to look that up more and search some JDM importer sites

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I can only speak to the transmission I have: TY752VB3AA

Looking at the chart below it looks like the '93 WRX RA has even shorter ratios.  Be aware that many of the 4.44 gearboxes will have longer gears and the combined ratio may not be as numerically high as the '93 boxes.

http://www.rallispec.com/downloads/Transmission ID Chart_Public.pdf

Edited by carfreak85
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I’d recommend anything that’s an 8 bolt/phase 2 gearbox. They have wider gearsets and a beefed up set of front cases. 

NA/turbo there’s really no difference other than clutch setup and ratios. Strength remains the same. 

Wrx boxes are known as glass boxes because ppl put all their money into engine mods for max power but do nothing to the stock box to help with power. 

A mate of mine has a SF forester running a STi EJ207 in front of a stock phase 2 dual range gearbox - it’s holding up just fine and it’s insanely quick! 

Driving style has a lot to do with gearbox health too. 

Have you thought about considering the six speed box from a H6? That’ll hold up to whatever you could throw at it with the EJ22t. 

Cheers 

Bennie

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You're not likely to break anything with 200 wheel. 

Pretty much all the Impreza 5 speed transmissions prior to 2008 will lose all the teeth off third gear even if you roll into the power carefully at about 340 to 360 wheel torque Abuse will kill them with less, but much past 320 ft/lbs and it's goodbye to third gear. The teeth come off like a zipper. I've seen a ton of 5 speed failures. The center diffs are weak on all the phase-II units. Just plan on replacing it if you go with a used trans. 

GD

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14 hours ago, el_freddo said:

 

Have you thought about considering the six speed box from a H6? That’ll hold up to whatever you could throw at it with the EJ22t. 

Cheers 

Bennie

US market never received dual range EJ or  any 6 cylinder MTs, except 1988-1991 XT6s. 

 

 

Edited by idosubaru
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21 hours ago, carfreak85 said:

I can only speak to the transmission I have: TY752VB3AA

Looking at the chart below it looks like the '93 WRX RA has even shorter ratios.  Be aware that many of the 4.44 gearboxes will have longer gears and the combined ratio may not be as numerically high as the '93 boxes.

http://www.rallispec.com/downloads/Transmission ID Chart_Public.pdf

That chart has been very helpful. I found a 94-95 JDM STI 5 speed on ebay with the same ratios as your transmission. 

Problem is it’s hydraulic clutch. Most if not all JDM trans i’m seeing are the same. I don’t think you can convert those trannies from hydro to cable since all those trans don’t have the fork ball pivot ? correct me if i’m wrong. Id prefer if I didn’t have to convert my loyale to hydro clutch, but if I have to I will.

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20 hours ago, el_freddo said:

I’d recommend anything that’s an 8 bolt/phase 2 gearbox. They have wider gearsets and a beefed up set of front cases. 

NA/turbo there’s really no difference other than clutch setup and ratios. Strength remains the same. 

Wrx boxes are known as glass boxes because ppl put all their money into engine mods for max power but do nothing to the stock box to help with power. 

A mate of mine has a SF forester running a STi EJ207 in front of a stock phase 2 dual range gearbox - it’s holding up just fine and it’s insanely quick! 

Driving style has a lot to do with gearbox health too. 

Have you thought about considering the six speed box from a H6? That’ll hold up to whatever you could throw at it with the EJ22t. 

Cheers 

Bennie

My driving habits are kind of rough as I like to shift quick and do occasional launches. Especially with a quicker car i’ll be getting on the gas all the time. I also won’t be running a crazy stage 3 clutch, i’ve heard they shorten the life of your trans.

The US gets the worst trannies. The only H6 manuals I know here are swapped.

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16 hours ago, GeneralDisorder said:

You're not likely to break anything with 200 wheel. 

Pretty much all the Impreza 5 speed transmissions prior to 2008 will lose all the teeth off third gear even if you roll into the power carefully at about 340 to 360 wheel torque Abuse will kill them with less, but much past 320 ft/lbs and it's goodbye to third gear. The teeth come off like a zipper. I've seen a ton of 5 speed failures. The center diffs are weak on all the phase-II units. Just plan on replacing it if you go with a used trans. 

GD

Id rather spend a couple hundred more to upgrade than to run an older EJ trans and have it blow up. Auto dismantlers want >$400 for a 3.9.

Another big problem is I really can’t find any good used older 5 speeds outside JYs. Every one i’ve found has the occasional popping out of gear/scratching and shot main shaft bearings. 

Realistically WHP/WTQ wise I don’t ever think ill go past 250/275

Edited by alexbuoy
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9 hours ago, idosubaru said:

US market never received dual range EJ or  any 6 cylinder MTs, except 1988-1991 XT6s. 

I didn’t know the USDM didn’t get manual H6s. 

I do know very well that the USDM didn’t get the dual range gearbox. My point of sharing that was the gearbox is being powered by the ever strong EJ207 from an STi. It’s holding up strong with regular power runs and the odd launch. 

The NA single range box of the USDM is pretty much the same as our dual range boxes, just without the dual range bit above the front diff. 

3 hours ago, alexbuoy said:

My driving habits are kind of rough as I like to shift quick and do occasional launches. Especially with a quicker car i’ll be getting on the gas all the time. I also won’t be running a crazy stage 3 clutch, i’ve heard they shorten the life of your trans.

The US gets the worst trannies. The only H6 manuals I know here are swapped.

Shifting quick has nothing to do with strong boxes. Shifting quick has everything to do with coordination between arm and leg actions. 

Power shifting, dry shifting or whatever you want to call it will kill all gearboxes except dog boxes in general. This style of shifting is when you’re WOT and “snapping” the next gear without clutch or letting off the throttle. 

In any build there’s always a compromise unless you have severely deep pockets. Yours might be changing your driving style/habits to be more mechanically sympathetic towards your build. 

I’ll be interested to see how you go with this build and gearbox selection. 

Side question on your EJ22t build, what pistons will you run to achieve that power figure? The factory cast NA units won’t be up for that sort of work! 

Cheers 

Bennie

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5 hours ago, el_freddo said:

I didn’t know the USDM didn’t get manual H6s. 

I do know very well that the USDM didn’t get the dual range gearbox. My point of sharing that was the gearbox is being powered by the ever strong EJ207 from an STi. It’s holding up strong with regular power runs and the odd launch. 

The NA single range box of the USDM is pretty much the same as our dual range boxes, just without the dual range bit above the front diff. 

Shifting quick has nothing to do with strong boxes. Shifting quick has everything to do with coordination between arm and leg actions. 

Power shifting, dry shifting or whatever you want to call it will kill all gearboxes except dog boxes in general. This style of shifting is when you’re WOT and “snapping” the next gear without clutch or letting off the throttle. 

In any build there’s always a compromise unless you have severely deep pockets. Yours might be changing your driving style/habits to be more mechanically sympathetic towards your build. 

I’ll be interested to see how you go with this build and gearbox selection. 

Side question on your EJ22t build, what pistons will you run to achieve that power figure? The factory cast NA units won’t be up for that sort of work! 

Cheers 

Bennie

Ok let me rephrase will be doing some occasional launches that's about it. I guess i'm not too hard on trans since my 5 speed dualrange still runs in my brat, and at least for the motor I don't treat it nice.

I will be running a completely stock ej22 n/a block 25D heads. I've heard the 22 blocks are quite stout and with proper EM I should be good.

Right now i'm leaning towards the JDM 5 speed STI trans. Unfortunately have to convert to hydro clutch, but info on here says a WRX pedal assy will fit with minor modifications. I don't know finding the right trans is such a pain.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/JDM-Impreza-WRX-WRX-SA-WRX-STi-MY94-TY752VB3CA-4-111-RATIO-5-Speed-Cable-Trans/183772132719?hash=item2ac9ac356f:g:NtIAAOSw4A5Y1pQ8

 

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Ok found a JDM trans for really cheap locally. Its a JDM import and it looks like it was never put into a car after it was imported.

Trans code is TY752VBBAA 

I put that into all the transmission type searches and it shows up as 4.111 but this dude claims its 3.9. I guess its because he's using a whack website.

May pick it up soon if everything goes well. And he only wants $145.

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