Subaru Type R with gearbox issues

We have a nice example of a Subaru Type R in the workshop which has just been taken out of dry storage after twelve years. Most of the work required is routine service items and we quickly had the vehicle up and running

The one unusual fault was that we couldn’t select reverse gear all forward gears were available . After lubricating the external linkage there was no improvement and no amount of force on the linkage would make a difference . After consulting the owner we removed the gearbox and started a systematic strip down to try and locate the fault. .After removing the gearbox end case we inspected the internal selector rods and could see no reason why we couldn’t engage reverse .

Next we removed the center electronic differential and split the gearbox casing . Once we removed the main shaft and lay-shaft we could finally see the reverse gear idler , with this layout the idler is slide along a shaft via short cam actuated by the main selector rod and quite simply the idler gear had seized onto the shaft and the short cam couldn’t move it

Once freed off we rebuild’t the gearbox and then we could select all gears. Not our normal work in fact i haven’t stripped a gearbox since i was an apprentice working along side a very experienced transmission expert tackling many gearbox issues , Hillman Imp transaxles and later Datsun 240Z rear axle showing my age now this was back in 1970’s working in a main dealer .

Clive Atthowe Tuning Independant VW Audi specialists Norwcih

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Clive Atthowe Tuning

5.0

Based on 19 reviews

Peng

02:27 10 Mar 25

My friend recommended me to go to this garage, but my car problem was not solved. Did the work but didn't find the focus.The following was updated on 11 FebruaryI can confirm that your garage has replaced the Haldex oil for my car and cleaned the Pump, but the reason I came to your garage is because of the error code of this Pump for Haldex Clutch, C1112 04 [008], not because my Haldex service has expired.At first this C11204 error code was read by OBD2 and they scanned the same error code after I visited the Volkswagen dealership in Norwich and asked to check the car (I had already fed this information back to you when I first visited the garage). I gave my car to your garage on the morning of December 14th. You scanned my car with VCDS and got exactly the same error code.Against this background, I have booked the Halxdex oil replacement in your garage on December 14th and checked whether the Haldex pump works. When the service was done Dale Lawson showed me my old Haldex oli. The oil was very clean and he showed a photo he had taken of the Haldex pump when it was removed. The photo showed that my pump had no glue on the strainer. When I asked my question "What was blocking the operation of the pump when the oil was clean and the strainer was not blocked", Dale Lawson replied "the pump was working, it was fine". Then I asked the second question, "What should I do if the error code comes up again?" Dale Lawson's lighthearted answer "Then change the Haldex pump"When I scanned the car again that night, I got the same error code. I was totally disappointed. After that I visited your garage and Dale Lawson was not surprised that my car had the same error code again and without further inspection he said he would replace the pump to solve the problem. The next step will be Haldex Controller ECU if you cannot solve it. And I distinctly remember him telling me that the Haldex pump on the car was fine and working.Finally, I would like to reiterate that my reason for visiting your garage is not to seek Haldex oil replacement service. It was because my car was throwing error codes and I wanted to talk directly to the garage to diagnose and resolve the error. To check whether the Haldex pump is working properly, the solution provided by the garage is to perform Haldex service. Visually inspect the pump and pump strainer while the Haldex oil is being replaced. If the pump strainer is clean and the oil is free of impurities, the ohm resistance between the terminals can be measured or a 12v power supply can be applied directly to the pump motor to test whether the pump is working properly. You and I both know that the point of doing this service with my car is to check that the Haldex pump is working properly, not to change the oil.You did not find out if the pump worked properly during the first Haldex service. We paid for labor and oil and wasted a whole morning. In the subsequent phone conversation, you said that you did not conduct a comprehensive check on the pump, but I clearly remember that your colleague told me that my pump was normal.This is only my true personal experience, and I admit that you are way ahead of your competitors in other areas. But you still lost me as an ordinary customer.

Glen whipp C.

11:23 28 Feb 25

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