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Blown tranny - how bad could it be?

Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 11:57 pm
by Splinter
So less than a month after the 5MT swap, I blow the 'new' tranny

It already had a grind in 2nd gear. I was stupidly launching it (in first) and when I let the clutch out, it made a really loud bang, the car jerked, and there was a really loud whirring noise (sounded like I was spinning the tires)

I lost 1st and 2nd gear for sure, they just wont engage, but 3-4-5-R all seem to be normal. When the gear oil was drained, there was no sign of metal shavings.

What me and my friends figured is that I already had a slightly bent shifting fork which was causing the grind, and that I just finished it off with the launch. What the Subaru mechanics have said (without even splitting open the tranny) is that its probably a bent input shaft and itsgoing to be more expensive to repair than its worth.

So, Im left here with a choice. I can either pull the car off the road, split the tranny myself to try and determine the problem and get myself a $500 beater for the meanwhile, or I can try and get it fixed.

So what do you guys think I did to it? more than $600 worth of damage?

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 12:16 am
by BAC5.2
Tell them to eat it. Do they know how hard it would be to bend the input shaft!? Not to mention that it would mess up ALL of the other gears (including reverse, which would no longer engage).

Definately more than 600 in damage.

Labor to split and rebuild a tranny = $650US at our shop. We build more transmissions than most transmission shops! I think I've probably ordered 250 to 300 gearsets in the past 1 year of business.

Does the 1-2 shift rod move at all? Like, can you even get the car into first or second, and it just won't go?

I bet you broke 1st gear, and one of the teeth wedged under the 1-2 shift rail, locking you out of both gears.

If you BROKE the shift fork, there's a good chance reverse wouldn't engage either (as the idler would try to push the 1-2 shift collar into second gear as you pulled it into reverse). It's not hard to overcome the factory interlocker.

Look at replacing the input shaft, and both first and second gears. If your lucky, you might be able to keep your current 3/4 gears. But maybe not.

You need a built gearbox in that bad boy! I've got PPG gearsets on the shelf ;). Looking to spend a few dollars more than 600 though...

If you do need any help, don't hesitate to PM or e-mail me.

Phil

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 12:48 am
by stipro
BAC5.2 wrote: You need a built gearbox in that bad boy! I've got PPG gearsets on the shelf ;). Looking to spend a few dollars more than 600 though...
Phil
Just off hand, how much would a gear set cost for the SS 5-speed?. I am planning on doing a re-build on my current tranny. How much for syncro's too?, I guess.

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 11:59 am
by BAC5.2
It's not THAT easy.

You need a 99+ donor tranny, or you need to spend more money to get the gears to work in the older trannies.

In 1999, the synchro engagement hub changed to favor smoothness over durability. Because the hub changed, the gear also changed. PPG's gears are built for the newer style engagement hub.

BUT, if you had a donor, here's roughly the breakdown.

1-4 synchro gearset (doesn't matter, helical or straight cut) - $3520
New synchros (1st - 5th) - $230
Labor to build - $650
Misc. Trans install parts - $100

There is additional stuff you can do at the time, a helical front diff (by PPG, the thing is awesome), a helical center diff (;)), billet shift forks, all kinds of cool things. The only real additional charge is tax, shop supplies, and shipping. Prices are in USD.

What's really cool, is that no one has ever broken a synchro gearset that we know about. They are pretty tough. The record so far is 650whp (for at least 100 dyno pulls now), and probably 2 dozen mid 10 second passes, on a straight cut first/second, and helical cut third/fourth synchro box.

Cool stuff.

Phil

Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 9:32 am
by douglas vincent
Get another NA tranny. Cheap and they DO HOLD POWER if you shift correctly.

I WILL do a 12 second pass on mine, as long as I can get the power out!

Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 7:16 pm
by THAWA
The chances of another tranny being any better are about the same.

Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 9:02 pm
by Splinter
If I got an NA tranny, Id have to get a new clutch and new clutch assembly

For the cost of all that, I could get a brand new turbo tranny

Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 10:39 pm
by douglas vincent
didnt know that you had the turbo tranny....

Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 12:33 am
by THAWA
Wrong, new tranny is more than $4000 with tax. You'll spend more money, but theres no way you'll spend $4000.

Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 12:42 am
by Splinter
ok well to me, 'brand new' means 'rebuilt'

:P

Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 1:50 am
by douglas vincent
"brand new" to me = "U-Pull-It"