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FIXED!! Trany delayed forward engagement


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Hey all, have been reading this thread and wanted to say that as a Subaru senior master tech and an ASE master, I am not a great promoter of miracle cures and quick fix products. But from my own experience, TransX is a very reliable product and has proven to me that it's benefits are not temporary and last a long time. All of your usual stop leaks contain a high amount of ether, which swells rubber and stops leaks. The problem with this is in most cases the initial swelling of the seals is short lived and when they begin to leak again it usually is worse. Whatever the formulation of TransX is, it doesn't have this reaction. It also has a blend of friction modifiers that improves shift characteristics and in general has proven to me to be of a benefit in many automatics from various manufacturers. As a side note. on an old trail rig back in the day, adding a small amount to an old leaky power steering system not only stopped the leaks, but also quieted down a growling pump.

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Guyc, my Baja is a 2005, but mechanically all Bajas use the 2000-2004 American-market Legacy platform and powertrain.

 

I have a partial bottle of Auto-RX left in my garage. I would be willing to ship it to you, but I do not think there is enough left. I will check this evening and see.

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I'm sorry, guyc, but I only have maybe 2 oz. left. Probably more like 1.5 oz. The automatic transmission dose rate is 6 oz. (half a bottle), if I recall correctly.

 

I went ahead and contacted Frank at Auto-RX, and they do ship to Belgium if you choose to give the product a try.

 

Best of luck to you!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi you all and a merry X-mas

 

I promised to keep you updated, but because of lack of time, I didn't succeed earlier.

 

Our legacy is suffering from the known "disease" since approximately one year now. Since June we tried but never succeeded in getting our hands on Trans-X. I contacted the European main office of the manufacturer of Trans-X, that is situated in Belgium. They state that it is impossible to import Trans-X into Europe, because of environmental regulations (more specific the European Reach program).

 

Then my dealer contacted another dealer who regularly places orders in the United States. He ordered and received Trans-X, but the wrong bottle (a yellow one instead of the clear blue). On a next order, he added the correct Trans-X, but never received it: after several e-mails he received a mail which stated that the company where he had placed several orders, was in the process of closing!

 

I tried to order the Trans-X myself, but it will cost $ 306 to ship one bottle of Trans-X, only costing $ 6! And even then we're not sure that it will make its way trough customs! I found it on Amazon.com and tried to order it via Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.de, but no go, neither via the American site, nor via the European sites.

 

On this forum I found out that one of you (one of us :) ) had sent a bottle of Trans-X to another forum member. I contacted this member and posted on this forum, but the only way to do so, is to be smuggling! At last he sent me a bottle, which he labeled as "car wax". At the same time, the other dealer reordered Trans-X via a new American company.

 

I even coincidentally got in contact with a person that has an automatic transmission of an Outback, but it seems that the transmission of our 2.0 Legacy and the transmission of that 2.5 Outback are not interchangeable because of the electronics. I want to check this with you. I tried to add the type plates in attachment.

 

So now I am awaiting two bottles via two different channels. I hope at least one comes through because meanwhile we are still driving in a good car with a bad transmission, which sometimes gives dangerous driving situations.

 

I want to thank all of you for your good advise and help. I still prefer to give one good try with Trans-X than with another product, but, of course, it has to reach me!

 

Will keep you informed, as promised. Please help me out with my question of the interchangeability of the trannies (see attachment).

 

Greetz

 

Guy

post-29182-136027637866_thumb.jpg

post-29182-136027637869_thumb.jpg

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Will keep you informed, as promised. Please help me out with my question of the interchangeability of the trannies (see attachment).

 

Greetz

 

Guy

 

first let me say that i only have knowledge of 95 - 99 U.S. made outbacks and legacys.

 

the basic trans shown in your attachments are the same, this is indicated by the first 6 letters/numbers TZ1A4Z.... if this trans were in an american car it would be referred to here as a phase 2 4eat. we first saw this number in a 99 outback. prior to that out trans were TZ102Z.... this was a phase 1 trans.

 

typically the next letter/number in the code refers to the final drive ratio. again, in the US, the outback would be a 4.44:1 and my guess is the other refers to a legacy ratio of 4.11:1. BUT we do not have any 2.0L legacys in the US, 90 - 99 so this is a guess.

 

the last 2 letter/numbers refer to the model of car the trans is in. "BA", here, usually means outback and "AA" means legacy.

 

the 3rd to last letter/number simply refers to which year in the series this trans is/was. in other words, A came before B and C came after. both of yours are "A" so they are both a first in their series. this really does not relate to your situation.

 

 

IN MY OPINION:

the trans will work, but the final drive will be off, so you would need the rear differential as well. we do this here a lot, mostly because of price and availability, i think. you have the trans already or it is only 200$ and the one with the correct final drive ratio is 800$.

 

if you go this route, your speedo may be off. the gears the operat the speedo are matched to the stock tire size. but this is usually a small error and the owners do not mind.

 

i don't think any dealer will agree with me because they go by the book. so do the used parts sellers here. but enough of us have done these to know what will work here in the us. you should be able to compare the fron diff part numbers, with some research, on the site:

http://opposedforces.com/parts/

 

 

good luck.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I was horrified to read guyc's 12/25/09 post in which he stated:

"At last he sent me a bottle, which he labeled as "car wax"."

My mind immediately jumped to the crash of ValueJet Flight 592 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ValuJet_Flight_592) due to illegal shipping of chemical oxygen generators in the cargo hold. I truly hope that nothing horrible like that results from guyc trying to save $306. The laws are created to keep people alive.

Edited by bpslegacy
Eliminate inflammatory comment
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I have a 1999 Legacy Wagon, 30th Anniversary Edition. Engine Type EJ223AXAWL, Transmission Type TZ1A2ZAEAA, currently at 100,345 miles. Transmission fluid was original. It started having significant delays shifting into D from P or R, similar to all the other stories in this post, in the last 3-months. I had not researched this subject on the internet prior to going to the Subaru dealer.

 

The week before going to the dealer saw many occurrences of the delay. The day before going, I had the battery out and the car in a slightly nose-down attitude for over an hour (cleaning out the mess left by the last battery...I didn't want to pay the shop to do this easy task). After that, I experienced no delays and the shop technician saw a perfectly-behaved transmission as well. The dealer performed an AT & Torque Converter flush & devarnish and filled with new fluid.

 

I have driven 93 miles since having the battery out (65 miles since picking it up from the dealer) with about a dozen delay-free shifts (plus however many the technician performed). I am mentally prepared to replace some fluid with Trans-X, but am waiting for the delays to return first.

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I was horrified to read guyc's 12/25/09 post in which he stated:

"At last he sent me a bottle, which he labeled as "car wax"."

My mind immediately jumped to the crash of ValueJet Flight 592 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ValuJet_Flight_592) due to illegal shipping of chemical oxygen generators in the cargo hold. I truly hope that nothing horrible like that results from guyc trying to save $306. The laws are created to keep people alive.

 

Hello bpslegacy

 

Thank you for your reaction. You don't need to be scared. Until now I didn't receive any Trans-X, which could mean:

 

1. the shipment is coming by boat (what I think and hope - and please don't post any horror-story from Wikipedia with a boat that sank because of illegal shipping of I don't know what :) )

2. the Trans-X has already been confiscated by the customs because it is illegal to import this product in Europe as to environmental regulations.

 

I don't want to minimize your comment, but please do not minimize all my posts in this thread for the last year. The problem is not paying 306 $; the problem is paying 306 $ AND being insecure to obtain the Trans-X.

 

Greetz

 

Guy

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The day before going, I had the battery out and the car in a slightly nose-down attitude for over an hour (cleaning out the mess left by the last battery...I didn't want to pay the shop to do this easy task).

 

1. What is the use of doing this: is it to reset the computer?

2. What mess do you mean: software data?

3. Why nose-down?

 

Thanks

 

Guy

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first let me say that i only have knowledge of 95 - 99 U.S. made outbacks and legacys.

 

the basic trans shown in your attachments are the same, this is indicated by the first 6 letters/numbers TZ1A4Z.... if this trans were in an american car it would be referred to here as a phase 2 4eat. we first saw this number in a 99 outback. prior to that out trans were TZ102Z.... this was a phase 1 trans.

 

typically the next letter/number in the code refers to the final drive ratio. again, in the US, the outback would be a 4.44:1 and my guess is the other refers to a legacy ratio of 4.11:1. BUT we do not have any 2.0L legacys in the US, 90 - 99 so this is a guess.

 

the last 2 letter/numbers refer to the model of car the trans is in. "BA", here, usually means outback and "AA" means legacy.

 

the 3rd to last letter/number simply refers to which year in the series this trans is/was. in other words, A came before B and C came after. both of yours are "A" so they are both a first in their series. this really does not relate to your situation.

 

 

IN MY OPINION:

the trans will work, but the final drive will be off, so you would need the rear differential as well. we do this here a lot, mostly because of price and availability, i think. you have the trans already or it is only 200$ and the one with the correct final drive ratio is 800$.

 

if you go this route, your speedo may be off. the gears the operat the speedo are matched to the stock tire size. but this is usually a small error and the owners do not mind.

 

i don't think any dealer will agree with me because they go by the book. so do the used parts sellers here. but enough of us have done these to know what will work here in the us. you should be able to compare the fron diff part numbers, with some research, on the site:

http://opposedforces.com/parts/

 

 

good luck.

 

Thank you for your reaction, John.

 

Seems to me that it is better to wait for the Trans-X as what you suggest will be very time consuming and because there is not enough knowledge here on AT's, certainly not on Subaru's.

 

Greetz

 

Guy

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Driving with this problem for already one year now: could anyone tell me or predict if this could harm the car? When Trans-X arrives, it will be in the AT ASAP, that's for sure, but when will it arrive?

 

Greetz

 

Guy

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Driving with this problem for already one year now: could anyone tell me or predict if this could harm the car? When Trans-X arrives, it will be in the AT ASAP, that's for sure, but when will it arrive?

 

Greetz

 

Guy

 

I have had Trans-X in my car for about 2 years now, so if the product would cause a problem, I think it would have done so by now.

 

Someone on this forum tore down their trany after using Trans-X, and could not find any deterioration of internal seals, so I am thinking Trans-X is a safe product to use.

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Dear Larry and all others

 

Thanks for your answer. This gives more trust in Trans-X as a reliable solution.

 

But perhaps my question wasn't clear enough. I'm still not having the Trans-X, but I keep on driving with my Legacy and its delayed forward engagement problem. This means sometimes revving to 3000 - 4000 rpm and then moving after a shock. Depending on my patience the shock is heavier or not :) .

 

So I repeat my question: "could anyone tell me or predict if driving this way could harm the car? When Trans-X arrives, it will be in the AT ASAP, that's for sure, but when will it arrive?"

 

Thanks and greetz

 

Guy

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1. What is the use of doing this: is it to reset the computer?

2. What mess do you mean: software data?

3. Why nose-down?

 

Thanks

 

Guy

 

This activity was completely unrelated to my tranny woes. My old battery had been leaking, so I had parked the car in a place where I could wash out the battery compartment. The nose-down position (slight) was selected to minimize the spread of the acid/baking soda/water mix in the engine compartment.

 

My transmission continues to shift quickly.

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Thank you for your reaction, John.

 

Seems to me that it is better to wait for the Trans-X as what you suggest will be very time consuming and because there is not enough knowledge here on AT's, certainly not on Subaru's.

 

Greetz

 

Guy

 

 

 

Hrmph.

 

nipper

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TRANS-X HAS ARRIVED! :banana: Thanks!

 

Made appointment with dealer. Is only possible after 2 weeks :(

 

Still some questions remaining:

 

- We drove with the delayed forward engagement problem for almost one year. Do you think / Can you predict if there could be any damage done to the car while we were driving with the delayed forward engagement problem (shocks etc.) and without Trans-X?

- So is this correct? Drain ATF oil: if oil looks good, then unlocking the screw will be enough; if oil doesn't look good, a complete drain by "sucking" the oil or by opening the pan (oil has been changed some 20.000 - 25.000 miles ago); then refilling with new oil and Trans-X? That's all?

 

Thanks

 

Guy

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TRANS-X HAS ARRIVED!

Guy

 

 

i assume you have a limited amount of this stuff so i'd go with the complete fluid change and make sure 1 qt of the new fluid is the t-x. this will/should give you the longest 'life' of the trans-x. you will not have to change atf again for 60 - 90k miles (100k - 150k km?). if you have any extra, save it until you need it.

 

if i were doing it here i'd just drain and add the t-x on the re-fill. if the fluid wasn't the best i could do it again next week what's another qt of t-x.

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Dear all

 

Please: how much ml is a qt?

Do you mean 1/4 of a pint (1 pint = 0,5 l so 1/4 pint = 125 ml)

or do you mean 1/4 of the total amount of ATF oil (which is 7,9 l, so I will be needing 3 more cans of Trans-X because 1 can of Trans-X contains 444 ml = 15 fl. oz)?

Or do you mean 1 quart = 2 pints = 1 liter, so I will be needing 1 more can of Trans-X?

Or something else?

 

Please advise me in metric figures!!! I don't understand your non-metric system!

 

Thanx

 

Guy

Edited by guyc
metric versus non-metric
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Conversion charts are easily found using a web search. 1 pint is equal to 16 fluid ozs. and also equal to 473ml. A quart is equal to 2 pints so that equals 946 ml. Since you only have 1 can I suggest you use what you have. It may take a little longer to work but I would think it will still do the job.

Edited by Cougar
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Just wanted to add another data point.

 

93 Impreza wagon, 195k miles, trans flushed last summer. Delayed forward/reverse engagement (only for about 2 seconds), hard shift between 2-3, and pretty severe torque bind (went away with FWD fuse). I added Trans-X about a month ago, drove around for a few miles but had to go out of town so didn't get a chance to really drive it until last week. Have to say I'm impressed, it seems to have gotten rid of all the problems.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello

 

The car is back since several hours. Driving is OK, but it is too soon to tell that everything is OK because it has been always like this the first weeks after they changed the transmission oil! I noticed though that the car drives off faster after having put the lever into "D". There's 1 bottle of Trans-X (1 quart) added to the transmission oil.

 

Keep your fingers crossed, just like ours!

 

Greetz

 

Guy

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