transmission swap subaru forester

Asked by SubaruMan17 May 05, 2016 at 09:24 PM about the 1999 Subaru Forester

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I was just wondering if you could swap a 1999 subaru forester transmission
with a 2001 subaru forester

18 Answers

48,700

If you have Gen 1 2.5 DOHC motor I wouldn't bother, as the motor is extremely fragile wrt repeated head gasket ruptures. OTOH if you have a new motor then check with salvage yards for an exact match so you don't have to chase a TCM (or even ECM!) as well. Forester and Legacy/OB stuff doesn't match up exactly, so I forget the particulars of these oldies....

5 people found this helpful.
18,785

check www.opposedforces.com. I bought a used trans (still haven't changed it) with a different code but the two codes for 01-04 (or 00-04?) foresters seem to mesh on OF. I don't know that 99/01 will work. Hey Ern, off topic, but what if people with DOHC's changed (and block sanded or machined) the head gaskets before they go bad? Wouldn't that make for a long lasting engine?

1 people found this helpful.
48,700

Hi Walth, No, the problem with Gen 1 DOHC 2.5H was that the thickness of the heads between the combustion chamber and the coolant passage was too small. Changing the head gasket was a temporary measure before repeat percolation. Atmospheric breaches with Gen 2 SOHC were remedied by better gaskets, but the DOHC design was just too fragile to stay sealed.

4 people found this helpful.
60

Hi, I have 2009 Subaru Forester XS with a blown automatic transmission. What are my choices? Any other compatible automatic transmissions from early Foresters or Imprezas?

6 people found this helpful.
20

why would a forester 96 5 speed not take a moter that was attacted to a auto?

2 people found this helpful.
50

Hey guys, is there a chart of all the automatic transmission numbers? I’ve got a ruined 03 foresters trans and I’m wondering what I can swap into it. I don’t want to swap the rear diff if I don’t have to, thanks guys.

5 people found this helpful.
10

Can u Swap A 1998 Gen 1 2.5L Transmission/Front Differential With One From A 2002?

1 people found this helpful.

Hey guys have a question for anyone who might be able to help me out. So I recently bought a 1998 Subaru Forester and got a 99 forester along with it and I was wondering if I could put the 5 speed that's in the 98 into the 99 and what do I need to do to make it work?

48,700

Sure, but why bother? Both have fragile first-gen DOHC motors that will repeatedly blow head gaskets. But if you must, ensure you've swapped the ECM, TCM, and any differing harnesses and exhaust parts. Have fun...I suppose.

Your Answer:

Forester

Looking for a Used Forester in your area?

CarGurus has 1,056 nationwide Forester listings starting at $2,695.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Chris W
    Reputation
    11,630
  • #2
    TheSubaruGuruBoston
    Reputation
    9,970
  • #3
    Nick Eidemiller
    Reputation
    6,220
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Subaru Outback
28 Great Deals out of 871 listings starting at $1,895
Used Toyota RAV4
100 Great Deals out of 2,089 listings starting at $3,888
Used Honda CR-V
99 Great Deals out of 3,843 listings starting at $1,795
Used Subaru Impreza
28 Great Deals out of 473 listings starting at $3,850
Used Toyota 4Runner
12 Great Deals out of 309 listings starting at $9,700
Used Subaru Legacy
6 Great Deals out of 172 listings starting at $4,977
Used Toyota Tacoma
57 Great Deals out of 1,080 listings starting at $8,708
Used Toyota Camry
48 Great Deals out of 979 listings starting at $2,212

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.