Hello fellow members, I am located in Davis, CA and have an 04 wrx 5-speed with a tranny issue: makes a whining noise while accelerating only at ~35mph and goes away above 45 mph.
I've had a few shops check it out and seems to be a bad bearing. Anyone local that can help me fix this problem. I hope it is only bearings that need to be replaced, but will need someone to remove the tranny and see what's bad inside there. Please PM me

 

What transmission shops charge for is tearing your tranny apart...they won't charge you for replacing the 'bad' bearing that much, the cost comes in the tear down part I believe...

 

ya...most shops want $1000 just to drop the tranny and begin diagnosing. I'm looking for a local mechanic/subaru enthusiast who wants to do the labor for like $500, and while the tranny is opened up I also may want a couple bad gears to be replaced.

 

I had a blown 3rd gear and my cost to replace that was around 1700...for a rebuild was about 2000-2500, and that was cheap. Trannys are an expensive part to fix/rebuild good luck!

 

Avoid your future troubles, and get a 6spd...I figured your going to spend 1700-2500 to get it fixed today, when you start pushing more power (if that's the plan) in the future SOMETHING else will break again so if you spend 3k or so on the 6spd, your problems are solved

 

normally its the input shaft bearing that makes a whining noise, i have a 300zx twin turbo that ive owned for about 7 years now thats made that same noise ever since i bought it and its more of an annoyance than a problem, id just drive it til it blows up then do a 6speed swap

 

I believe a fellow member BOUNCER rebult his tranny. Contact him.

 

I would want to do a 6-speed swap, but wouldn't I need to replace the axels, hubs, driveshaft, linkage, etc, since I have a 5-speed wrx with 4x100 bolt pattern hubs?

And if the input shaft bearing were bad, wouldn't it make the whining noise while in gear and ALSO while not in gear? I only hear the sound while in gear and accelerating...so I think it's something worn on the output bearing side..

 

I'm doing a 6-speed swap and will be selling my 5-speed for next to nothing. No problems at all, just needs a new clutch. 5-speed is still in the car if your Intrested to check it out. Has 100,000 miles on it.

Just another option.

 

Before I talk about 5 speed rebuilds - What kind of tires are you running front and back? Have you gone and replaced only 2 tires at a time ever? - Sorry for late bump, just read your PM.


A budget conscious rebuild on a 5 speed is never going to be worth it.. If one bearing is bad somewhere - chances are there is more wear/damage elsewhere.. Typically labor isn't the most expensive component of a rebuild on a trans.. Parts are. There's over a grand worth of bearings alone in the trans..

I've spent over 1,500 on bearings and synchro parts alone when doing gearset upgrades..

And when you say replace a couple bad gears..... If you are talking synchros / grinding when you shift into gear, that isn't cheap either.. Just the parts to do 3/4 synchros and sleeve/hub assy are around $400.. Provided the dogs on 3/4 are okay.. If they aren't, 3/4 have to be replaced together for another $400 or so.. Etc etc.. Parts add up fast.

A cheap fix is going to be a good used 5 speed - but beware - they are pretty hard to find.. Your average kid with a "good" five speed sitting around is usually lying.. Folks rarely upgrade to 6 speeds or built 5 speeds without a "reason" (failing 5 speed). Wreckers are better sources typically.