legacycentral bbs

This is on my 98 legacy outback, I know this is not the right forum for this year. I thought someone here might have an idea of what it could be. It's been a transmission shop for almost two weeks and it still there. It is a reputable shop and the guys are good at what they do there. They told me once and a while they will get a challenge.

Here some history, the 4eats was rebuilt about 1 1/2 years ago, in that time it has worked flawless, it has around 100k on rebuild. The fluid is clean and bright red and full. When it started acting up, it only did it when it was cold, and once it warmed up it was fine. Now it's not wanting to shift to third at any time, hot or cold.

The shop has ran trouble codes, none. Checked the electronics inside and all checked good. Checked the plug connection from trans harness to main harness and all checks out fine. They came to the conclusion that it must be the TCU. We replaced that with a very low mileage one and it is the correct TCU with the same part #s, still does the same thing. What else are they missing?

I'm taking a stab in the dark, but it sounds like there may be a fluid restriction somewhere in the valve body. If they've exhausted everything else, I'd try dropping the valve body and disassembling to look for any blockage. Short of that and completely tearing it apart, I'm not sure....

Funny I just suddenly started having this issue. Must be an intermittent floater. How difficult is it to get to what you're describing Josh? Any recommendations?

Over a year ago, my tranny slipped like hell, threw a code. I though it was done, then it went away on its own. Slipping stayed, but after some Lucas Stop Slip, it was acceptable. Now its back

Update: the shop pulled the pan and metal in the pan. It took them three weeks to run down all the electrical because they believed the transmission was fine. Looks like a planetary gear came apart, little pieces of little gears. The shop now has decided to build a totally different 4eats with a lower mileage mileage.

91Beater wrote:Funny I just suddenly started having this issue. Must be an intermittent floater. How difficult is it to get to what you're describing Josh? Any recommendations?

Over a year ago, my tranny slipped like hell, threw a code. I though it was done, then it went away on its own. Slipping stayed, but after some Lucas Stop Slip, it was acceptable. Now its back

Does your trans slip or does it not shift....or both?

rallyak wrote:Update: the shop pulled the pan and metal in the pan. It took them three weeks to run down all the electrical because they believed the transmission was fine. Looks like a planetary gear came apart, little pieces of little gears. The shop now has decided to build a totally different 4eats with a lower mileage mileage.

That sucks, but at least they found the problem.

The trans wouldn't shift, there were no slipping.

New transmission in and it works, but now it has a bad vibration. It idles fairly smooth but if you give it gas it vibrates like it way out of balance. This is when it's in park, the vibration is progressive the more gas you give it the more it vibrates. Getting tired of putting money in something and it's still not right.

Sounds like something either wasn't balanced or installed properly when the shop did the trans. The only other thing I could think of would be something related to the flex plate.

Shop tore the trans out and replaced the converter,but that said there was nothing wrong with it. Now there's no vibration so it must of had a balance issue. It all good now, vibrates like a 2.5 should.

Good to hear.

Back in the shop, front seal leaking like a mofo. There replacing the torque converter again, the hub is all chew up. I wander how much trash made it in the transmission. I did notice the fluid was darker than it should be.

rallyak wrote:Back in the shop, front seal leaking like a mofo. There replacing the torque converter again, the hub is all chew up. I wander how much trash made it in the transmission. I did notice the fluid was darker than it should be.

I'm thinking you should find a new shop.

The sad part is I've tried most of the other shops and this one seems to be the most honest. We also pick up the car last night and so far it feels good with no vibrations. They didn't charge us but it was another bad converter. I'm sure there getting tired of pulling the transmission for free. I know some of the guys there thinks were crazy for putting money in a car that has that many miles, their quote " is it really worth fixing" , that really pisses me off when people ask me that. Just shut up take my money and fix it right. That's why I do most the work on my cars because I know it is done right.