Hello, Has anyone done, or has had done, a tranny swap for this vehicle?
I am having to replace the transmission with that of a 1993-1998 Legacy 2.5L,
which requires changing the rear differential also. What pit-falls have you encountered?
Any suggestions on what to avoid, or take into account, or best replacement suggestion?
I would appreciate any imput from anyone who has dealt with this same issue.
Thanks, Ana
Oops! I meant ‘input’, not imput. : )
You’ll probably have better luck on an SVX-centric forum. That’s a fairly rare car you have there.
I’ve done a transmission replacement in an Impreza of that vintage just last year. I suspect an SVX transmission size/feel is very similar. It isn’t super difficult but a fair bit of work. My problem is not having a post lift so had to put the car on a bunch of cribbing to get it way up in the air for the transmission to clear.
Other than that, it was pretty straight forward.
There are several sites out there describing the pulling of a Subie transmission. Even though your car is different, you may want to see what you can glean there.
There are some good tricks to remember with regular subies
For instance, the pitch stopper on top of the transmission/firewall has to come off but you do have to put something there to tip the transmission backwards so the transmission comes out/goes back in. I used a turnbuckle with hooks on each end to keep that aligned. It will save you lots of grief.
Also, take the transmission dip stick off. At first glance, it looks like it will clear unscathed. It wont and/or will get in your way.
I’ve had a couple of SVXs years ago. Neat cars, but getting very rare.
Two or three computers ago I had a Subaru website bookmarked. I think it was called the Ultimate Subaru Message Board, or words to that effect. Some of those guys were very dedicated Soobie nuts. Google it.
I’d want to hear from an SVX owner that they did this, and how they did this. My understanding is that there were parts of the SVX special to them.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions and tips. In all my googling and yahooing, I’ve never come across the ultimatesubaru site. Guess because I was putting in ‘SVX’. The SVX sites have mention that ‘many’ owners have done the swap, but no specifics. Considering that only about 14K of these cars were ever sold in US market, I would imagine that the ‘many’ can only be a small number. I would like to hear from an owner who has done the swap successfully, and what was involved. Looks like ultimate subaru site has good potential. The search continues…
I believe the issue with swapping is the final drive is unique to this Subaru.
The only folks I know who swapped ended up with a 5 speed manual transmission.
The SVX didn’t come with a 5-speed, so THAT swap was very popular. Of course they were hard on clutches after the swap. 230 HP will do that with a clutch designed for a Legacy. The SVX weighed in at a hefty 3600 lbs.
I have done an automatic transmission swap on an SVX. Most 90s Subarus prior to (but not including) 1998 will have a compatible transmission. However, whichever trans you choose, the rear must go with it. The most popular gear ratio is 4.44s. All automatic 2.5s before 1998 have this gear ratio. That includes Legacy GT, Impreza RS, and Outbacks. To complete the swap, you must use the SVX rear housing, but the 4.44s won’t fit until you grind two nubs off the inside of it. Second, the SVX speed sensor must be swapped into the legacy transmission. Lastly, the transmission mounts and exhaust hangers must be swapped to the new transmission. Other than that, it’s like any other Subaru transmission replacement.