Project Phoenix: 05 Wagon Restoration

[jaylew]

I forgot that is the version you got...definitely worth a rebuild then

[DoctorDaveLGT]

I specifically got the S402 transmission for its 0.707 6th gear. I am not sure i'd want to go longer than that.

 

S402 has the same gearing as any 07-09 USDM SpecB. Was it easier/cheaper to source the S402 transmission rather than a SpecB one?

 

Regardless, great time to upgrade the front diff to the Helical LSD and get away from the open diff.

[Chocoholic005]

S402 has the same gearing as any 07-09 USDM SpecB. Was it easier/cheaper to source the S402 transmission rather than a SpecB one?

 

Regardless, great time to upgrade the front diff to the Helical LSD and get away from the open diff.

 

You are correct in that statement. It was $2325 shipped to my door from, at the time, what was a reputable importer. Course, they could have sold it cheap because it was broken haha.

 

I don't love the low speed handling of a front LSD, and i don't really need it, so its never been a priority. But who knows... I buy stuff I don't need all the time.

[Enlight]

What kind of insulation are you using here?

 

 

[Chocoholic005]

What kind of insulation are you using here?

 

 

 

Haha. That is a cut up memory foam mattress pad. I had it lying around, and it's a hell of a lot cheaper than the real stuff. I'm sure it doesn't do as good a job, but I don't find the cabin objectionably loud regardless.

[Enlight]

Hahaha, and I thought I found another cutting edge material I could be researching. To be fair, I think any material that fills that space will be effective enough. Someone on DIYMobileAudio.com did a test of different materials and they ultimately recommended pillow stuffing. Edited August 9, 2020 by Enlight

[05MNLGT]

You are correct in that statement. It was $2325 shipped to my door from, at the time, what was a reputable importer. Course, they could have sold it cheap because it was broken haha.

 

I don't love the low speed handling of a front LSD, and i don't really need it, so its never been a priority. But who knows... I buy stuff I don't need all the time.

 

my jdm 6mt (diff, shaft, clutch) was $2,100 to my door. had only 53,120 miles. owners of cars in jpn hardly drive their cars. traffic is bad so most use the train system. would never buy a usdm specb tranny. they are over priced and high mileage. if you're doing a 6mt in an 05 lgt, you need to use an 06-07 5mt neutral switch on the tranny to get the cruise control to engage.

[Chocoholic005]

Hahaha, and I thought I found another cutting edge material I could be researching. To be fair, I think any material that fills that space will be effective enough.

 

That was my general assumption as well; I occasionally work with NVH engineers to meet their full vehicle testing needs, and you'd be surprised how crude/rudimentary their noise & vibration solutions are.

 

my jdm 6mt (diff, shaft, clutch) was $2,100 to my door. had only 53,120 miles. owners of cars in jpn hardly drive their cars. traffic is bad so most use the train system. would never buy a usdm specb tranny. they are over priced and high mileage. if you're doing a 6mt in an 05 lgt, you need to use an 06-07 5mt neutral switch on the tranny to get the cruise control to engage.

 

Typically I agree with you, which is why I imported a JDM trans. Clearly that decision didn't work out for me this time. I already have the 6mt set-up going, so we're good neutral switch wise.

[Chocoholic005]

Still haven't heard anything regarding the transmission and any kind of potential replacement; kinda getting drug along at the moment.

 

I did take the opportunity to replace the steering rack this weekend (again) and replace the leaky used unit I sourced when doing the build the first time. I also took this opportunity to remove the steering isolator u-joint and replace it with a solid STI unit.

[05MNLGT]

Still haven't heard anything regarding the transmission and any kind of potential replacement; kinda getting drug along at the moment.

 

I did take the opportunity to replace the steering rack this weekend (again) and replace the leaky used unit I sourced when doing the build the first time. I also took this opportunity to remove the steering isolator u-joint and replace it with a solid STI unit.

 

didn't notice a big difference with the sti u-joint on mine. but the cusco steering brace and whiteline steering bushings made it feel very solid.

[Max Capacity]

Interesting that the side by side of the links show they are about the same length.

Do you know what year STI that link is from ?

 

My 08-14 link seems to be a little short on the column side in my 05 GT wagon.

 

You may have seen that solid link seems to have fixed my intermittent shimmy at highway speeds. The steering also feels a little more responsive too.

[Chocoholic005]

didn't notice a big difference with the sti u-joint on mine. but the cusco steering brace and whiteline steering bushings made it feel very solid.

 

Mine had over 200k miles on it, so i expect I'll see some improvement there. I had a low speed vague shimmy feel when going around corners, but that very well could have been the diff in my transmission killing itself. I'll probably never know what really caused it, but I bet it will be gone after this is all done.

 

Interesting that the side by side of the links show they are about the same length.

Do you know what year STI that link is from ?

 

My 08-14 link seems to be a little short on the column side in my 05 GT wagon.

 

You may have seen that solid link seems to have fixed my intermittent shimmy at highway speeds. The steering also feels a little more responsive too.

 

This is from an 09 STI. They were exactly the same length when i measured them, and I had no issue installing the new one. As long as the bolts line up with the notches on the rack/column, you should be good.

[Chocoholic005]

Finally heard back from JDM Racing Motors, the company whom I sourced the S402 transmission from, about resolution. They offered a replacement spec-B transmission with a 0.756 sixth gear for $2000 shipped, down from the $2650+ plus shipping they were asking on their website. While that may have seemed generous, it really only gets that transmission down to ebay market value, and I only paid $2050 for my transmission in the first place. Needless to say, I'll be looking into other options. Probably a rebuild.

[awfulwaffle]

So they sold you a bunk trans, and their resolution is to try and sell you another trans? I'd walk too.

[Max Capacity]

IMO your better off putting that money toward rebuilding what you have.

 

But I think you've figured that one out.

[shralp]

Perhaps it’s worth chatting with Zach Fothergill at ZF design thezfdesign.com He built my 6 speed to order based on my needs at the track and is an extremely competent builder. Zach gave me credit towards my blown 5 speed tranny as he re-purposes many of the parts for later use. Nice guy, knowledgeable and willing to answer any question you might have. OEM to radical, the guy knows suby trannies. There are a few guys running his six speed builds here in the NW and they have been super solid

[Chocoholic005]

After a month or so with RalliSpec and ~$2600 (including freight) the trans is finally back. Looks like the cause of the issue was oiling based; the center diff was pitted and shot, the gears were essentially polished smooth and the main shaft was significantly scored. In addition to these repairs, the 4th, 5th and 6th gear syncros were replaced. Definitely a heavy cost and I haven't driven the vehicle in almost 3 months, but I'm glad its back.

 

Unfortunately, stupid me didn't pull the throw out bearing from the clutch until the transmission came back, and I must have damaged it during disassembly. One of the tangs that the clutch fork slides into was bent, and cracked when I tried to bend it back. A new one should be here tomorrow at which point I'll start re-assembly. The only bright side of all this, is I finally was able to swap out the 6 speed neutral switch for a 5 speed unit. I had previously eliminated the switch from the system and thus the vehicle always thought it was in gear.

[ViscousSquirrel]

After a month or so with RalliSpec and ~$2600 (including freight) the trans is finally back. Looks like the cause of the issue was oiling based; the center diff was pitted and shot, the gears were essentially polished smooth and the main shaft was significantly scored. In addition to these repairs, the 4th, 5th and 6th gear syncros were replaced. Definitely a heavy cost and I haven't driven the vehicle in almost 3 months, but I'm glad its back.

 

Unfortunately, stupid me didn't pull the throw out bearing from the clutch until the transmission came back, and I must have damaged it during disassembly. One of the tangs that the clutch fork slides into was bent, and cracked when I tried to bend it back. A new one should be here tomorrow at which point I'll start re-assembly. The only bright side of all this, is I finally was able to swap out the 6 speed neutral switch for a 5 speed unit. I had previously eliminated the switch from the system and thus the vehicle always thought it was in gear.

 

 

 

 

This makes me feel slightly better about all the cash that was thrown into my engine bay and lit on fire.

Edited September 28, 2020 by ViscousSquirrel

[Nonamedude]

An oiling issue from the previous owner I'm assuming? I didn't think you had it in many miles.

 

 

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[Chocoholic005]

An oiling issue from the previous owner I'm assuming? I didn't think you had it in many miles.

 

I can't imagine it was from anything I did. Barely had 1000 miles on it before the whine was unbearable.

[Chocoholic005]

Just can't win. Spent the last two days after work installing the rebuilt transmission; took me about 8 hours total, with 2.5 of that fighting to get the transmission into the car. While the vehicle runs and drives fine, there's a distinct, intermittent rattle in neutral with the clutch released. It goes away when I engage the clutch, so I'm thinking I damaged something during installation and the transmission probably needs to come out again.

[ViscousSquirrel]

Just can't win. Spent the last two days after work installing the rebuilt transmission; took me about 8 hours total, with 2.5 of that fighting to get the transmission into the car. While the vehicle runs and drives fine, there's a distinct, intermittent rattle in neutral with the clutch released. It goes away when I engage the clutch, so I'm thinking I damaged something during installation and the transmission probably needs to come out again.

 

No you didn’t hurt anything. What you’re describing is just the throw out bearing rattling.

[blackobxt]

That is what it sounds like

 

You could also be like me and have the springs in the disk rattle. It’s therapeutic especially in the drive through

[Chocoholic005]

No you didn’t hurt anything. What you’re describing is just the throw out bearing rattling.

 

And that's the only think in my mind that could be the issue, because it can't be the pilot bearing since it's clutch out, not clutch in... unless I damaged the clutch disc itself somehow. But the pilot bearing never rattled like this before, and it's literally brand new. Last thing I want is to damage my brand new input shaft.

 

I'm certainly open to thoughts if this can be fixed without pulling the trans, but that seems unlikely.

Edited October 1, 2020 by Chocoholic005

[Nonamedude]

If you need a hand in the future, I'm working door dash right now and basically always available to wrestle with stuff. Helps me learn it for my own car lol.

 

 

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