Gearbox problem

silver

silver

Forum Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2008
Messages
1,018
Location
Tathra, Far South Coast, NSW
Car Year
2005
Car Model
Forester
Transmission
Manual
I haven't been around for a while but have still got my Forester as well as my Dmax. Here is a pic of the mini monster at the moment..

Lots of stuff done to it from Dynamatting, free wheeling hubs, full ARB underbody protection and more.
Anyway i'll post up sometime with a full description of work done and my thoughts on utes etc.
My problem is not the Dmax but the Subie. Last year sometime I had to stop quickly and came to a shuddering stall/stop and the speedo stopped working and today I just got back from the Subaru mob who have told me the plastic pinion/drive gear in the gearbox that works with the speed sensor is buggered. In my model this means a full gearbox strip down to replace it. Cost over $3,300. I was going to get rid of the car but no-one in NSW would be able to register it without a working speedo.
I've been told that even a second hand box would cost $1,500 and so was wondering what anybody thought.
It's an MY05 model built in Dec 04 and is a 2.5 manual.
It's really not worth spending that amount on it I don't think. The ARB guy was interested as he can fix it himself but I stuck to $2,750 and he was on $2,600.
To tell the truth...as it is rego'd in Victoria it would probably pay me to do nothing and keep it and drive it when I can instead of racking up klicks on the Dmax.
If I could get away with fixing it I would and then sell it as I really only want one vehicle.
Any ideas on second hand boxes or any other thoughts??
Thanks.
 
Might be kosher, Silver, but strikes me as more than just a bit rich to replace such a part.

Even the one in Mini Coopers weren't as painful or expensive as that! And they were an absolute mongrel to get at!
 
$1500 for a second-hand NA box is extortionate at best.

Are you equipped with tools well enough to get the box out and back in yourself?
 
Quiz a few wreckers.. the pick n pull here in Sydney charges $350 for a 4wd box.
 
Yeah...I don't like the Subaru dealer here. They wanted a set price of $99 just to read the codes which a fellow did in less than 5 mins for me.
I have not really done anything yet. I was just seeing if anyone had ideas. I'm no where near good enough to do a mechanical job like that. I don't even know anyone that could do it for me if I helped!!.
I am going down to the 'local' wrecker at Pambula on Wed. He has a lot of Subies there as they are really popular around here.
I'm more than likely going to Sydney at Xmas but would not know where to start with wreckers ....the only experiences I have had with wreckers has been bad!!
 
In Sydney - if you have tools and want to take a punt on a gearbox, Pick N Payless out Seven Hills way usually have a few Lib/Foz/Outbacks

SGS Parts plus up in Thornleigh are pretty good.

Also check out Ben at Ichiban (Campbelltown way) - he might have an import box that would work and has a good rep.
 
It appears I am out of luck down here. The result was 'no drive detected'. It also appears my gearbox is the one that needs to be stripped down to replace the spindle...I have no way of confirming that really.
The local wrecker has no gearboxes to suit and wanted $1,400 and the ARB guy can get me one for $1k. It really doesn't weigh up economically for me. $1k for a gearbox, I would have to do the clutch as it is not that good and would be stupid not to do it at the same time...say $400 plus in/out for the gearbox and bits....$800..$2,200 min for something that I might get between $5 and $6,000.
I accepted an offer of $2,750 for the car as is, off the owner of the place that does the ute. Nothing I can do. Just bad luck really but the car cannot have a change of ownership without being fixed as the speedo does not work and therefore would not be able to be registered anywhere. :sad:
 
Bugger, Silver :( :cry:

On the bright side, $2700 is better than nothing ...
 
That's right. Anyway...I don't lose sleep over things like this...it's happened....there is nothing I can do about it.....my volunteer work has taught me not to complain...there are people out there that have REAL problems and I am not one of them.
I am taking $2k in cash and work credit for $750 and have booked the Tonka Toy in to get the diff lock fitted at the start of December.
 
^ very precisely right, mate. I also thank the gods that I am not amongst them either!

We all have our problems in life. Most of us in this country do not have very big problems, in the grand scheme of things.
 
Bugger mate, I wish I saw this earlier!

You could have bench tested the speedo signal device easily to rule that out as the issue.

All subaru gearboxes need to be stripped to get to the little drive gear. As for the cost it sounds like a lot of those places you asked were "learning as they go".

Second hand gearboxes are usually expensive due to people not wanting to open up broken ones to fix.

I'd also wonder why your speedo drive died, it's not often this happens! My original L box did 400k km without any surgery and it ended up in another L later on!

Did you drain the oil to see what came out? That would also tell you a lot about the health of the internals. Coloured plastic bits would also confirm it's the drive gear stripped.

The drive gear is about a $30 part from Subaru I think - not expensive really, just painful to get to. With the knowledge and all the gear prepared - tools, instruction manuals for torque settings etc you could possibly have pulled the box friday night, stripped down Saturday, cleaned up and back together later Saturday, box back in by Sunday night with a fresh rear main seal and new clutch on the back of the engine - All going well!

Anyway, you've made your peace with it so that's a good thing.

Cheers

Bennie
 
It's a shame really. I would much rather drive the Subie than the Dmax. Utes are fairly rubbish in my book. Overpriced,overated, abused by people who know nothing about GVMs and therefore a danger on our roads because of overloading, crap ride, full of cheap 'serviceable' plastic with a finish that screams "I was not made in Japan'.
In my book, the Australian love affair with utes is a dead set joke.
I bought one for a reason but it will be gone as soon as it's job is finished.
Some of the new Hilux drivers will be paying around $75k for an SR5 with the Toyo extras the salesman will sell them. You have to have rocks in your head but that is what is going on out there.
Anyway...the Forester is off to a new home on Friday. I'll miss it.
 
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