erm right its quite well known my gearbox is going... i think.

heres whats happened...

went out at 6.00am to get some petrol, de-icer etc. warmed car up and drove for a couple miles before going to shell (as you do). got my petty, no probs, and decided to go to tesco and get some de-icer/window washer.

no problems driving down there, and i pull up in tescos petrol station to one side. get me goods, and go back to the car. cars surely warmed up by now as ive done around 10 miles of poodling about town.

pull up to the air/water gizmo to fill my washer tank.

now i stuck it in reverse as i pulled too far forward. went into gear ok, but wouldnt move back. tried again and it still wouldnt move back. like as though you had the handbrake on or something. the car just rocked.

so i left it a minute wheilee i filled the washer tank up.

then i tried to set off in first rather than reverse. again car just rocked.

"oh no" was my first thought. tried it again, and she set off, albeit with a rattling noise. so after i pulled out the petrol station i found a lay by where trucks park. it was doing it in every gear when i accelerate. so i pulls up and go check the obvious. mudflaps not catching (that i could see), nothing on the floor and could see any objects obstructing the wheels inside (although its still dark).

so i set off home again, praying the car would make it. it has, but this noise is very very audiable especially outside. its like a clattering noise coming on especially in third from under the car i think.

its saturday... what do i do only have one car.

HELP ME...

can someone come round that lives local and listen to it (if the car will even set off??)

i feel like crying.

 

hope you get it sorted

 

oh i will, but two weeks before xmas. i dunno whats bust thats the thing. i have NO other transport...

 

hopefully someone in the area will come and take a look for you, as I guess you cant take it far

 

it drives, but sounds like a tank

i managed to get it home, and een reverse it outside the front of my house. didnt dare do anything else.

 

 

Call a breakdown service if you have one, they can probably diagnose it for you if the guy knows what he's about. Most probably won't have a clue, but at least worth a try and won't cost anything. Call around the Subaru specialists and see if it's a common fault, they may be able to give a rough diagnosis over the phone.

 

first impressions for me are gearbox/differential. are api open saturday?

 

Does the noise change with road speed or engine speed?

When you say it won't move is it like a slipping clutch or is the engine bogging down?

 

no clutch isnt slipping. same as when you try to set off with the handbrake on fella.

after a couple of attempts it set off, but then rattled away. i tried to record it, but my phone didnt get it very well.

 

API Engines

You can only try ringing them Andy. Hope you get it sorrted.

Ant

 

sounds like throw bearing Clutch related!!!

 

think im gonna try take it up the street and see what she does. either that or i need a runabout until i can get her fixed...

 

If it does it in every gear chances are it is clutch related..Not to often the whole gear box goes!not unless you are running the sh** out of it...

 

If it was the thrust bearing it should only affect engaging/disengaging the clutch it should still drive normal once in gear.

Does sound like the diff or gearbox im afraid.

Im not an expert on boxes but going from pug gearboxes it could possibly be the selector rings that have gone im not 100% though.

 

just taken the car up the street, and its in every gear, but more so in third while gently trying to accelerate. i had the window down and its very audiable outside the car. sounds like a deeper version of those crackly things you used to take to football matches

now i need a runabout while mines dead

 

Crackling isn't good, might be worn synchros or the selector fork is worn or playing up in some manner.

Either way get it looked at sharpish bud, i trust you've sent dave at api a pm?

 

yes, and tried the "office" a couple times too.

basically i rang him yesterday explaining my gearbox was going anyway. we agreed then the best action was wait till it dies and do the following

• standard rebuild
• replace clutch with exedy job
• skim/replace flywheel (cant remember)

all that with labour and v.a.t. was gonne be around £1450-1500 which was ok to me. so im hoping and preying for my credit cards sake that the problem today is related to the above and not something new and afresh which adds more to the bill.

i wanted to wait until after xmas (and may still have too) to get it fixed. save up as much as keep the credit card spendage to a minimum. but needs must and i want the bitch back on the road.

 

Sometimes David can collect the car then you can train to Leamington Spa and API will collect you.

I am sure David can fix it. One thing you might try is to drain the gearbox oil. If the oil and/or the magnetic plug have bits on it....you are done for.

I have one of API's flywheels, and they are really nice to drive.
Good luck.

 

just been on the blower to nathan? i think it was.

he strongly advised NOT to drive the car anywhere, as god forbid it could cause an accident.

so.... i need a car.

 

Hey up mate.
If it is gearbox related (which most people think it is), and seeing as though you live in Scunny, you can't do much better than give Doncaster Gearbox Services a bell......they're the only one in the area that touch Subaru Gearboxes (even St Leger Subaru take their gearbox faults there!!). I know them both who own/run it personally, they fitted my clutch and flywheel excellently and cheap, and know more about Subaru gearboxes than me and you could ever hope for.
Just my 2 pennies worth to help you out and they'l be open today!
Phone number is 01302 723881
God luck bud
Carl

 

cheers fella. already decided on api though, after a chat yesterday and earlier.

 

hopefully, after speaking to david @ api, the car may/should be getting collected on jan 2nd for repair.

sorted myself out with a little runaround anywho.

 

Bloody hell, £1500 for gear box rebuild! there is no way on this earth I would pay that much. I know API are good but at the end of the day it's only a gearbox, it's not rocket science. I paid 280 quid for my rebuild (only replaced what it needed) inc 3 new synco's and 5 litres of Millers oil and 2 used 5th gears, woodruff key, gaskets etc. I did remove the box myself but that only adds a couple of hours to the cost.

It was built by a guy who does nothing but gearbox's and a lot of those are scooby one's. My car has 325 brake and over 300lbs of torque, its been ragged for months with no issue's. I have an API flywheel and one of there exedy clutch's so I'm not slating them I just feel your paying over the odd's.

 

the breakdown is as follows fella...

£650 for the rebuild (as im not sure whats actually busted yet). seen on zens site its about the same price.

£220 for the clutch (exedy)
£150 for the flywheel
£220 for labour

+vat brings it upto the amount mentioned earlier. now i may get away without the clutch/flywheel, but the car has done 135,000 miles, and has been modifed in the past, tell tale signs etc.

thats a worst case scenario, i could pay less, but shouldnt pay more. thats what david said to me.

 

You don't have much luck with cars Andy Lets hope next year is better for you

I'm guessing thats a full rebuild price with new bearings etc, rather than a replace whats needed like mine. I'm just a tight yorkshire man and like to shop around before parting with my cash.

 

id like to think its a price for a full rebuild...

 

Sent you a PM regarding this mate.

To give you an idea my 6 speed rebuild cost me £1200. £600 of that was parts.
I know the six speed is far more complicated but you get an idea.

If you're planning on bigger power later just remember that a 5 speed is on its limit after 300ft/lbs whether its newly built or not on standard parts.

Obviously a PPG is a different matter.

Daz

 

appreciate your advice daz.

it was discussed between me and david about power. certain factors come into place.

my driving experience... less than two years remember
standard internals capabilities
car age
engine age

etc
etc

david said to me basically if i went for an sti turbo and a remap, fuel pump, id be sitting at around 315-325bhp, not sure on torque couldnt remember

the engine should be happy with that, and the gearbox clutch and flywheel would be more than happy all day long. thats what HE said to me, so i was happy with that.

may seem a lot to people, but after scrimping and scraping on other things, i want this done properly, and i know if i have any after sales issuse, david and indeed api in general will be as helpful as possible. for that i will pay a premuim.

 

yeah cool mate,

My 5 speeds broke with the VF28 at 1.5 bar but in all fairness that was down to my brutality on the box. I've learnt to change gear properly since then which is less like the poor flat shifting method i used in the past.

David at API has a fantastic reputation so I can't fault you for that.

Daz