anyone swap a phase 2 tranny into a phase 1?

illnastyimpreza · Post by **illnastyimpreza** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 6:39 am

what extra wiring did you have to do? was it dificult?....worth it?

I can get a god deal on a 98 legacy tranny for my 91.....But I dont want to buy it if its gona be a HUGE pita.

boostjunkie · Post by **boostjunkie** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 4:28 pm

You're gonna need the read diff and possibly the rear axles, depending on whether you have an open or closed diff. I believe the closed diff axles are different than the open diff axles.

illnastyimpreza · Post by **illnastyimpreza** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 7:47 pm

how bout the wiring?

Post by **DLC** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 9:10 pm

If you're talking automatics...yikes!

tris91ricer · Post by **tris91ricer** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 9:52 pm

really? they're that different? wow. I keep coming up on deals for used phase2 autos, and i was wanting one.. i just couldn't tell the difference, other than the electrical parts, which i assumed would be functionally the same. It's not as easy as a TCU swap, with the trans? If the gears and ratios were the same, why would it not work? Is there a driveline difference as well?

illnastyimpreza · Post by **illnastyimpreza** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 4:40 am

DLC wrote:If you're talking automatics...yikes!

yea 4eat.

Post by **Legacy777** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 12:15 am

To put it simply....I wouldn't even bother....and that's coming from someone who did an AWD & 5MT swap.

The phase 2 4EAT has some new features and electronics. You would need the TCU to match the phase 2 4EAT, and need to basically re-wire all the pins from the old plugs to the new plugs, and add any additional inputs that the new phase 2 4eat has.

The main thing I don't know is how the phase 2 TCU interfaces with the ECU, and what complications that might cause. Mainly because the ECU's are OBD2.

illnastyimpreza · Post by **illnastyimpreza** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 7:35 am

DOH. So it looks like I'm down to lookin for a 90-95 legacy 4eat with low miles (yea right

)

Or doin the 5mt swap....does it matter what year tranny it is?

Post by **Legacy777** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 4:12 pm

With the MT swap, it really doesn't matter, as long as you have the appropriate rear differential gearing.

tris91ricer · Post by **tris91ricer** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 6:19 pm

Legacy777 wrote:The main thing I don't know is how the phase 2 TCU interfaces with the ECU, and what complications that might cause. Mainly because the ECU's are OBD2.

Righto! I forgot about that part.. I knew there would be TCU issues, but I forgot that '95 and later are OBDII, which makes it much harder for our things to in-tar-face. Derr..

Good call, Josh.

Turbo B · Post by **Turbo B** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 12:05 pm

Hi everyone -1st post, im on the RSliberty forums in Aus.
www.rslibertyclub.org

I'm going to be doing this exact swap next week ie JDM 97 TT 4eat into a JDM Series 1 Legacy GT..so i'll let you know how it goes.

I have been told by a tech guru that the only difference is the transfer housing ie 65/35 rear bias and i will need to get a WRX TCU to control it. (Anyone have one lying around?!)
Otherwise everything else will bolt on and plug in.
So option 1 is getting the WRX TCU and get the benefit of the rear bias.
Option 2 (if i dont get hold of a TCU) is to use my existing (series 1) transfer housing and my TCU.
Option 3 if all else fails is a fully manual switch system my auto guy has devised which taps straight into the shift control solenoids on the box enabling a fully manual, TCU free box ... bit dodge but essentially the same as a manual just switches instead of stick and no clutch...looks like an oven dial!

It seems a bit of a hack job but hopefully will work out as i got the box real cheap.

Also have just strapped on a VF12 (had a VF10)so i am upping the stall on the new box to help combat the lag.

Post by **Legacy777** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 3:57 pm

Actually the default split on the VTD automatics is 45/55, and requires no external signal from the TCU to tell it that. That split is accomplished via gears.

The TCU controls the lockup which takes it to 50/50 torque split.

If you used a wrx TCU, it "should" be ok....however I'm not sure what signals the WRX TCU is wanting to see from the ECU....and how it will affect things.

Take a look at these scans about the VTD tranny
http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8 ... ation1.jpg
http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8 ... ation2.jpg

Turbo B · Post by **Turbo B** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 8:09 pm

Fantastic!
Thanks for that info Josh.

Apparently the ECU will flash the power light on start up as "torque settings are different". But other than that the auto should work the same as it would in a TT.
You've made a good point here because the tech guy i've been talking to has successfully done this conversion to his car BUT is using a WRX TCU and ECU.

Hopefully all will be ok...
I think instead of getting the Hi stall done 1st, i'll just see if the damn thing works!

Post by **Legacy777** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 10:33 pm

Yeah, sounds like a good plan....see if everything works.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 11:17 pm

Not all VTD trans are 45/55 some are 35/65

Post by **Legacy777** » Wed Feb 09, 2005 12:35 am

hmm....interesting.....so some of the older ones are 35/65.

I would assume they achieve their torque distribution by the same planetary/sun gear method...correct?

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anyone swap a phase 2 tranny into a phase 1?

anyone swap a phase 2 tranny into a phase 1?

wish it was a 5 speed

bummer