FWD Coupe

[Chris]

So the noise I have been hearing for 2-3 months was diagnosed as a throw-out bearing on USMB. Well if I'm doing that much I might as well put a new clutch in as I have managed to slip it a few times lately, under heavy take off. My question is do I pull the engine or drop the transmission? I know if I pull the engine a good amount has to come off the engine, as in power steering, a/c, wires and such. Also fluids would have to be replaced.

Dropping the transmission only requires me to disconnect the cv-shaft, pop out the few sensors and speed-o cable, and unbolt everything from the trans. I have a good size garage I can use and a floor jack, atv jack(its low and has two contact points so I think it would work well to drop the trans), and 6 ton jack stands which I can get my car up there quite a ways on.

What are your opinions on this?

I'd pull the engine just becasue I like that route better.

You don't have to drain PS and AC. You just unbolt the pumps and swing them to the side, the rubber hoses have enoguh give to swing them out of the way. I've done it many times. Just unbolt the whole bracket from the engine. Then it's 3 connectors for the engine, two wires to the alt, one connector on the AC, and the fuel hoses. 2 engine mount bolts, exhaust, pitch stopper, and bell housing bolts. That's all that's to it. OH and speedo cable. Only thing you have to drain and replace is the coolant, which you should do every 2 years anyway.

Pulling a transmission isn't very fun laying on a cold concrete floor, I personally don't like that route beacsue I find it harder to manuver alone.

But it's about the same amount of work. Transmission you have to undo the clutch cable, shifter stuff, axles, speedo cable, exhaust has to come down, wiring to the reverse light switch. Then you still have to pull the starter and bell housing bolts.

Then getting it mated back up is harder. I'd go engine, but do whatever you feel comfortable with..

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

A creeper keeps me off the floor. Axles are no big deal for me to slide out of the way, exhaust is easy to pull and will require 1 new gasket instead of 2 on the engine. The hardest thing is seems like to get out would be the shift linkage.

 

[Chris]

A creeper keeps me off the floor. Axles are no big deal for me to slide out of the way, exhaust is easy to pull and will require 1 new gasket instead of 2 on the engine. The hardest thing is seems like to get out would be the shift linkage.

IIRC it's only one bolt that holds the shift linkage to the car.

I have a 5speed sitting in my garage with all the shift linkage and shifter attached.

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

I was thinking about that transmission the other day. When the time comes to a.) junk the car b.) replace the trans I plan on ripping the fwd apart to see if replacing the rear housing and insides of an AWD one with the rear housing and insides of my FWD trans would work. Probably better explained in person.

 

[Chris]

You mean like dropping the awd gearset and diff into a FWD transmission?

Why not just get an awd block off plate.

I think the front diff is different on the FWD so that doesn't work. It's smaller, or something like that.

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

You mean like dropping the awd gearset and diff into a FWD transmission?

Why not just get an awd block off plate.

I think the front diff is different on the FWD so that doesn't work. It's smaller, or something like that.

Not at all. At the rear of the transmission there is a seperate housing. This is what the "block off" plate replaces. The thing with the block off plate is the fact that it is a ~$400 kit. I am assuming the kit had to be designed using something that had either been done on a subaru transmission by subaru or someone was just damn smart and happened to invest a lot of time.

I looked up the gasket part #s and they are the same on imp/leg/foresters

 

[JoshP]

Those fwd trans are pretty small, so you might be better going that route if you dont have the means to lift the engine out. I have a fwd coupe too, with a 2.2 swap and I love it. I dont have AC tho

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

I would like a 2.2 swap but the 1.8 is just too damn tough.

 

[Chris]

I would like a 2.2 swap but the 1.8 is just too damn tough.

This is why the 1.8 is a good candidate for a turbo or supercharger

They've been proven to be amazingy.

 

[IBratmanI]

The biggest issue you will run into if you drop the tranny, is getting it lines back up. With a lift it's not bad, but on the ground, it can be a pain.

 

[Chris]

If he has it on nice high jack stands it shouldn't be too bad.

Esp. if he could obduct someone to help for 10 minutes getting it lined back up.

 

[IBratmanI]

Yeah I had all that crap and an extra set of experienced hands. It's still a pain in the butt.

 

[JoshP]

Were you dealing with a fwd trans tho?

 

[Chris]

Yeah I had all that crap and an extra set of experienced hands. It's still a pain in the butt.

This is why I pull the engine... I've done subaru transmissions with a lift and transmission jack.... I'd still rather pull the engine.

 

[IBratmanI]

Nope, but it was an older EA style that doesn't weigh nearly as much as an EJ trans. I'm not saying it can't be done, I'm just saying it can be a pain. I have done many motor and tranny swaps, and pulling the motor is easy as hell! Doing a tranny/clutch job with a lift is easy as hell! Doing a tranny on the ground, is not.

 

[Chris]

Nope, but it was an older EA style that doesn't weigh nearly as much as an EJ trans. I'm not saying it can't be done, I'm just saying it can be a pain. I have done many motor and tranny swaps, and pulling the motor is easy as hell! Doing a tranny/clutch job with a lift is easy as hell! Doing a tranny on the ground, is not.

If I can pull my engine in a housing development that has a strict no working on cars rule from the swinging park bench hooks.... you can find something in woolwich.

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

Doing it either way seems pretty easy. I was just looking for the pros/cons of doing it one way or the other. I have a plan of attack for each that wouldn't be bad. Probably won't be till early march that this happens if things last long enough.

 

[Chris]

You REALLY don't want a TOB to blow up on you. Like seriously not.

If it does, best case scenario is you screw up the input snout where the TOB rides and you have to get the expensive TSK kit to fix it. Worst case scenario if the TOB dies is it ruins the front of the transmission complely. Google subaru tob failure. It'll scare you into replacing it sooner than later.

Bring it on over to my house some weekend. We'll have the engine R&Rd in 3 hours flat.

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

You wouldn't rather do it in a heated garage? With an engine hoist, air tools.

 

[Chris]

Do you have that?

Quite frankly, air tools aren't very helpful pulling an engine. Most of the bolts can't be accessed with a pnumatic gun. There are only about 12 bolts anyway.