...seamus...

need a bit of advice please!

I bought my 2003 90k wrx a few months ago and after a few weeks of owning it I started giving it the beans - I notice a slight crunch when going from 3rd to 4th

I go back to the dealership because it has a 6 month guarantee - the salesman comes out with me and drives the car - I tell him that you only get the crunch when nailing it - he changes up at around 5500 and no crunch - I tell him that the crunch is when you really nail it through the gears - no red lining but change at around 6.5 - he says that I shouldnt be changing up so high because i'm out of the power band for the car and that the gearbox syncromesh isnt designed to change up so high in the rev range - he basically says that it's the way i'm driving

now, I appreciate that there might be some truth behind the maximum power band but surely subaru designed the box to go to 7k before you even hit the limiter on a wrx

yesterday I drove back from Manchester and I had the dreaded crunch twice once changing up and once changing down - it's only a quick graunch but i'm worried this is only going to get worse

before I go back and this gets out of hand I need to know that he's bull****ting me - anyone else had this problem??

thanks for any advice

carl heath

Is it a propper CRUNCH or do you just get a feel of it on the gear stick ? My 02 sti changes better the more revs it has and its been mapped so it will redline if i choose to.

...seamus...

it's a crunching feel and sound - my missus even said "what was that?"

it's putting me off giving it some

rob84

iTrader: (5)

Syncro issue or low oil level, Dealers bull****ting you if he cant feel it and the whole revs thing

The cone part of the syncro isnt braking the syncro when your shifting and is still spinning causing the crunch.

2 options

1:-Change the box oil and see if there is any improvement
2:- Pull the box and strip it out and replace the 3rd to 4th syncro and inspect the rest whilst in there.

...seamus...

thanks - funny you should mention the trans oil was low when I got the car even though it was meant to be serviced - I noticed the car was crunching going into first a few times (mainly after coming out of reverse gear) - topped it up and it's only done it once since

i'm going to take the car in and take the service manager out in it and demonstrate it myself and see what he says

if they don't admit something needs sorting under guarantee then i'll take legal advice

thanks again

...seamus...

went to the dealership today and kept calm and explained to the manager that the problem is definitely there - luckily the owner was in and he came out with me and let me drive - the crunch was blatantly obvious - then he had a go and couldnt even get her to change gear at all without crunching

so parts have been ordered and they are booking me in next week for two days all paid for by the dealership together with a courtesy car - the owner couldn't have been friendlier and even agreed that the car should be driven as hard as you like with no problems - although he did put me off tracking it!

i'm so relieved - for a while I was doubting myself