Another broken 02 tranny: Transmission woes + Questions

So for those of you that don't know:

BACKGROUND:
I installed my new ACT street clutch about a week ago. I didn't put 500 miles on it like I wanted to for a break in. I still went drag racing at Silver Dollar with Import Showdown. I ran about 25 times. The first 15 I would launch at about 4k to 4.5k rpms. (I was getting 14.6-15.8). Later I try going to a higher RPM to launch and released the clutch just a bit faster. I didn't feel any bogging, and the car shot off like a rocket. I ended up getting a 14.3 launching from 5k-5.5k. On the way back home (2hr 30min drive) it felt fine. Nothing felt any different. Then my brother decides to take my car out to the store for a second. Right when he attempts to pull out of the neighborhood, it happens.

WHAT's HAPPENING NOW:
The transmission was stuck in first gear. It would come out of first, but it would not go into any other gear. Eventually after pulling it in and out of first, it is now stuck in neutral. When I'm rolling backward on my driveway super slowly there is a clicking noise of some sort.

My friend who pretty much installed my clutch is telling me my syncro's are blown.

I can either rebuild it, or get a new one.

Questions:
If I rebuild the tranny, won't it still be a weak 02 tranny?

If I decide to buy a new one, I want to go for the strongest 6 speed tranny. Would that be an 06 STI tranny? How would installing that work out? Would it be a direct fit?

14.3 was a pretty good time, right? I had open 3inch catless downpipe, AEM CAI, ACT Street clutch.

Either way it'll cost more than I can afford, so it's time for me to start working more. If I take the new tranny route, I'll probably also go for a lighter flywheel while I"m there.

 

an RA gearset is probably the best option on the cost vs reliability curve... a 6MT conversion will cost a LOT in parts and labor

 

You can always opt to get the 04 spec gears which are RA width. They are decently strong if you treat them right....just look at me. Several 11 sec passes and several 1.6-1.7 60' passes. I have a total of around 40-50 drag passes on the car and it is just fine....knocks on wood.

I want to go RA spec but I don't know. I do 45 miles each way to work every morning and I don't wanna kill the mpg anymore than it is. Most likely I'll fork up the cash somehow and do the JDM 6 speed swap.

 

What are you going to use the car for, if your going to keep drag racing it, you can get a set of ppg gears which have much better ratios than stock. They are quite expensive though. They will probally end up costing you almost as much as a 6 speed, but you will get better ratios for drag racing.

Matt

 

oh bro....sorry to hear this..... guess the moral of the stories lately is don't let a non-suby enthusiast drive your baby......

 

hey, veck has a tranny for sale with the RA gearset and cryo treated gears.

 

holy crap another one?? sorry to hear it man

 

i already got my hands on this goose
but sorry matt i had the same thing.. never let a NON-Suby driver, drive a suby...

all 02 and 03 suby wrx owners, plz dont let any1 eles drive ur baby.. i'm sure there r 3 people already that r looking for a new tranny plz dont make urself 4th or 5th

 

I pretty much don't let ANYONE drive my car if I can help it.

 

exactly

 

yup..thats the safest way to ensure if something breaks its your fault not a friends

 

I think what I'll do is go to a transmission shop and ask them to rebuild it but super stronger. I didn't think they could do it stronger but my father said otherwise.

But first I need to raise my credit limit from 700 dollars or get a new credit card since I'm being offered one every day.

 

Credit cards are the devil! Be careful with them.

 

yes there are ways to make it stronger like RA gearset, etc... but i wouldnt go to a generic transmission shop... please go to someone who is reputed and experienced with subaru performance...

 

Or buy Vecks transmission that he's selling. It's already prebuilt and cryotreated.

 

I think WRXCrazy already bought it.

 

yeah, WRXCrazy got it. If for some reason he decides to back out I'll be next in line though.

Could you recommend some shops for Subaru Transmissions? SoG does everything regarding Subarus right? So I should go to them?

Crap I need to tow my car. And I need a flatbed or a trailor...!

 

Depends on what you want to do. RA gear swap will be around $2000-2200 for the swap alone not including the labor to remove and reinstall the tranny. 6 speed swap is $5000ish. PPG gear is $4000 for the gears alone. Stock 04 spec gears may just be the best bang for the buck.

 

I want to go to the track more than I do a drag strip. That's why I want a 6 speed. It's just the money factor at the moment.

 

www.car-part.com

Back when I blew my 4EAT last year there were a couple of 6spds on there for 2800 or so. All you need is a 4EAT driveshaft and a 3.9 R160 out of an older Legacy turbo, and a new shift linkage.

 

sorry to hear that man. I made the mistake of letting my friend drive my car and he tried to do a burn out :grr:he's lucky if he even gets to ride in it now. friends don't let Non suby friends drive your car is sooo true.

 

I JUST brought the tranny from veck lets see how the installing goes tomorrow.. btw i'm in major debit.. also matt if ur looking for cheap labor for installing ur tranny then pm me i got a friend who is a suby driver, works for benz as a elite tech, he is doing my tranny for a good price sog cant match.. and i promised him i would get him some customor, so let me know he does a good job and he has a fully built 02 wrx with one of a kind Intercooler.all work was done by him and i rode in it and it is a rocket..
and sorry mann i hope you find a really good tranny for ur baby..

 

what i might do is put the WRX on hold since i want to turn it into a race car. and just buy a bike or daily driver for now. maybe. I'm a little drunk / depressed so i'll tell you agin tomorrow.

 

Don't try to buy a bike for a daily. Trust me on rainy days it's the suckorz!

 

try getting a old abt 10 year old toyota or honda may cost about 2k...

my bro got him a 95 toyota camry with 140k for 1.5 k and car works fine it's not proformance or anything but it has 4 tires and a sterring wheel to drive

 

we have enough cars around here if it should rain a day. Even with a broken WRX everybody has a car. It's just I don't own anything but the WRX and can't really afford to live my dream with it. Sure I can use our dieseal mercedes, but a full tank of gas is killer. If I got the bike it would save more on gas + Insurance and should it happen to rain, my family won't mind letting me drive a car. Ahhh, the perks of still living at home.

They are going to start making me pay rent, but that's better than living on my own right now.

 

well matt i hope you get somethin worked out man, i know it sux being without a car.

 

So what is going to end up happening is my Dad and my Friend (who did my clutch install) are going to rebuild my transmission for me. And I was trying to get a bike or something. My dad just said, "Chris and I will rebuild it for you." <3 family and friends.

 

Bad idea = buying a bike

I'm not going to say it's not FUN. But it's really not worth it unless you're on a track. Trust me.

 

just let them know the suby tranny is different then other trannys it need major care.. over all if he is gonna rebuild it tell him to get ra gears in it also.. so u wont have this kind of major bustin for a while...
btw family and friends do wonders for me and gald for u also..

 

what is "RA" short for?

 

i think it's sumthing for racing action?
dont really know but sum1 will chime in..

 

Really Awesome

 

Dunno, back in the 90s there were STIs and then STI Type Rs which were a little more track ready and then they started making a super stripped down track ready car that was the RA, it came with a regeared tranny and whatnot.

 

:rofl:

seriously though RA = racing application?

 

I was thinking Rally Application.

 

where do I buy the RA Gearset?

 

Sakari Motorsports can hook ya up. I think there is a 6 week wait on them though.

 

omg @ 6 weeks... !!

well i better hurry up and figure this out if I'm going to get those or not.

Plan A (most likely to happen with a 90% chance of happening):
My dad, friend, and Thomas at Autofab Motorsports rebuild the tranny as I help and watch and learn.

Plan B (with a 9% chance of happening): I just spend whatever I need to fix the tranny at a place that knows suby transmissions.

Plan C (with a 1% chance): I get a bike and put the subby on hold.

Plan D (??? %): I still get a bike regardless of any outcome.

edit: spelling

 

Call Sakari and see if he can get some that are in stock now. If not try Boxer4racing.com or gruppe-s.com
Try IA Performance on Nasioc...they have them in stock a lot. linky

 

so what happened was my transmission broke due to me switching gears. My second gear is completely gone. The transmission guy was suprised all the others weren't damaged, but apparently they are as good as new.

So esimated cost is 1300 for repair... Or my dad might rebuild it himself with the aide of some friends.

I didn't even think i was switching gears so fast either. During drag racing, the very first run I went fast, but missed it... Then every single run afterward I took at least second to switch gears.

Again, <3 friends and family.

 

There are special tools required to remove those gears just so you know.

 

6 weeks if you are lucky Just got word last week that My RA gearset was mis-packaged from Japan and it may be another couple of weeks!!!

I would order immediately if you plan on using this, I would definitely not put "stock" back so you can end up with the same situations 10K miles from now.

My 03 JBP WRX has been down since April 14 @ 1:45 pm, Sad I miss her so bad I can still remember the last time I enjoyed her.

All of this is being done @ SOG via SS and WJM, and Prestige Subaru in Asheville is setting it up for a great price...Everything and clutch for about 3000.

Good luck

 

The thing is, my dad is doing it for me. I'm not going to ask him to buy anymore or spend anymore on me. I already owe my parents money and he is being nice enough to do this for me. If it were completely up to me, I would have bought a bike or a cheap daily (less than 2k) and just save for a new transmission. I can afford the repair myself, but like you said, I don't want to come back to this situation again. RA gearset costs more and a new tranny even more. Then i'd just put the WRX to the side and only race it (which will cost even MORE money!!).

What an expensive hobby I've gotten myself into. But, it's worth it.

 

wait around and look for people with prebuilt trannies. ppl are selling them every now and then on nasioc. i got my cryoed ra tranny for 500 + a stock tranny which i bought for 600 that had been gone through and rebuilt. me and a friend drove to montgomery and swapped the tranny i bought into the other guys car and pulled his, brought it back and put it in mine so i didnt have any labor fees. overall i got a great deal....just sit back and give it a little time

 

UPDATE:

It has been finished repairing. Now all that's left is to put my tranny back in my car. (we took the tranny out and took it to the shop who quoted us for free)

final cost of repair: 1598.

It should be completely 100% done tomorrow hopefully.

Plans for the future? After I repay my parents for doing this for me, I'll save up for a new tranny. Estimated time for this to actually happen: a million years.

but I need to find a new job and work fulltime. Part time at QT is not fun and full time is not fun either.

 

Glad to see you will be back on the road soon, wish I could say the same for myself. Dammit...Why is there NOT ONE store in the US stock RA gears???

 

There is a brand new set on Nasioc going for $1300 or cheaper. Saw a few days ago.

 

^^^yeah, but that was not around when my car went out nearly 3 months ago.