Auto help

[lbmuck]

My very clean '93 Legacy Sport has had the wrong auto trans installed by previous owner. Anyone know of a swap or alternate application? Have tried to find the correct fit 4 times with three different trannys sent each time. Clue me in please! Dealer tells me only 93-94 turbo tranny will work. Every part dealer tells me otherwise. I want my car back! Thanks

[nipper]

My very clean '93 Legacy Sport has had the wrong auto trans installed by previous owner. Anyone know of a swap or alternate application? Have tried to find the correct fit 4 times with three different trannys sent each time. Clue me in please! Dealer tells me only 93-94 turbo tranny will work. Every part dealer tells me otherwise. I want my car back! Thanks

 

why is it wrong?

 

nipper

[lbmuck]

Wrong refers to the tranny numbers matching a 91 non turbo that was installed. OEM specs (info from dealer tech) state 93-94 turbo tranny have different gear ratios and a different torque converter. What I know is I have had both front axles replaced and it still sounds like a jackhammer under front passenger seat (intermittently) and will on occassion bind up so completely as to prevent the vehicle from moving but only in forward gear. Then after sitting for a while...a day or so...car will move and drive until something triggers the jackhammer and binding. Car only has 87,000 miles on it and flies when it isn't crippled. I am thinking about a manual swap but would like to know if there are alternatives. As far as anybody knows, are there other issues with turbo/non turbo automatics? The tranny numbers I have found for the correct application are TZ102ZJ3AA. Are there others?

[idosubaru]

that binding and all is killing the transmission or at least the rear transfer clutches.

 

if it is shifting okay, then the TCU is excepting hte transmission and this entire deal might be much eaiser than swapping transmissions yet again. if hte trans seems to be shifting okay (you didn't say it wasn't), then the torque bind issues is due to the rear diff ratio being different than the front diff (which is essentially part of the transmission assembly). the rear diff is waaaaay easier to swap out than the transmission. i'd find out what the final drive ratio is of the year vehicle the transmission came out of and get an idential rear differential to match. rear diffs are cheap (i've seen them for well under $50), easy to ship and super duper easy to swap. that's the easiest way to get back on the road.

 

temporarily you could install a switch to inhibit and activate Duty solenoid C (or install a fuse in the FWD switch) to keep the thing from binding up so bad.

[lbmuck]

Thanks for the help. I will look into the rear diff. idea and see if there are any turbo auto trans. out there. Is there or is there not a difference between turbo and non turbo autos? Is there or is there not any differences between 90-92 and 93/94 turbo automatics? I think you guys may know more than the salvage yards as they seem to want to sell what they have not neccesarily what is right and the dealer tech can only see it on paper as the part he would order. If I can't get this wrinkle out I will be selling my subie and getting another one perhaps with a 5speed this time. Any clues as to worth? BTW tranny had an occasional hard shift from 1-2 and at times a weak 3-4. Did a fluid and filter replace and installed a new tranfer solinoid. Have not been able to drive it long enough to see if any positive changes have occurred. Have tried the fuse ruse to no avail. Thanks again!

[brus brother]

Install the fuse in the FWD socket as grossgary suggests and see what happens.

that binding and all is killing the transmission or at least the rear transfer clutches.

 

temporarily you could install a switch to inhibit and activate Duty solenoid C (or install a fuse in the FWD switch) to keep the thing from binding up so bad.

[nipper]

Thanks for the help. I will look into the rear diff. idea and see if there are any turbo auto trans. out there. Is there or is there not a difference between turbo and non turbo autos? Is there or is there not any differences between 90-92 and 93/94 turbo automatics? I think you guys may know more than the salvage yards as they seem to want to sell what they have not neccesarily what is right and the dealer tech can only see it on paper as the part he would order. If I can't get this wrinkle out I will be selling my subie and getting another one perhaps with a 5speed this time. Any clues as to worth? BTW tranny had an occasional hard shift from 1-2 and at times a weak 3-4. Did a fluid and filter replace and installed a new tranfer solinoid. Have not been able to drive it long enough to see if any positive changes have occurred. Have tried the fuse ruse to no avail. Thanks again!

 

hard 1-2 and soft 2-3 is normal subaru

 

nipper

[NorthWet]

Tranny particulars probably won't make much difference, except for final drive ratio. Minor differences in planetary gearing and torque converter specs may exist. Dealer is probably CYAF'ing for liability/emissions reasons.

 

Check out this thread on diff ratios:

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=60618

 

Sounds like your car is likely a 3.900 and the tranny is a 4.111. Bad combo.

[lbmuck]

Thanks for the tips! Had jury duty so no time to do anything anywhere. I guess this is not a tough problem for most of you but still has me 'torqued'. New to subarus myself. Is there a market for a '93 Legacy awd turbo sport sedan? Has 'bout 87-88 k miles. Have heard they are rare and have heard they are, well, crap. Sure liked it when it was rolling. Still looks good parked but doesn't do much for my commute. What would be a reasonable $$ to ask for it? Any pointers would be welcomed.