[awesome2.5rs]

Hey guys, so I feel like I am at a hill I can't get over. I think I have reached a point where I need to rebuild the trans, assuming it will need new output shafts bearings, as I have a whine that is getting worse that only changes with MPH, not gear, clutch, or engine speed. I unfortuantely let my brother take the RS on a trip up to Michigan, and since he used it this noise has come about (and when I blame him, the parents get mad ... LOL!).

The car is a 98, has 150,000 miles on it, and the trans is felling sloppy as it is. Anyway, I am assuming I am going to have to get this done somewhere (as trans service requires some special tools?), and am maybe looking for some advice of where, or what, or whatever ideas you have off the top of your head, maybe even upgrading trans internals, while everything is apart, for better performance? I have spent quite a bit of time researching with no success yet. I would vastly appreciate any knowledge you have. I have read some stuff about RA gears and such, but seem to be getting nowhere...:disappear

Anyway, I live just south of Chicago. I have done some asking around of trying to find some shops that will work on a Subaru trans, but have got nowhere yet. And again, any knowledge anybody has off the top of there head, i will vastly appreciate!

bill

 

[Initialdaddict]

Id scrap getting tranny work done, and look for a newer or low milage trans. You should beable to (with minimal tools) change your trans in your garage in a weekend. If the problem lies within the tranny then you'll be set. Im betting that a newer/used trans is cheaper than tranny work anyhow. Unless maybe you removed it yourself, lots of $$$ in labor for tranny removal for whatever reason.

I changed mine by myself with 2 jacks, 4 stands, impact/breaker bar, and basic hand tools. Don't forget the torque wrenches for reassembly.

 

[legacy2003]

Its really not worth rebuilding an RS trans when they are commonly sold on this site and NASIOC for much less money, usually around $500, but most of the time less.

If you are using your stock engine and not planning on going turbo or doing any kind of engine swap, then a replacement low mileage used RS trans will be much cheaper than paying a shop to rebuild your existing trans. If you can pull a trans yourself that will save you even more money. It isn't that hard of a job. Upgraded gearsets run anywhere from $1000 to around $3500, and that's not including the labor to install them.

If you're looking to upgrade and don't want to spend a ton of money, you might want to look into a JDM WRX trans. Most of them share the same final drive as your existing RS trans. They usually average around $900-1000, but I've seen them go for much much much less. You just have to look. The only thing is you'll need to change your clutch to a different style, but if your car has 150k miles on it, I would change the clutch no matter what trans you go with, given that the whole thing has to come out anyway, unless you just recently replaced it. The JDM WRX trans seems reliable to around 300-310 WHP, so it would be more than enough for most engine swaps.

Hope this helps.

 

[mdscoobydoo]

I have to agree with what they all have said. I ran into the exact same problem you have about a year ago. Basically I had priced rebuilds for mine and everyone was saying about 3500 worse case. And not many places seem to like to deal with manual trannys anyways. I bought the JDM STI V2 tranny from ECS. If I remember correctly it only set me back somwhere between $900 & $1100 and they included a used clutch and flywheel. I got a new clutch for it and resurfaced the flywheel. I put it in in about 2 days. When you go to a pull from a push style clutch though, just remember that the throwout bearing clips into the teeth of the clutch. I made the mistake of putting it in backwards and had to pull it back out. Also with that high mileage of a car, you'll have to expect that its gonna take some real grunt work to unmate the engine from the tranny. All in all though, I love the new tranny, it puts up to power, and it almost seemed to pull a little better than the Rs tranny. And best of all I didnt have to worry bout changing the rear.

 

[awesome2.5rs]

Thanks so much for the advice so far!! I really appreciate it! I think my next steps are contacting ECS, keeping an eye out on the forums for used transmissions, etc.

Again, thanks!

 

[2slo4u]

I have a whine that sounds like its coming from the transmission, towards the front right side. It sounds like the way a rwd diff sounds when it starts having a lot of play or when you are driving in reverse. Its gotten a lot louder over the past few months. Funny thing is I took my flowmaster axleback off and put the stock wrx one on to keep from waking my neighbors, now they can probably hear me coming from the whine noise, lol. I'm actually starting to wonder if it could be the r/h cv shaft since they are aftermarket supposedly "new" and since I've gone through about three pairs of various front cv axles over the past few years. There was never a whine though. Is it possibly a cv? The noise follows road speed and how hard your are getting into the pedal. If you let off the pedal anc are coasting it gets very quiet.

 

[Storm]

Has anyone with the noises checked or changed the gear oil lately? Try flushing it with fresh lube to see if the noise goes away......especially if you're using super slick synthetic lube.

 

[2slo4u]

Mine is super clean. I used the USC a while back and drained it out and put in regular coastal gear oil. Then I drained it again a few weeks later to get the residue of the USC. I wonder if it could be one of the bearings that hold the front diff in the housing? Maybe I can tighten a little to get rid of some play? Anyone know if those wierd star shaped rings where the cv's come out of the transmissioin are for adjusting bearing play?

 

[quezisme]

I just noticed that when i put the car into reverse, i feels way different. Its a little hard to put it into gear and when i throw it out of reverse, it feels very weird (kinda stiff). Also, in 5th gear, it keeps slipping out when i let go of the gas or if i'm driving over 60. When i'm driving, i can lightly pull on the stick and it'll slip right out. any help?

 

[Jake]

i bet linkage isnt correct.

 

[lagus]

I have the same problem and was considering changing my tranny. Good to know it's not too difficult.

LIC was saying it was a problem I should just keep until the tranny dies, so I guess that makes sense since it sounds like it's not worth fixing.

 

[oldhat]

Buy an old L tranny to monkey around on while the RS breaks and go nuts on the internals? Might be an interesting build.

i've read very mixed things about the PPG internals...

 

[2slo4u]

I thought about that but not sure there are aftermarket gearsets for the older L transmissions. Looks like I'm going to make a trip or two to some salvage yards in TX just in case mine goes out soon. Just have to convince a friend with a truck to help, lol.

 

[oldhat]

Just for the hell of it: A homebrew four speed from of an RA plus the super long STi 6th gear for an overdrive/economy gear. That would slay.

 

[FuJi K]

Tranny bearing noise has a different noise from a rear diff noise.

Tranny noise sounds like BEARINGS, you can hear them in NEUTRAL when you let off the clutch and the input shaft spins. The REST of the bearings in the tranny you can only hear when you're on the MOVE.

The rear diff gives off a higher pitch WHINE and it doesn't sound like bearings, but it IS bearings.

 

[2slo4u]

/\ I'm talking about the two outer bearings on each side of the front differential, where the cv's go in.
Mine is a high pitch whine, but high to me might be low to you. Either way it sounds crappy. I've even had a friend riding with me say it was loud and ask me what it was. I was like "Well there are three differentials, so its three times as loud" :lol:

 

[davis61381]

I'm having some issues with Transmission whine also. Mine occurs while under acceleration in 4th or 5th gear and only at about 40+ MPH. If I coast (in or out of gear) the sound goes away, as soon as I touch the accelerator I get the whine.

I just recently put this transmission in from a salvage yard, new fluid. I'm kinda starting to thin the trans is no good? Any insight?

Edit: Transmission mount has a broken bolt, so only one bolt holding it to the crossmember...going to replace the mounts and see if I am getting NVH from the missing bolt in there.

 

[Shiffy]

Just saw this on ebay, don't know what the reserve is, but it might be what your looking for.
WRX TRANSMISSION:eBay Motors (item 130355399062 end time Jan-05-10 10:37:40 PST)

 

[lagus]

I'd like to add that i changed my transmission and the problem is gone.