Warning when working on Subaru's - Dont make the same mistake I did....

[turbo84voyager]

I just came across a recent post about a subaru trans temp light flashing. Funny thing is I recently had the same problem after doing headgaskets on my 01 forester. As a note to anyone that ever works on these cars, DO NOT EVER put anything under the transmission pan. I needed to support the trans when I pulled the engine and I put a large piece of wood ( to distribute the weight) under the pan since there is no other place to support it, the exhaust is in front of the pan and the crossmember behind the pan. So basically the trans was resting on the pan which I figured no big deal. It was not like I was jacking the car by the pan. Well got the engine back in and the light was flashing. Took a look under the trans and there was the slightest dent in the pan. To make a long story short, the pressure silenoid is directly above the magnet in the pan with basically no clearance between the magnet and the plastic plug. The slightest pressure on the pan and snap there goes the plastic connector and the job just cost you another $150. I called the delear for a silenoid and the parts guy said thats the one you replace when doing headgaskets and they keep them in stock at all times. I didnt feel as bad when he said this but still it added more $$ to my job. Just figured I would warn you guys incase you ever get one in your shop. Also I have read guys have done this just setting the trans on the floor on the pan when doing a replacement.. Just a warning so you dont make the same mistake.

[RoadWarrior222]

That's friggin' retarded for a "soft road" vehicle...

I'd only have one if I "needed" that capability so that happened to me once, I'd be welding two pans together, or making a skid plate or something.

[Johnny]

Looks like there is a demand for aftermarket aluminum finned "stronger" pans!

[roachjuice]

It's what makes a Subaru a Subaru.

[speedfreek500]

Thanks for the info.

[turbovanman²]

LOL, I had the same thing happen but no light, instead I had this weird suction noise, traced it to the trans, did a service, fluid was gross anyhow and the pan was slightly pushed up closing off the filter enough to make a noise, doh!

[black86glhs]

Stupid Subarus!!!!

[roachjuice]

Don't feel bad. My parents own an 09 sti that popped the motor at 21k. Warranty voided also. Yea. So they have a fully built motor in it now. Lol.

[RoadWarrior222]

Heh, you are almost putting me off wanting the 4 Justys that turned up sorta local... job lot, $1800 Two runners, two parts cars. (It's more a "hey cool" kinda want, than a practical want, it would be the sort of thing to fill up my barn with if in a few years I get a country place.)

[Force Fed Mopar]

01-05 Civic automatic TCC solenoid is like that, everybody breaks them. They are on the top of the trans underneath the thermostat housing where you can't see it well, you run a socket on an extension under there to get the bellhousing bolt, give the ratchet a tug and crack... there goes the plug :( 48 and change from the dealer.

[RoadWarrior222]

That's sounding familiar, on something else, where you have to use a lot of force on a socket with an extension and right next to it is a spendy module, so you can't get any wobble/slip... gah... maybe I'll remember overnight.

[turbo84voyager]

I got lucky and had a friend get me a employee discount so the silenoid ended up costing $115 compared to the $150 retail which was also the "Garage" price. Which is rediculious when considering the last time I replaced a silenoid pack (multiple silenoids) on a liberty the pack was less than $150 from the delear. The Subaru parts guy said the new ones use a silenoid pack and it retails somewhere around $750 and can be damaged the same way.

[RoadWarrior222]

Doh yah, just thunk, the rally versions do not have automatics... couldn't figure how the hell they got away with having glass parts.

[turbovanman²]

Don't feel bad. My parents own an 09 sti that popped the motor at 21k. Warranty voided also. Yea. So they have a fully built motor in it now. Lol.

Why voided?

I had a friend call me, their STi was making noises and they had pulled into a gas station by my home, they had only had it a few weeks, I would guess 09-10 version, aprox 50K on the clock, well as soon as they started it I said call a tow truck, massive rod know, Subaru gave them a new motor, free.

[thedon809]

That's sounding familiar, on something else, where you have to use a lot of force on a socket with an extension and right next to it is a spendy module, so you can't get any wobble/slip... gah... maybe I'll remember overnight.Guy at work was pulling a dual dry clutch from a dart for a slave cylinder recall. He broke a sensor with the ole 3/8 impact on bellhousing bolt. Chrysler sent a whole new transmission lol.

[roachjuice]

Why voided?

I had a friend call me, their STi was making noises and they had pulled into a gas station by my home, they had only had it a few weeks, I would guess 09-10 version, aprox 50K on the clock, well as soon as they started it I said call a tow truck, massive rod know, Subaru gave them a new motor, free.

Ecu has been modified. :-/ I think one of my parents did a 1-2-1 shift at wot one time and they said that its been to 8000rpm at one time. When it went in for repair it was all stock. But I guess the ecu keeps track of how many times its been started. When you flash it, it restarts that counter. So 21k miles and about 5 starts lol. Something doesn't add up.

[thedon809]

Ecu has been modified. :-/ I think one of my parents did a 1-2-1 shift at wot one time and they said that its been to 8000rpm at one time. When it went in for repair it was all stock. But I guess the ecu keeps track of how many times its been started. When you flash it, it restarts that counter. So 21k miles and about 5 starts lol. Something doesn't add up.That's pretty gay of the dealership. Typically when the diesel guy comes in here with it chipped up and a blown trans we will rebuild it once under warranty. After that, they are on their own.

[turbovanman²]

That's pretty gay of the dealership. Typically when the diesel guy comes in here with it chipped up and a blown trans we will rebuild it once under warranty. After that, they are on their own.

Tis the bane of dealerships now, and honestly, they have every right, as warranty costs all of us in the long run. If you've modded it or messed up, why should you get it done for free?

[black86glhs]

Tis the bane of dealerships now, and honestly, they have every right, as warranty costs all of us in the long run. If you've modded it or messed up, why should you get it done for free?I agree. Also, being on the warranty side of things, why should i take it in the butt and get paid warranty for some thing they did? I don't think so. They modded it, they pay.

[thedon809]

Most of the time they will call chrysler bitching and they will usually warranty it. I replace so much crap under warranty its ridiculous. When a car is under warranty people go through it with a magnifying glass. When warranty is up and you tell them something is wrong they don't give a crap.

[RoadWarrior222]

Yah, I'd be the same though, especially now warranties are kinda short, 2 years 11 months and my tranny makes a funny gurgle, I want that schitt looked at. 3 years plus, I'd keep driving and cross my fingers :D

[black86glhs]

Most of the time they will call chrysler bitching and they will usually warranty it. I replace so much crap under warranty its ridiculous. When a car is under warranty people go through it with a magnifying glass. When warranty is up and you tell them something is wrong they don't give a crap.And b1tch about how much of a piece of crap it is when something needs done, even maintenance. One reason I don't do it anymore.

[turbo84voyager]

Tis the bane of dealerships now, and honestly, they have every right, as warranty costs all of us in the long run. If you've modded it or messed up, why should you get it done for free?

I agree. The ECU keeps track of how many times it has been flashed. GM really started keeping track of this a few years ago because they were getting quite a bit of duramax engines back blown up which did not make sense from their testing and development. Turned out almost all were casued by performance calibrations. Now as soon as you upload a tune it keeps track of the number of flashes and when you blow it up they say it's going to cost you $8,500 to fix it. The thing about some of the tuners is every time you make a different selection it flashes. I know of someone who put a tuner on his new Cummins and the turbo sooted up ( common problem on the 6.7). He took it to the delear and they called him and said your warranty is voided. The ECU has been flashed 27 times.

Most of these engines these days are maxed out as to how much HP and torque they can make and still hold up for a warranty period. If they were able to make the HP numbers these tuners are putting out they would have done it from the factory. I am not saying dont play around with the engines but if you do dont expect someone else to pay to fix it.

[turbovanman²]

Most of the time they will call chrysler bitching and they will usually warranty it. I replace so much crap under warranty its ridiculous. When a car is under warranty people go through it with a magnifying glass. When warranty is up and you tell them something is wrong they don't give a crap.

How true, how true. Its funny how that squeak or rattle is annoying but the moment your paying to fix it, it doesn't bother you anymore, lol.


I agree. The ECU keeps track of how many times it has been flashed. GM really started keeping track of this a few years ago because they were getting quite a bit of duramax engines back blown up which did not make sense from their testing and development. Turned out almost all were casued by performance calibrations. Now as soon as you upload a tune it keeps track of the number of flashes and when you blow it up they say it's going to cost you $8,500 to fix it. The thing about some of the tuners is every time you make a different selection it flashes. I know of someone who put a tuner on his new Cummins and the turbo sooted up ( common problem on the 6.7). He took it to the delear and they called him and said your warranty is voided. The ECU has been flashed 27 times.

Most of these engines these days are maxed out as to how much HP and torque they can make and still hold up for a warranty period. If they were able to make the HP numbers these tuners are putting out they would have done it from the factory. I am not saying dont play around with the engines but if you do dont expect someone else to pay to fix it.

We all know the new Generation of Diesel's can take more power and live, but OEM's want them to live with people who have no clue what they are doing, so they put them on the safe side.

[thedon809]

The engine can take it. The transmission, t-case and diffs may not.

[turbo84voyager]

The newer diesel's are definately stronger than the older ones. I remember changing non turbo 6.2's and 6.5's that were soo stressed out there were stress cracks in the block from the mains up. I am not saying the engines cannot take it but what I was getting at is how long will they really last with performance chips, etc, that may add an additional 100 - 200 ftlbs of torque. Thinking about it the new cummins makes almost 400 hp and 850ftlbs out of a 6.7L, so you flash the ECU and a few bolt ons and maybe end up with 500 hp and 900 - 1000 ftlbs. If these engines would be able to handle this type of power or even with its current ratings and last I would expect to see them in single axle tractors and used more widely out there since they get better mileage than the larger engines used in them. The R-model mack single axle tractor I used to drive had an 11 liter with 237HP and 900 ftlbs torque and was mated to a 5-spd. I dont mean to get off topic here but I am just trying to make a point of how I feel these engines are pretty much maxed out to what they can safely handle and last.

[turbovanman²]

The newer diesel's are definately stronger than the older ones. I remember changing non turbo 6.2's and 6.5's that were soo stressed out there were stress cracks in the block from the mains up. I am not saying the engines cannot take it but what I was getting at is how long will they really last with performance chips, etc, that may add an additional 100 - 200 ftlbs of torque. Thinking about it the new cummins makes almost 400 hp and 850ftlbs out of a 6.7L, so you flash the ECU and a few bolt ons and maybe end up with 500 hp and 900 - 1000 ftlbs. If these engines would be able to handle this type of power or even with its current ratings and last I would expect to see them in single axle tractors and used more widely out there since they get better mileage than the larger engines used in them. The R-model mack single axle tractor I used to drive had an 11 liter with 237HP and 900 ftlbs torque and was mated to a 5-spd. I dont mean to get off topic here but I am just trying to make a point of how I feel these engines are pretty much maxed out to what they can safely handle and last.

The power isn't what causes the block cracking on the 6.2's and 6.5's, it was GM cheaping out on the blocks, you can buy new blocks that don't crack from the aftermarket, as well as get a forged crank.

Don't kid yourself, the new diesel engines can easily take more power but again for the sake of Joe idiot, they keep them at a level where they will last with abuse and neglect. Also as said, the transmissions and other parts are the weak links, not the engine.