cwal1

Can anyine give me any info on the options available to fix the synchro problem which affects some cars (mines an STI 5). My symptoms are crunching between 4th and 5th above 50 mph and there are signs that the same is beginning to happen between 3rd and 4th. I've already had the synchro parts replaced twice, once with STI 5 parts and once with supposedly stronger STI 4 parts and the car has only done 20,000 miles.

Can the problem be cured without a new gearbox and if not, what options are there with regard to differnet gearboxes and how much am I looking at price wise?

ChrisW.

waynelivesey

I've had my RA `done` and believe there is nothing you can do except alter your driving style.Allow the box to go into gear rather than putting it into gear.
New synchros 10,000 miles with enthusiastic driving-No Problem!!!

Trout

iTrader: (1)

The MY99/00 cars came with lightweight clips on the synchro rings instead of the solid steel pawl that is used on the MY98 and earlier. The clips were used to greatly reduce gearbox assembly time, but do seem to be very fragile.

The most common failures are on the Type Rs, with normal STis being next worst hit.

Park Lane have seen many failures and have a view that the crucial period is running in the gearbox over the first 1000 miles. At the first service they now change the gearbox oil as standard.

Strangely when I first got my car the gearshift was very stiff, even when hot. The policy of oil change was not in place at my first service, however they did replace it at 8,000 miles.

After this the gearchange was very light and sweet, if a little more notchy which was simply a factor of the movement being much freer.

Anyway, 23,000 miles down the road my gearbox remains solid - so on the statistically sound basis of one car this approach seems to work.

So, if you do get a rebuild, the MY98 pawls seem to be a good idea and then take great care in running in the box (i.e. no burnt oil) and then get the oil changed after 1000 miles.

R

cwal1

Rannoch,

Thanks for the reply - Park Lane are a bit on the far side for me but at least I now have some facts to work with.

Any idea of the likely cost of a gearbox rebuild ?

Chris.

popeye

Chris:

I had the same problem on my STi6 Type R. I had the 5th gear synchro replaced with a V4 part, and the car was fine for about 2000 miles, when the problem started to return. I had the gearbox oil changed and it was found to be quite burnt. Castrol Syntrax was put in and the car has been perfect ever since. (That was about 10000 miles ago). I think the people who did the synchro change were putting cruddy oil in. Make sure yours is good, as it seems to really make a difference.

Hope this helps.

cwal1

Popeye,

Did you have the Castrol Syntrax put in at a point where the synchro problem was present or at the time of the synchro replacement. I ask because as well as having 2 new sets of internals (one of which only lasted a week before the problem returned) I have also changed the oil to Silkolene 75w90 fully synthetic (syntran s ?). However the problem is still there.

ChrisW.

davidaprice

Chris

Ive got exactly the same problem as you with my sti5.

I recently had the gearbox oil changed for the standard Stuff Subaru recommend in Europe (its different than in Japan, apparantly to do with different climate....) at 9,000miles and this made the gearbox much nicer to use but naturally didnt fix the problem.

My car is booked in with Park Lane in a couple of weeks to have the box stripped and hopefully fixed.....The ball-park figure they gave me for cost of this was £300 parts, £350 labour so Total £650, plus the dreaded VAT.

It sounds from this thread as though it will be a good idea to run-in the box and change the oil after 1000 miles to be on the safe side. (Anyone got any views as to whether to use the 'Subaru' oil again or is Silkolene synthetic even better???)

Ive also read in similar threads that part of the cause of the problem is often a faultily-tightened nut on the main shaft.

Dave

popeye

Chris,

No, I only changed to the Castrol after having the synchro replaced. I have my car serviced by Ralliart who reccommended this, as it's what they use on the Lancers. I'm pretty sure the synchro did need replacing anyway, as when the problem returned, it wasn't half as bad as it was in the first place. I ran the car in very gently from new, but the problem was apparent from day one, as it would 'crunch' even at low revs.

Cheers.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

I am aware that some Type Rs had the problem at less than 100 miles (yes one hundred) so there does seem to be some assembly issues at play (or they were used as demonstrator cars!!!!!!!).

I am not sure what oil Park Lane used, but it did make the gearbox easier to use.

I would check what Ralliart recommend, what is good for an Evo may, or may not be good for a Scoob. Another experienced supplier made a judgement regarding gear box oil that turned out to be not good for the Scoob.

They fortunately spotted this and did a 'recall'.

Cheers,

R

popeye

Rannoch:

Fair point, but I believe Ralliart have one or two ex-Subaru blokes there, so I trust 'em anyway!

Cheers.