legacycentral bbs

When I pick up my car from the dealership after getting the alternator replaced (it seized, shredding the belt) and a 210k service-the power light flashed for a few seconds then went off-the car was in park. This is the third tranny in this car since I've bought her in 2003. It has always felt like it is in neutral, takes a bit more to get her moving forward and she "holds" great on inclines Driving around town is fine-but on the highway to work and back everyday-she does not downshift-3800rpm/70mph-I like having an auto/FWD for the summer-I still want to drive this car till the end of Oct. and next summer!

Have you pulled the trans codes from the TCU?

http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/trans.html

I'll have to bring it back to the dealer-which is difficult with the hours I work-it might have to wait till next saturday before I head off to a legacy meet

You can pull the codes yourself using the instructions I provided if you want.

I have the tranny manual-would it be in there? If it's flash codes-I'm screwed-they flash faster then my brain can comprehend them

Take a video of the flashing codes, put it on Youtube, and post the link in this thread.

I found out that my flashing power light will let me know how many codes are in the system-only thing is, it flashes steady for about 30 sec. with no long/ short flashes! It is back at the dealership-hope to find out by the end of the week!

Found the codes my tranny kicked out-11/12/13/14/15/21/22/32-that leaves ONLY two codes 23-eng. rev. signal and 31-throttle sensor-no surprise-my tach told me that I was not upshifting-any thoughts on what to do? Parts are unavailable through subaru-any aftermarket posibities? I do not have the desire to make this a 5 speed-I just want my FWD auto back for next summer!

Clear the codes and then see what comes back. I would guess a lot of those codes are erroneous codes.

I'll be picking up the car next weekend-I'll just disconnect the battery for a short amount of time (I took the keys this past saturday-so I can't have them do it for me )

I've taken the car out twice-first time to drive it to my new address and today-the power light flashes-then stops (the manual light is also on until the power light goes out) my hour drive was never over 50 MPH and the roads were steep and winding-around 45-up or downhill-the tranny felt like it was "braking" felt different then the last tranny in the car that was "trailer hitching"

So-my friend replaced the battery cable and we went on a test drive-he feels it's the pump that where the problum lies-you can hear it whinning away- just need time/money to get it to a tranny shop he recommends-

Just the obvious, but how is the fluid? Hot, idling, around the block a few times?

It could also be a few of the seals. Whining is also caused by air in the fluid (or cavitation from worn vanes). Unless this thing has been driven without fluid for MANY miles, the pumps are fairly hard to kill.

You more likely have a few seals in there that are bypassing and that is not allowing the friction plates to grab (due to low pressure) causing the "running in neutral" feeling.

You can try the Trans-X remedy to try and seal it a bit better, but I'd only hang my hat on it as a last resort.

The fluild was changed last year-during its 15k service (205K on her) I had a fluild flush when I replaced the tranny over five years ago-and at its 15k milage intervals-w/high milage fluild. My friend (who has been dealing with subies since the early eights) took her out with me for a good road test-up/down hills-in manual mode-and feels that the one/two shift is not shifting (I said it goes into reverse with out any hesation-1st/reverse use the same solenoid-thinks there could be some crap on the front of the friction plates-since it does not have any issues in reverse) He said it needs the line pressures check for an accurate diagnoses-just need the time to get that done

I finally had her towed to the tranny shop (that was recommend by two people) the day my '99 was totaled (a car I should have driven out of the tow lot!) After two days there-I showed up after I had cleaned out my wagon and let him know that the '91 is the only car I have! He had not gotten around to working on it. Two days later-I called-said he had driven it -said it was in fail safe mode/starting out in third gear-the kicker? had to order a cable to pull the codes! That was the first thing I asked him before I dropped of the car! I hope he calls me and lets me know he can fix it!

Update time-she's still in the shop-ALMOST TWO MONTHS! can't get any codes-thinks it's an electrical problem-(they have my factory tranny manual) this sucks!