1991 Loyale tranny replacement

[elessar]

Hi,

[Someone suggested I repost this here since it's a Loyale, sorry for the repeat]

I just picked up a 1991 Loyale 4wd wagon (I owned a 93 about 10 years ago and regret selling it). It's in great condition, 142k, really the only problem is the transmission leaks from the case and on to the exhaust. 

It's an automatic, but I really wanted a manual. I figure there's 3 levels of involvement I can do for this car:

Level 1: just put some leakstop type transmission fluid - here shows my ignorance as I'm not sure if such a thing exists, but i am mechanically inclined enough to know that this would probably be temporary at best

Level 2: get in there and replace the seals or whatever needs to be done to stop the leak. What I don't know is, how difficult would this be for me to do at home? Do I need to lift the engine? Or can I do it from the side? Special tools? Am i better off replacing the entire transmission?

Level 3: Replace the entire transmission with a manual. As I said I would prefer manual anyway. But, Is this even possible? If possible, is it even a good idea, or will I forever have issues with parts fitting properly or wearing funny? Could it jeopardize the 4wd working? How hard is it to find a worthwhile working manual transmission for this car in Washington state?

Any advice, suggestions, or even local bids (I'm near Poulsbo) would be greatly appreciated,

-Elessar

[GeneralDisorder]

It is not a "good" (read economically viable) idea to fix it at all. Those 3AT transmissions were THE DUNG. And finding enough parts to do a manual swap 30 years on is going to be a big challenge. The manuals were ok, but of course the EA82 engine is also THE DUNG so..... Yeah. Can't get parts for.... Any of it. No oil pumps, very hard to find major engine internals, and those engines were unbelievably underpowered. 

Option 4:

Sell it. Buy at least a Legacy. They are DIRT cheap and are infinitely better in basically every conceivable way. 

GD

[DaveT]

The leak I've usually had on those was the gear lube from the differential.
No such thing as stop leak for that.

If you were 1-2 hours away from the center of CT, I'd consider picking up the transmission if it is working.  I got one a few years ago for $50.   I run 3ATs in mine - the only way to get many of the parts is by collecting used ones.   The same goes for the engine.

[newmexguy]

Disagree.  the Loyale was a "carryover" of the mid / late eighties DL / GL box styled cars.   Have seen them in the Albuquerque / El Paso yards with incredible high mileage.   Very durable and solid design.   These are some pics of one spotted at one of the El Paso yards. Wish I had seen as it was coming in, was a five speed to boot with clean interior.  Would choose a Loyale over a Legacy.  

[newmexguy]

[carfreak85]

Having spent time in EA81s, then a GD WRX before buying my first EA82 chassis, I'd have to agree on principle with @GeneralDisorder, if not in spirit.  The EJ chassis is the easy button going forward for many reasons and have proven just as, if not more, mechanically durable than the EA82.

[GeneralDisorder]

One of my loaners is a 1990 Legacy (first year) with 340k on the original engine and transmission. I got it for basically free from the original owner. 

For the price, availability, reliability, and ease of replacement parts, the Legacy wins in every category.  

The 3AT was absolute trash. The vast majority of the remaining EA chassis cars that still operate are manual transmissions. And regardless of what ANYONE says, the EA82 is a giant pile of unobtainable parts and is a nightmare to work on compared to the EJ22. And who doesn't want 60% more power and the same economy? The oil pump from a 2020 STI will fit a 1990 EJ22...... the EJ engine is Subaru's Small Block Chevy. Everything that came before is simply a museum artifact. 

GD

[Ionstorm66]

You can get a rusted beater EJ car for almost nothing these days as a donor. 

[Step-a-toe]

The beauty about the 3AT is its lack of electrical bits to deal with. And an engine from an auto suffers less in the thrust bearings in the crank Dept compared to a manual.

I coulda swore someone did a leak seal additive for auto trans and power steering???

Where's it gonna leak?

Rear seal

Front seal(s) 

Pan gasket

vacuum modulator on the side?

selector shaft seal

no need to go buy another car unless it is a donor you can test drive the desired parts first

every automatic I have owned has been converted to manual. Never been unreliable, never broken and I have never on-sold except for scrap so I see them as worthless, so should many others

The secret to the longevity of the EAs is their under powered nature

 

[GeneralDisorder]

The 3AT's suffered from pump drive spline failure. Replacement parts don't exist. 

EJ22's will far outlast any of the EA's given the same maintenance, and make twice the power. There's no need to run around with 85 HP when you can have 137 and THE SAME reliability and economy. Especially when you can't get any hard parts for the EA engines anymore. 

GD