legacycentral bbs

I had the tranny in my 92 turbo replaced with on from a 93 impreza. It works wonderfully but lately i keep hearing what sounds like a vibration at low throttle. If I let up it goes away. It used to do it occasionally but now it's doing it regularly. It also (within the last week) has developed a leak. What I'm finding on the ground is what looks like tranny fluid. I checked the level of tranny fluid and it's fine. The puddle on the ground is generally no larger than say a $.50 piece. My mechanic said that one of the tranny fluid lines may have come loose and needs tightened. My problem is finding them from everything else under the car. Would the lines cause this problem and would they vibrate if they did? OR is it possibly my heat shields vibrating? Either way I need to find this leak...I've already spent over 2k on getting this car running again......

Help!!!!!!

Does the vibration sound like metal clanging? if so it could most likely be your heatshields.

As for the leak, I dunno if the lines can do that but if you want to find them, look at your radiator, on the driverside there are two atf lines on it. Follow those back, and one of them should go to an atf filter (if not you should probably buy the kit). They then return to the tranny.

Put a fuse in the FWD fuse holder. See if that changes anything. Other possibility is the vibration is caused by the CV axles. I had very same issue.....vibration when I let off the gas.

What color is the fluid......where is it, in relation to the trans....front, back...

The vibration definately sounds like metal clanging. My best guess is the heat shields as well.

As far as the fluid color goes, it's pinkish....it's mixing with the residual sludge on my tranny case so it's not totally pink. The leak is on the driver's side front portion of the tranny as everything near the metal lines is wet on that side. The passenger side is bone dry. I know nothing about these transmissions, but is there a seal or something on that side?

Thanks for the suggestions!!

what metal lines? THe atf lines are rubber and I think they might be braided steel but cant remember.

I took my car to my mechanic earlier today and the leak is actually from my steering rack (which apparently uses atf). Off to the junkyard I go to try to find one.

Thanks for all of the suggestions and advice!!!

gunablue wrote:I took my car to my mechanic earlier today and the leak is actually from my steering rack (which apparently uses atf). Off to the junkyard I go to try to find one.

Thanks for all of the suggestions and advice!!!

I just found my rack is leaking too. It's slow and relaxed - takes 1,500 miles to get the reservoir down below the dipstick. Should I be worried? Is there a known cost to a replacement or reconditioned rack?

used rack from junkyard, about $125

get a good low mileage example from a late '90's legacy and make sure its complete with tie rods and ends