6 Speed Swapping My Subaru Forester: Part 1

You may know about my Subaru Forester from the Florida to Alaska road trip series, but what you probably didn't know is that my Forester used to be bone stock and automatic. We recorded the whole process of transforming this Subaru Forester from a grandmother's chariot to a road trip warrior. This is the first part of in the series, we hope you enjoy!
HUGE thanks to Koyorad and Andrewtech Automotive!
@koyorad
www.koyorad.com/
@andrewtech_automotive
www.andrewtechautomotive.com/
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Contact us via email at: [e-mail]
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Music:
Hamptons PALA Instrumental
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Victory Awaits Bryant Lowry Instrumental
app.soundstripe.com/songs/6444
Do The Math Sounds Like Sander
app.soundstripe.com/artists/251
Primary camera gear that we film with:
Panasonic S1h with MC1 adaptor
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Panasonic S1
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Gopro Hero 9
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Rode VidoeMicro
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Rode mic go
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Sandisk Extreme Pro 300mbs
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Ronin Rs2
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Canon 24-105
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Canon 70-200
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Rokinon 35mm
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Rokinon 14mm
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Sigma 35mm
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[@GearsandGasoline]

Something to note about this video: We no longer endorse Jspec as a source for buying JDM parts. Jspec was supposed to be a reputable source to buy parts from instead of buying from the classifieds. It's sad to hear there are allegations against them for selling stolen parts from Japan. Because of this, we can no longer endorse them as a source for buying JDM parts.

[@nasseral-momen1463]

I'm thinking of doing this exact upgrade and swap from auto to manual. What done car do I need ? Can you steer me in the right direct to get an auto to manual swap kit or parts etc since you no longer use jspec

[@TermlessHGW]

I wish they would actually reply to questions like that. I own a 97 Impreza with the 2.2l and a 4 speed auto which I would love to swap for a manual. But wouldn't even know where to begin...

[@TheSometimesBuilds]

This video could have been 30 minutes long and I would have loved every minute of it. What an exciting swap! Andrewtech is the best!

[@GremlinsVBC]

This is my 3rd time watching it

[@TheSometimesBuilds]

@@GremlinsVBC I've lost count on how many times I've watched this one now. haha.

[@GremlinsVBC]

@@TheSometimesBuilds 😂😂Nice. These vids are what made me fall in love with the Forester.

[@mikedrop4421]

OK guys, that was a tease. You can't put all that JDM goodness on screen then switch to black after 6.5 minutes! How rude! Love your work, please keep it up. 👍

[@Yathuprem]

Hyped for Part 2. That JDM place is awesome.

[@Heatcheck30]

Yathu prem Its like a Costco for JDM parts

[@speedacademy]

Great job, Bens! We've been wanting to build a FXT with STI underpinnings for a long time. Going to live vicariously through yours now. Bring it up to Ontario in the spring and we'll go for a rip together. We might even have a Subaru of our own to chase you around in by then :D

[@GearsandGasoline]

Ohhhh man!!

[@eppyz]

how much extra would it have cost just to do the whole STI drivetrain swap since you had a lot of stuff taken out already just curious on why that wasn't put on the table I realize cost is an issue but I think since you bought so much stuff the engine itself you probably could have got a good deal on and since you're taking everything apart anyway???

[@ozzypawsborneprinceofbarkness]

@@eppyz 2004 forester XT actually has an STI engine already.

[@eppyz]

@@ozzypawsborneprinceofbarkness he said 210hp the STI of that vintage had 295-300hp I believe so I don't think this is the same exact engine.

[@KevinMO91]

​@@eppyz 2004 forester XT and STi from those years share the same exact motor down to the t, only difference is intercooler and turbo. The reason it makes less HP is because the turbo in the XT is smaller along with the tune, put in an STi turbo and give it a tune and its making the same power....

[@samdefoe1043]

When that “to be continued” txt dropped 😢. Get the next one up soon guys. That JDM imports place is ridiculous 👍🏻

[@snowysysadmin59]

dude 4500 for a full 6 speed driveline!? not bad!

[@mrtoyotatrd6126]

That place is a huge toy store for cars guys

[@iea96]

Yes! I’ve been waiting to see a proper video on the Forester for months!

[@mrJayGaragebikes]

I just watched the whole video without blinking. Amazing work.

[@harrisonmorin616]

I am re-watching yet again because I cannot wait for my forester to be on the road. You guys are inspirational. Please don’t ever stop the beautiful work you do!

[@harrisonmorin616]

Update she’s on the road and I’m so excited to start working 😎

[@juanlvargasdiaz3776]

FINALLY. So excited for the whole transformation.

[@rustyshackleford5153]

omg yes! i have a 2003 Forester XS Automatic, i am SO DOING THIS SWAP! yessss thank you Gears and Gasoline you guys rock!!!

[@JHMIGNACIO]

Same here bro! I got a 2002 Subaru Forester S Auto! Hope yours turns out well! I probably won't modify mine in years but still one can dream for now 😂

[@colin6868]

TBH itd be better just to sell your auto forester and buy a 5 speed forester. Not worth putting money into an NA vs a turbo forester. Although if you are it would be easier to do a 5 speed vs a 6 speed

[@spacecityhyundai6047]

@@colin6868 why not? What if we not tryna male big numbers just good enough for the streets? Can it be possible

[@regular_squid]

@@spacecityhyundai6047 Its possible, but you are 1: going to get bored really quickly, and 2: wan to add more power and you might as well start with the xt motor that was bulit to handle boost unlike the NA engines.

[@gearhartadventures]

THIS IS AWESOME!!!!!! Thank you for what you do! You are pioneers of the automotive world!

[@imsg00d]

Had a 06 WRX that I brought to Andrewtech numerous times. Amazing quality, super knowledgeable, superb work. Love them.

[@marlouquilicol1189]

Luv the video.... Can't wait for Part 2!

[@isaacluke7344]

Very exited for this series !!

[@BladeZJR1998]

Can't wait to watch all of these. Keep up on videos like this!!

[@piero914]

Can't wait to see where this goes. Keep em coming!

[@scubasteve5458]

You all are dope as hell, just the cinematic and all of the shots you do. It keeps making me come back to learn more about cars 🤘🏼

[@AwesomeCanadian212]

When one door closed another one opened! Love it

[@lacrosse8011]

Cool stuff. looking forward to watching this build!

[@Sleeve_Did_It]

A car that can fit it's own 6-speed swap parts: The ultimate in practicality. Project car and parts hauler, in one nice package.👍👍

[@stevebrian3290]

The fact that I just said heaven before you did 😂😂😂that soundtrack was so mind programing

[@VEDEMRACING99]

When your daily becomes your second project... great video as always guys!

[@darkproject3368]

Oh man I"m excited!!

[@lageregal]

Finally, wrenching content from your channel is also refreshing. Really TV-show quality.

[@WorldofColton]

Wow! This video was so great! It got me excited!!!! I realize that you don't have to stick with every feature your car comes with. Thanks for the video!

[@tomygarciandia8113]

I found my ´97 Impreza GT with 107k km with the whole history of the car and all the services since the first one. Guess i found a gem!

[@csechrist1]

I own a bone stock 5MT '04 FXT my dad bought new, it's great to see some new videos come out about this car and that there are still places around that work with the Forester. I'm pretty gentle on mine so haven't had any of the common engine and transmission issues in 160K miles. That said, a couple years ago I did have it in the shop quite a bit over the course of a year for normal wear items (rubber hoses, seals, bearings) as well as a cracked valve that I nearly let destroy my engine. Since I did all that work it's been running great and I'm looking forward to doing a few modifications to help it drive better in the mountains.

[@maxwellmccomb8603]

Looks great! Can't wait to see the rest

[@TheWeom]

Man your filmning is so cinematic, looks like a proffessional tv-series, smooth and relaxed, thanks for that😊👍

[@FujiboHeavy]

LOVE IT! Cant wait for part 2!

[@GaryMeolaJr]

Wow, another amazing edit. You guys are truly talented with video production.

[@rony413]

Waiting for the next part is really hard!! 😩 Your videos makes my days shine. 😁🤘

[@TheCarJunky1]

Keep the videos coming!! Your guys videos are awesome!!

[@MicroFiberOnly]

Can't wait for part 2

[@doubleG333]

Great vid, need more though! I love the work that's being done. Cant wait!

[@dioxide1111]

Can’t wait to see the rest of the work done to this beauty!!

[@MixaL1s6804]

i just love subaru foresters. i dont know how subaru does the trick, but especially this years forester looks so stock and *grandma's car* yet so sporty and racy and the chassis looks just great. i cant explain it.

[@jons4686]

This made my morning!! Cheers

[@harrisonmorin616]

Rewatching yet again cause I’m building motivation to build mine❤️

[@stone9882]

I like how y’all start your video with the scenery of the car and talking about it keep grinding

[@tyruggs]

Love all your videos so much. I am the lucky second owner of a 2007 WRX, garage kept with all service records since new. Purchased with 35k miles over a year ago! Keep up the awesome production quality!

[@CarsAndCody]

Still one of my most favorite build series!

[@mcastjr]

Oh man, this coming out after the Alaska video had me so confused! I was scrambling looking for part two then saw in the comments that the video was only up for a day! Can't wait for part two!

[@lordthion]

I am so glad you all decided to do this :)

[@bScoots24]

Just blew up the 5 speed in my bugeye last night. perfect timing lol. love the channel btw!

[@sk818factory5]

Video quality its amazing

[@JHMIGNACIO]

Dude yes thank you for posting this video! I was inspired to do the same thing with my 2002 Subaru Forester S! The Imprezza/WRX chassis is just perfect for modifications! I hope to do a project similiar to yours! Great video!

[@luhaarunk3085]

I forgot this was part 1 & then I saw the "to be continued..." please upload part 2 soon. This is like teasing. So not fair!

[@fordmustanggen5]

Sweet build man, looking forward to the next vid.

[@swpdisciple]

Dope vid. I’ve always liked the concept of an STI-lite Forester

[@GhostReaper5.0]

Great video . wanna see more of your build ! keep it up !

[@snowysysadmin59]

I did a 98 legacy outback 5 speed swap, on my back, in my parents driveway. she ran and drove BUT doing these swaps are such a fantastic learning experience i love it. Im so glad your doing a series on your 6 speed swap cause i saw it on the roadtrip video and was like wheres the build log!?>!! BUT HERE IT IS

[@haydenmay3250]

Yes so hype for this!!

[@harrier1830]

That JDM shop was heaven in inside a warehouse 😂

[@AutomotiveAnatomy]

Love you guys videos!

[@jfishcake]

I love the auto in my FXT. After stage 2, trans cooler, and a pro tune the auto works great. Only hunts for gears in D if I'm really bending it through turns, in which case I'm shifting thru 2,3,4 and blipping the throttle in between shifts. It's no dual clutch but timing is predictable and usable on most spirited street driving scenarios. I'm sure it's garbage on autoX. Like you said, I would (Still) be in a WRX if I wanted a race car. I get wanting the manual but for daily use in and around DC my auto was great. What up Andrewtech! Cheers from Montana.

[@niccadoodles]

Same here. There is a simple transistor mod to get the "shift kit" faster shifts as well. super cheap.

[@dave3k13]

Alex Jamison I saw in the video that he down shifted! I’ve never even thought about doing that in my auto FXT. Have you done it before?

[@onesadtech]

@@dave3k13 I downshift to 3rd on the regular, but I don't use 2 very often at all, mostly only in offroad/snowy situations, especially since 2 actually locks the car in 2nd so it can't go down to first. Think of 3 as sport mode, already down in 3rd so the shift down to 2nd to make power is relatively fast. :) Drive is for fuel economy/highway driving. As I stated in my other comment, the shit-talk on the 4EAT in the beginning of this video isn't justified imo, it's a great transmission. Absolutely bullet-proof as well.

[@jordanmullenhopkins]

This is like my 5th time watching this. I love this build and its amazing. Makes me want to swap my 5 speed forester with the turbo engine and get the 6 speed in it.

[@backgroundnpc2251]

I really hope, you'll clean the headlights

[@GearsandGasoline]

I got some brand new ones ;)

[@ZaimLashari]

@@GearsandGasoline really????

[@quantum_entangled_tardigrade]

With my '05 FXT, the hazing was inside the housing. Thought about doing the 'put them in the oven to separate the lens from the housing' trick, but decided to swap them out, as well. Found assemblies on Amazon way cheaper than the Subaru parts catalog.

[@quantum_entangled_tardigrade]

OEM. One of the lenses cut-off pattern is a little janky, but whatever. Cheers! @@jasonmarten6959

[@jasonmarten6959]

+soul theorem ahh. Projector headlamps are like non existent on our cars, trying to avoid the retrofit route lol. Thanks for reply

[@MaxSpeedMike]

6 speed Subaru forester is a proper forester

[@Upshifter91]

Is a 5 speed manual turbo ok

[@MaxSpeedMike]

@@Upshifter91 yessir

[@Upshifter91]

@@MaxSpeedMike I picked one up for 1200 in New Zealand where I live

[@MaxSpeedMike]

@@Upshifter91 that's a steal!

[@Upshifter91]

@@MaxSpeedMike yes lol. Hasnt been perfect needing new radiator and diff or abs starting to act up I think lol

[@DemonicVelocity]

Dude I'm looking so forward to this! I bought a FXT (07) manual in April and always saving a bit for the next mod.

[@poolboyque]

I’m so pumped for this pt. 2 because I’m thinking about buying and doing everything similar to this

[@Fuzzynutz117]

I love my Automatic SG5, bought it with 158k on it for $7500, Excellent condition in and out. had a STI intercooler, Grimspeed plumbing, a TD04L turbo, Grimspeed uppipe and 4 inch stainless, (catless) to a Magnaflow muffler made for a subie. (sounds amazing) some 17" wheels on stock struts with whiteline sway bars and links. No body roll at all and for stopping power a set of drilled stoptechs. I assume it has an flash tune because tops out at 165, and will spin all 4 from a launch and perfectly shift into 4th gear at 125mph. The EAT4 trans is so much fun if you do the right mods. That was 4 years ago, to this day im still driving it like its got a warranty, and its at 220k.

[@fozzguy]

your LITERALLY building the car of my dreams, and im so jealous/ excited to see how you guys do it !!!!

[@TomVangTV]

This is pretty sweet!! Can’t wait to see the progression. I own a 2018 WRX but I also love Foresters. I wish they hadn’t gone the CVT route.

[@per4mexbagger541]

This is gonna be fun !!!!

[@SavageD1984]

That was a great video i really enjoyed it i really was hoping to see the finished product but now you got me hyped for the 2nd part to this....... By the way that shop was JDM awesomeness

[@pattyboi]

amazing video as usual

[@TEMARTZ]

love that teaser... im a toyota 4age guy but love watching that build...

[@bigbadlouroma]

Duuuuuuude! Awesome!

[@stazvanbael3706]

The filming of that first part was awesome

[@sebastiannieves2346]

Love your videos and awesome job with the channel keep it up

[@jimdenman6704]

Gahh! So awesome! I have an '07 FXT 5MT and the six speed swap is on my list. HOWEVER, I too fell for the forum hype and thought it would be a simple trans swap. Then I learned about the rear diff ratio not lining up right. I didn't know about all this subframe nonsense. Also, from your Alaska video I remember you had to have a custom spacer milled so that the drive shaft angle was corrected - please put info on that in future vids! Loving the content, as always. 👍😎

[@mgjamesfin7011]

Keep up the great work!

[@mikesimon9329]

This will be a neat series 👍🏼

[@StevenVigus]

Great project, AWESOME editing. You guys do the editing yourselves?

[@SaveTheManuals]

I love the 2004 Forester XT! Especially in manual transmission!

[@ZaimLashari]

Awesome editing and content love that videos keep it up

[@the_sambassador]

Picked up an 04 forester myself. Interesting swap!

[@rookietoprobuildz]

This is just a entertaining video ! Makes me think about doing something unique on my daily

[@jermainetuning]

Awe shoot... Nice video guys!

[@Steaka_CAG]

I have this exact same car and want to do this exact same swap, can't wait to see more progress!

[@francisserrano1284]

men that shop is HEAVEN

[@godzilla18us]

JSPEC !!!!! LOVE THOSE GUYS !!!!

[@leunamarrap3316]

Damn it now I’m hook to watch the whole build

[@davidrobinson6495]

Very jealous. Nice bits. I’m sure you love it.

[@tougeruzbay]

Looking forward to part 2

[@slowvag8v]

Here in Venezuela when our radiators plastic tanks break we take them apart and weld aluminum ones

[@harrier1830]

Keep up the awesome work you guys 👍 6.33 was not enough though 😅 need more from the Ben bro's💪

[@TheBobes]

Hi guys, love your videos. Any chance you will make one about how you film those, setups etc.? I find those follow-shots (car moving towards the camera) really cool. :)

[@emmanuelferguson]

They explained a bit in the trip to alaska vid(s), I'd watch the videos because how good they are, but also for that one part too.

[@r1Val]

Awesome, was hoping there would be videos of the swap.

[@q2subzero]

I'm picking up a JDM Forester STI 6spd and whole swap just like this, next week, can't wait to put it in my 2004 FXT!

[@tyvonscott5890]

Noooooo!! I was glued to the video!

[@Mr.Thermistor7228]

dam now thats a freaking gold mine of a shop

[@jerrylee3887]

awesome!

[@Mattle_lutra]

Hey, I'm gonna swap the automatic out of a 2002 Impreza bugeye wagon soon and your series of videos seem really helpful for knowing what I'm getting into (which seems like a lot with the whole subframe coming of your Forester...). Damn me and my dreams, I just want my lil bugeye to be in it's natural manually shifted form.

[@dejotachamo]

mañana this got me pumping!

[@joearnold4706]

Ready for part 2...

[@leonbreuer6896]

Okay. Please more... fast! :D love those videos

[@Cantkillstyle]

Love that yall are based in my home state