We Blew Up BOTH our Subarus Transmissions

[@nathanaelpeterson6205]

Donut is in the past three years :”lets build awesome cars” Donut for the next three years : “lets fix the awesome cars we broke” love it

[@X88DRAGON]

Car entusiast life

[@thokim84]

How to blow $40k on a $5k car and still never be able to drive it? That is Donut.

[@courtney5796]

Cars are pain!

[@_oe_o_e_]

Content Forever!

[@bighammer3464]

Just imagine all the series you can get out of this never ending self perpetuating loop

[@MrGhost36969]

Do both! Swap one with a STI transmission and the other with a sequential one then test out what will give more bang for your buck

[@Rockerrobin]

Swapping to the sti would require new wheels because it includes the breaks and hubs. Wonder which would cost less, a used sti swap or the sequential/other.

[@ramvidot4037]

The sequential 1 will just blow up again

[@crunchysoup406]

you dont need to replace the wheels and hubs if you do a basic 6mt swap from the same generation (above 04 with above 04 transmission or vise versa really due to axel stubs) I have an 02 and to put an 07 sti in for example I could stick with all the same stuff but id need to put either axel stubs or different custom cv joints on to make it work. 02 and 07 have the same final drive so nothing in the rear is REQUIRED to be changed@@Rockerrobin

[@akidim13]

@@RockerrobinQue ?

[@Acceler2]

I feel like low car show be built stock 5 speed budget as possible while upgrading it

[@johnlee3619]

Whoever was in charge of the animations did an amazing job, those were some intricate parts to take on!

[@jr-a982]

Agreed! It looks like they used the same animations from they’re Science Garage series and just re-used it

[@BenTroxell]

If this series doesn't convince you to not mod your WRX, I don't know what will 😂😂

[@tjdaman98]

Too late, my wrx already lasted longer than all of Donuts wrxs combined

[@kyloklown9380]

they don’t know what they’re doing it’s that simple, the 5 speed in the wrx is known to be extremely fragile with any type of added power. there’s countless subaru youtube channels that never have issues like this because they know about the underlying problems with the cars and immediately solve the problem

[@drywater3559]

Donut can't even keep a Honda running...

[@jaroslavmrazek5752]

@@kyloklown9380 I agree, but tbh, what isnt fragile in a Subaru? I know more people with Subaru engine problems than all the other brands combined.

[@BenTroxell]

Yeah and it's been to the track exactly zero times.@@tjdaman98

[@wilmarbarrick3194]

Donut: "We investigated ourselves and determined we did nothing wrong" 😂

[@r8alvar]

Ikr. Kind of like the Vatican investigating itself. According to them the number 1 cause of child molestation in the catholic church is "sexy kids"

[@tturi2]

that's pretty funny lol

[@swampfoxfpv]

Lol beat me

[@jamesziegenbalg7160]

The best part is that they repeatedly gloss over the fact that they doubled the cars horsepower like it's just the normal and natural thing to do. 😂😂 Subis fault 100%

[@gianni_schicchi]

@@jamesziegenbalg7160doubled the hp in my bmw and it doesn’t sweat.

[@Firechicken217]

The main issue with 5 speeds is the split case design. with it having a split right down the middle instead of a solid casing like the 6 speeds, it tends to pull apart under larger torque loads and sheer the gears like this one did. thats why even with a straight cut/built gearset they will still do this more often that you would think. blast plates from moore performance are supposed to increase the case rigidity, but in my experience it does next to nothing. ive heard of some people welding the case together, but i feel like welding dirty cast metal wouldnt work either. realistically its just a bad design that was never meant to last under 200 hp let alone 300 plus. the sti 6 speeds are one of the few things that subaru did really well, but even those break 4th at about 700 on slicks, ask me how i know lol

[@gnaedigerfels]

700 hp on slicks with an awd car is insane load for a transmission/drivetrain color me impressed.

[@Firechicken217]

@@gnaedigerfels PB is a 10.47 so dont be too impressed lol, loooot of clutch slip needed to get a decent 60 foot

[@jake8215]

​@@Firechicken217dayumm that's still sick

[@Dylanbforthree]

These two are absolutely killing it at their presentation game, Donut has such a great crew rn

[@kbbl102.5]

Didn't love Jerry at first. Now he's probably my favorite

[@GRAITOM]

favorite channel on the platform, great fucking guys and i cant help but think what a DREAM job every time i'm watching their videos. funny thing is...... i'm not even a huge car guy

[@salemcripple]

Agreed, but it kind of drove me nuts when he kept calling the synchro the "shift fork". The shift fork is the part that moves the synchro into position.

[@Paleolithics]

I’d love to see a 6-speed swap on one car, and a sequential install on the other. Would make for a great comparison vid!

[@XD3blaze]

More likely a 6 speed in low car and a dog box in hi car. Sequentials are very, very,expensive

[@Andrice954]

Might as well just buy another car.

[@timduncan2211]

Came here to say the same. Sequential in high car. 6 speed in low car.

[@Michael_Ruiter]

I agree with this, hicar sequential and lowcar a 6 speed

[@grievuspwn4g3]

​@@Andrice954the smart option is not modding. Modding is inherently a money burn, especially with the post-dieselgate ecu crackdown.

[@mrgurulittle7000]

That “I hate tow truck drivers” quote from Jeremiah hints to the Real Mechanic Stuff episode with that creepy November tow truck guy.😂

[@687ffokcuf]

If y'all could do a sequential swap into one of them that'd be sweet!! would love to understand the process a little better when it comes to those. Thank you boys!!

[@Empire_of_Ravens]

Sequential! Sequential!

[@nothingtoseehere62357]

to keep with the spirit of hi-low, junkyard sti 6 speed for low car, sequential for high car

[@UhnkNimkm-bg8oq]

That's their third 3rd gear that broke. The first one was at the track in the episode where they compared all their upgrades

[@FUNNY02100]

Don't use big words that james won't understand.

[@EatSleepSkrrt]

Cheap vs expensive sequential

[@blnn]

I love how both their answers were “not drive that day” 😂

[@CRneu]

because it was going to happen anyway. If they didn't blow the transmissions that day it would have happened the next time. These transmissions are ridiculously unreliable in the first place, even without adding more power.

[@harth05]

They wish that cause the subaru people will blame them no matter what. Those people are always like "Its a reliable car man if you replace everything from the factory!"

[@marlonrecuelo3897]

Learned a lot from this episode. I want to see you guys upgrade those transmissions. Looking forward to it.

[@josephmatuszak3855]

I think you should do two different builds for the transmissions. Low Car could be upgraded gear set, and Hi Car maybe sequential?

[@ianmclaughlin8075]

Dude no. If anything low get Sti and hi get a sequential. How you have it would be like racing a c8 Corvette against a kid on foot

[@midnightrolla711]

@@ianmclaughlin8075 damn you made a good point there..

[@MrGNikes]

​@@ianmclaughlin8075 or maybe high gets built trans and low gets sti trans and they both stay manual.

[@breadmerc5360]

Hi car sti parts, low car gets an automatic, lol

[@shaggythisisntweed8970]

@@ianmclaughlin8075good idea, that would be a cool comparison. And when they blow the engines they should put an ej257 from the USDM sti’s in low and an ej207 from the JDM sti’s.

[@TopGoose-bf1mx]

Justin casually throwing an entire transmission onto the bench commands respect lol

[@jay1268]

The 5 speed is a pretty light transmission

[@King_Syd]

@@jay1268 yeah 140 lbs super easy to just toss up on a table - light work

[@Pooloeats]

@@King_Syd killer come back 😂😂😂

[@alexanderellis286]

​@King_Syd I've picked one up before it's not that bad haha.

[@HenAnt]

​@@King_Syd 140 lbs for an adult who works out or does hard labour is pretty easy. Try that same weight with a rice sack.

[@BBk20z3]

You guys should have known this was going to happen. Its pretty well known in the community that the 5 speeds are made of glass, especially when you add power to them. Im surprised it took this long tbh

[@nightkidnick]

more content

[@Sedonapass]

whats the remedy??

[@jr-a982]

They purposely do this as they ignore when other people and brands reach out to Donut to help so they can make content and corny “Subaru bad” jokes, I own a turbo Subaru and agree they’re fragile but still corny

[@jackemarleeyoung]

theyre milking these cars for every drop of content. Its good business practice.

[@brokeboycustom7655]

@@Sedonapass 6 speed from an STI

[@solariptura]

The difference in the strength between the STI 6 speed and the WRX 5 speed is one of the greatest quandaries of automotive history. Ya’ll should do a PC on that.

[@lgmediapcsalon9440]

anyone looking to buy a wrx to mod it is ignorant. 10k more nets you the sti: more power yet underpowered but ready for more.

[@solariptura]

@@lgmediapcsalon9440 modifying cars in general is a horrible idea. I put $35k into an STI and had something slightly fast than a c6 Z06. I’d rather have a bone stock Z06.

[@taxxzempt3576]

Window tint mods are a must for true performance

[@railfanatic1416]

​@@solaripturaI wish I could put just $35 into a car and have something faster than a Corvette /s

[@solariptura]

@@railfanatic1416 typo, $35k

[@Clueless_Mechanic]

I've yet to own a boosted Subaru, but among the first things I've learned is that the 5 speeds are glass and you basically require the 6 speed for significant power gains. Just recently replaced the 5 speed in my Subaru

[@kristiqnzhelev4356]

You need to put ceramic plates on both sides of the trans to hold it not expand during heat and will have no problems pushing 380-400 bhp.

[@ittimjones]

So are the motors too apparently

[@Clueless_Mechanic]

@@ittimjones I've got the NA ej22 which I'm told is bullet proof and so far between my last Subaru and my current seems to be true. Sold a 97 impreza with 320,000 miles and the new owner dailies it. They've added at least 15k since

[@shatl_bar_king]

@@ittimjonesMy EJ went 127k

[@jaedonhaskins9917]

​@ittimjones they seem to be really hit or miss. All of mine have gone over 250k without problems. My buddy has an ej20 pushing 400 wheel and he can't get the damn thing to die. 287k miles on it. He's keeps saying he can't justify a new build till this one goes and it just won't die.

[@milk-it]

Nice lesson learned, guys! I’d love to see a Holinger sequential put in. There might be a bit of a learning curve for the driver depending on his or her experience, but it’ll handle the power and make for an awesome driving experience.

[@danrogers9945]

Never leave comments, but being 57 years old and loving your show! Good group of guys! Thanks for the entertainment guys!

[@Nitro_Foundry]

Thanks for being a Dan, Dan! 🤠

[@eyemastervideo]

I really appreciate seeing both the beefy transmission gears and the subaru gears. It puts power and durability into perspective

[@lightningmckurt2406]

one of the better episodes I've watched! I love the "how it broke" episodes because you learn even more than when you bolt on parts.

[@vulcanizedanthony145]

as a former jiffy lube tech I can confirm that gear oil smell reaction was 100% real

[@ittimjones]

Jiffy Lube does something other than motor oil changes and tire rotations?

[@deejaythedj313]

@@ittimjonesTrans Fluid, Diff Fluids, grease any fittings you got, change head lights and lamps, wipers, fuel system cleaning, there’s a few things the oil places will do for ya. Ik at Valvoline they’d break everything down that they’ll do for you because management requires them to. I would assume it’s the same at Jiffy.

[@ILoveTinfoilHats]

​@@deejaythedj313and for only 4x the actual cost by uncertified teenagers!!

[@dirtrider88]

you shouldnt go around mentioning you worked at jiffy lube. also you werent a "tech". jiffy lube is the worst of the worst.

[@eporter5071]

​@@dirtrider88that's just what they're called, dude. Techs. This guy didn't label himself a tech, that's what they're called. Is he a school trained, certified automotive technician? No and he didn't claim to be. Stop splitting hairs, you dingus.

[@rogueroger0]

It would be fitting to do a sti swap on the hi car and build the 5speed on the low car, they do offer a lot of upgraded parts for the 5 speeds

[@falcon3911]

I thought about building my 5 speed in my wrx and apparently building a 5 speed can be a few grand more expensive then just doing the sti 6 speed swap

[@lucasfolk4209]

@@falcon3911exactly right last year i did a 6 speed swap in my out back because to build the 5 speed it was 2 grand ish more, and still couldn’t hold the same power as 6 speeds

[@DaBest21101]

6spd gearing sucks only problem

[@GoodSirFry]

Subaru's are made from recycled hotwheels cars

[@pault151]

@@DaBest21101 ^^This. I so wish that the 6 speed had a longer 2nd gear, it's just not right for autocross. So many courses require 2-3-2-3 shifting.

[@lemster101]

Love to see you go through the process of doing a transmission swap with getting a bellhousing adaptor made and all that. I don't love sequential gearboxes, but it could make for an interesting video explaining the differences between gearboxes and why you would choose one over the other.

[@kr7epj4x]

These Mechanical mystery videos are my legit favorite videos on this channel

[@lemagicalpotato8318]

Pleeeease do more transmission videos. It really demystifies these complex parts for which there aren’t many good online resources. Would love to see you replace both transmissions with a different ones (like idk one designed for racing in hi car and a normal one on low car) and explain the differences between them

[@ThatOneGuyWithAReallyLongName.]

As someone who managed to blow up a shift linkage on a 850re, I too am very interested in more transmission videos... Apparently, you can't just *buy* those linkages for this trans; if it goes, you need a whole new transmission... unless you get towed to the right shop, on the right day, and talk to the right person with the right connections to transmission shops in the area, who just so happen to be rebuilding an 850re at the time of failure, and are willing to weld the broken linkage back together and sell you the linkage out of the tranny they're rebuilding for $150. Much better than $9,000 for a whole new unit.

[@swampfoxfpv]

Just wait until they do automatics and you find out it really is just magic and transmission techs are literal wizards

[@olaflange8210]

Go watch “driving for answers” if you want an unrivaled tech class

[@adez13]

Used to have an 01 WRX that was modded with half the parts from a scrapped UK 300 STi. Was putting out about 280-300hp. Extra power started chewing synchros. WRX gearboxes are way too brittle. Mechanic suggested swapping to a legacy gearbox as they're tougher. It handled abuse way better but there was a drop in responsiveness. The wider gear ratio was a lot nicer for daily driving though. Maybe try that in the low WRX and it'll survive better. Then only let perfect shifters drive the high WRX.

[@SonicProvocateur]

Years and years ago before I switched to Porsche, I owned a GC8 and during the bugeye years and the gen that Donut owns *everyone* on the forums called the trannies "glassboxes". Its been well known the syncros and forks are absolute trashcans for 2 decades.

[@Ilovedeiselguzzling]

if it’s a 5 speed from a wrx, it makes sense since those transmissions are known for that lol

[@Maaaaaax-07]

So the engine is trash, the transmission is trash. What even is good about a WRX 😭

[@AlternateRye]

@@Maaaaaax-07LOL leave the car alone and it works fine. The WRX engine isn't trash, the stock 5 speed is though. It is an econobox transmission. The split case design is cheap and effective for the stock car itself. They designed the 6 speed which is good for 600 ft/lbs of torque stock for the STI as it makes more power and was more likely to be modified.

[@Maaaaaax-07]

@@AlternateRye So WRX are trash, got it ahah 😆 Just pick an STI is what I'm reading

[@Ilovedeiselguzzling]

@@Maaaaaax-07 it’s awd system, and the engines are literally inspired by jet engines last i knew. don’t buy a subaru if you’re not willing to put in the effort to understand the engine to make sure it won’t blow up. and the sti has a much better transmission fyi

[@johndaniels1344]

​@Maaaaaax-07 my 2 wrx's have been fine, but I'm not trying to push 500whp through a stock motor and trans

[@TMTFish]

Subaru builder here. The WRX Trans has always been pretty glass. It has a terrible high torque failure as well as the diff . The 5 speed trans is referred to as the “glass trans.” The only way you can make it last a bit stronger while doing spirited driving is trying a redline cocktail mix which is basically a Redline 75w-90 mix with some Redline shockproof. Majority of the street kids and dragsters swap to 6 speed. The stock STI trans is used in various STI builds up to numbers as high as 1200whp and no failure. Specifically the 2007 trans being the best or the type RA 2019+ The gears are significantly bigger and can hold a lot more. Usually the drive shaft fails before the actual transmission. I’m not sure if in this case you just had bad luck or had bad maintenance or what, but that is unfortunate.

[@deathtoming2201]

Sadly there’s no point trying to explain to idiots 🤣 they only believe what they want to believe and that is Subarus are shit and fragile and blow up ect.

[@billmehner]

This is precisely why I started watching y’all years ago! Love watching you guys wrenching on cars 😊

[@rainbowreza3523]

Do an STI trans and diff in low car, and a full sequential setup in high car. That would be a sick comparison and would fix the fragility issues in both cars!

[@jakemartinez2525]

I dont know about fixing the fragility issue haha from what I remember, both cars are still stock block. High cars engine is living on borrowed time.

[@Silentjustin06]

Yeah these engines are trash. Compared to other engines of this size or smaller. They don't make great hp for the amount of boost and blow up close to 500hp

[@rainbowreza3523]

@@jakemartinez2525 yeah that’s very true, depends on how they drive them, as long as they don’t lug these engines too much they have a chance 😂

[@rainbowreza3523]

@@Silentjustin06 yes it is quite a running joke for these things, I’ve got an STI and a “sleeper” legacy wagon, the legacy is a constant nickel and dime car at only 315 whp, but soooo fun. I’m one of the idiots that dumps a lot of money into these cars haha

[@Silentjustin06]

@@rainbowreza3523 not a idiot, if your into them than that's what you like. It's all good 👍

[@jeffbengtson]

You should do classic HiLo on your transmission solutions. Two different options determined by budget.

[@Raymo2u]

6 speed swap vs sequential!

[@pancakem0lotov149]

I'm just now working on transmissions at school , this is the prefect video right to watch while on break!

[@greecoboost]

Note to self: never piss Justin off; he will rip the transmission from a car and toss it at you. 😵

[@DVLCHLD_10.24]

I can think of worse ways to go 😂

[@Hakiri27]

Pretty well known that the wrx transmissions are glass, they are from a NA model car and the wrx is already pushing the trans to its limits so adding more power makes it much worse. Buy a sti if you want power.

[@drywater3559]

bruh Donut can't even keep a Honda running lol. thats saying A LOT.

[@supermakio55]

You spelled "problems" wrong 😂

[@dieselboii8537]

I’m pretty sure these are sti”s bud

[@tjdaman98]

@@dieselboii8537when did GD chassis STIs come with 5 speeds?

[@esc0bert]

@@dieselboii8537They're WRX's

[@jamesziegenbalg7160]

I used to work at Monster Transmission in the sales department. After carefully inspecting valve bodies, clutch plate assemblies, and speaking to hundreds of mechanics who can put this stuff together but actually have no idea how any of it actually works, I have become convinced that whatever crashed in New Mexico at Roswell, probably had a Hydra-matic transmission in it, because there is no way human Engineers actually designed the automatic hydraulic transmission with freaking slide rules and graph paper. 😂

[@25rsti15]

Would be interesting to see an sti swap in one and a built up gearset with blastplates on the stock case for the other.

[@Toaasty_]

They don’t care to do anything of quality anymore. Channel has gone to shit for a while now

[@TheWhatTheGeorge]

i was thinking similar; classic hi-car lo-car

[@jackemarleeyoung]

Theyll spend more money putting a gear set in the 5 speed.

[@25rsti15]

@@jackemarleeyoung it does end up being about the same or in some cases more but there are some situations where a five speed is better suited.

[@azbadfish]

"get your pitchforks ready, vape lords!" fucking killed me 🤣🤣🤣

[@sslnight]

Y’all… I love y’all and the fact that y’all are still building/working with these. Have y’all considered swapping a 6MT into both? It would be a huge upgrade. My 04 STi is still going strong.

[@onehandpix]

Jerry always explaining so my tiny car loving brain can understand 😂

[@ascent5340]

love how you guys still make videos on ur old cars from past series its nice to see some come back for a vid every so often

[@JoelCreates]

I blew 3rd in my 06 wrx, which also happened to the previous owner, so I replaced it (on jack stands) with a Legacy GT trans (supposedly thicker 3rd gear) and added blast plates to help counteract case flex, which (I was told) can cause poor gear meshing. It worked great, then I sold my car to a guy who gutted it for an 818 kit car.

[@SpacedAug]

This is the content i came to Donut for in the driveway. I'm happy to see it's back!

[@barefootalien]

I think what I'd most like to see is two very different strategies. Low Car: rebuild in-house, maybe make upgrades when possible, if it's even possible (do they make third gears out of better materials in the aftermarket?) High Car: Install a beefier transmission, preferably sequential, including a tear-down to show the differences.

[@AlternateRye]

The 5 speed is prone to flexing due to being a split case design. Above 300 wheel horsepower it flexes, destroying itself in various ways. "Rebuilding it in house" is a terrible idea as it will just blow up again due to case flex. They recently started making anti-case flex products that you could add, but it is unclear how effective they are.

[@barefootalien]

@@AlternateRye Ah, yeah, that's not something I'd mess with either then.

[@alienclay2]

Just replace both with beefer transmissions..... And hopefully give the subi boys hope of redemption because as it stands right now, this whole hi-low series has been the perfect commercial for why not to get a WRX.

[@jackemarleeyoung]

Flatirons tuning have went over this topic and its not worth the cost to upgrade the the 5 speed compared to swapping in a 6 speed. You’ll end up spending more upgrading the 5 speed.

[@barefootalien]

@@jackemarleeyoung Cool, good to know. I had an 03 Imprezza Outback Sport a while back. I never had any issues with it, but the powertrain was stock. Probly my second-favorite car I've ever owned, with my very first car, a Suzuki Samurai, a close third. My favorite (and it wasn't even close) was a Mk2 Toyota MR2... man I loved that car. It was actually even better than the Subaru in the snow, too! It couldn't go through snow as _deep_ as the Imprezza could, of course, but it was much more controllable.

[@SubieSqwad]

Definitely one of the 2. A. Sti 6 speed in low car and sequential in high car. B. PPG Straight cut gears and blast plates for low car and STI transmission for high car.

[@Freeride600]

the old guideline of max 300whp on the 5spd holds true again lmao. One theory i've seen is that the the 5spd casing is actually thinner as well, which allows the input/output shafts to move slightly under heavy load, leading to improper tooth engagement. No idea how you could test that one though.

[@stevenwest1494]

That's interesting. I'd expect that kind of knowledge to come out of seeing a lot of different failures and noticing the play in the shaft, or perhaps even cracking. They definitely make everything with material cost in mind, so they'd use a thinner casting if they could, especially if there's a huge difference between the STi 6 speed and this 5 speed which might be used for significantly lower powered cars.

[@KennyJ540]

It has more to with the design of the casing. The 5spd is a split cade design, and that's the root of all its problem. The casings twist under heavy torque and it'll cause all sorts of problems.

[@iainball2023]

A bit of case deflection, some shaft bending, and a skinny gear set all adds up. This failure is pretty normal for subaru people. The six speed is a far chunkier box. The 5 speed was a carry over from earlier cars, and really its original designs seem to begin with naturally aspirated cars. It's already at its limit, and subaru always knew that.

[@TheHuskyK9]

Conclusion: Subaru wants you to drive normally with the regular WRX’s and if you want to mod, get the STI version because the transmission can handle it better

[@natas6941]

Or just drive it stock and no issues lol

[@yeshuinfinity5963]

Or just sell it and get a camry

[@shatl_bar_king]

Heck, STi transmissions can plug right in. Might as well get one of them.

[@Stout936]

​@@shatl_bar_kingfuck it. Supercharged H6 while we're at it. You know, for science

[@dannyh5039]

@@yeshuinfinity5963 Who the fuck would drive an NPC camry over a Subaru STI☠☠☠

[@juicee5106]

This is some of the best content you guys have made, no bs

[@Dr.TJ_Eckleburg]

Justin and Jer are my favorite Donut combo 😂 you guys are awesome

[@danteaubrey1828]

12:05 Justin picking up the trans like it's groceries 💪🏾

[@jaredprince9732]

I've been a subaru technician for 5 years. The 5 and 6 speed split case transmission that comes in the wrx are very underbuilt and experience failures at stock power levels. The STI 6 speed transmission is actually built by Getrag, a German transmission manufacturer. Seeing the split case and the Getrag transmission side by side it is clear why I've never had to rebuild an STI transmission. It resembles the 350z transmission much more than the wrx. The gears are much thicker and clearly designed to handle some abuse.

[@t3hjnz]

"Get your pitchforks ready, vapelords!" made me laugh a lot harder than I should probably admit.

[@gulubdur]

I have been watching for a few years. This is the first time you have really torn into a transmission. Thanks for this, they seem like magic to me. I think you should do a sequential in one and rebuild in the other.

[@0GTXR]

There is an old Chevy educational video about transmissions, look it up on KZbin: Spinning Levers.

[@gabrielrodrigues4505]

I dont know mechanics, i barely know english tbh. I just found this channel randomly and im loving the vibes.

[@CDecker33]

Would love to see a high/low approach. PPG straight cut gears vs STI 6 speed?

[@inz1]

Throw both of the cars in the bin and buy 2 GT86’s.

[@pedrojacintorodas9631]

When modding a WRX, first thing you need to do is upgrade the transmission. Stock 5 speed trans from the WRX are known to be weak and can barely handle stock power, you either swap a 6 speed sti trans or swap to forged gears.

[@quyle9483]

Or just not buy a subaru at all

[@etto3770]

@@quyle9483 idk man, i think its gonna be really hard to build a modded wrx with out buying a subaru

[@XD3blaze]

You know any companies making forged 5 speed gears these days? Kinda figured the nasioc posts from 2004 were out of date

[@quyle9483]

@XD3blaze all gears go through a forge process. And are also cryogenicaly treated. Unless you are referring to the use of 300m steel. Then that id be u aware of. Because as far as I'm concerned 300m steel is used selectively in various transmission and otherwise you'd need to special order for specialized applications.

[@quyle9483]

@XD3blaze I have seen someone out of the states making 300m gear sets. This was 2 years ago however

[@SuperSmoovy]

Seeing the inside of the transmission makes sense why i hear 5-speed subaru transmissions are weak.

[@michaelschmitter8725]

Pretty sure I recall saying on one of the main build videos that the transmission on the wrx likes to turn itself into shrapnel when you add power and that they should be included in the builds.

[@shawnjohnson21]

I used PPG straight cut 1-4 gears and never had the issue again. This was on an 07 WRX in 2007 so there wasnt as many STI Transmissions to choose from like there are now since the STI in America was just 4 years old at the time.

[@justinliechty7745]

Do you find it to loud? Waiting for 02 Trans to go, and I want to go ppg straights.

[@shawnjohnson21]

@@justinliechty7745 You could hear it, but this was also nearly 20 years ago so I was able to get away with being straight piped with EWG dumping raw exhaust. So not the loudest noise but it was there. I would get people asking if I switched to a supercharger since the gear whine and the whine of a supercharger were very similar. that was only the case though when going slow speeds. Once above 4k rpm you could then hear the turbo noises.

[@Archbishop53]

I love the "dude chilling with his dog using the product" shot because it happens every time J-Remmy does a sponsor ad.

[@ChrisJackson36]

Cool video. Most people don't have the courage to tear into a transmission so it was cool to see. It would be sweet to continue the high low theme with a sequential in high car and an sti 6 speed in low car to do comparison of install and cost, drivability and track potential. Keep at it boys!

[@kettlepunch9646]

I'd love to see a video of you guys doing hybrid engines how they work and think. I know it may be a bit from left field. Plus waiting on you guys fixing a prelude

[@TimnParks]

Great. Now I'm searching craigslist for a prelude.

[@jacklougheed4561]

Fun story about transmissions: Jeep put an ax-5 transmission behind the 120hp 2.5L transmission. It drives pretty good except that the 5th gear can’t handle the stock power. It’s great, a smaller transmission with a different bell housing bolt pattern than the 4.0 transmission. Luckily it’s pretty easy to split the transmission and replace 5th.

[@taylorb9860]

This series simply highlights not to buy and expensive car if you want to modify it, especially if you think you can save money (without understanding the transmission&diff is the primary difference between the WRX and the STi - newsflash, get an STi if you want to put power through your Impreza

[@jivewig]

At this point I really want to know how much money they’ve spent on both the Subarus combined since the beginning. Even including all the ones they blew in their Hi-Lo series.

[@SubieSqwad]

Would have been a lot less if they didn't buy a bunch of questionable engines to begin with.

[@manz7860]

4:38 yall should get some custom Donut rollers for the boys working under the cars like that.

[@kyloklown9380]

people when the fragile 5 speed that’s known to literally disintegrate with any type of added power blows up: 🤯🤯🤯

[@mikesoria3418]

was your ego equally as fragile?

[@boblouis972]

I like how they’ve encountered every single failure point of the wrx, Subaru dudes just a different breed for putting up with all that crap

[@virus640]

With regards to breaking the teeth on the gear, a rough shift won't damage the teeth. The sound you hear when you grind a gear is the tiny dog teeth at the top of the gear that the synchronizer tries to slide on. The helical gear teeth are in constant mesh. What breaks them, assuming they were made correctly, is overloading and under lubricating. High heat and friction is what will destroy gear teeth. 3rd gear is a common break when racing, because it's the gear you're usually in, and usually at higher RPM.

[@MrKurbek]

I'm hesitant to call the design of the subaru 5 speed "bad". It was designed for what they give you stock. Part of modifying a car is that some parts wont be able to handle the new stresses created with more power. Is it a bummer that its basically a required change for more power? yes, but it always pays to be aware of common issues on a car before modifying

[@brickson98m]

Yeah, but I think it’s worth discussing the fact that most other transmissions in enthusiast cars can handle well over stock power figures. Transmissions should be overbuilt, for longevity. I mean the DSG in my GTI can easily handle double the power the car came with. The 6MT can also do the same with a simple clutch upgrade. Subaru has made a reputation for itself of being entirely anti-modification. They build their cars so that the components are at their limit when at stock power. It just sucks. I’d love to own one, but don’t feel like upgrading transmissions, pickup tubes, etc… just to get a little more power. I much prefer my GTI, which can handle 400hp without opening a thing. Just a simple turbo swap, intake, intercooler, and downpipe swap. Slap the tune on and it’s off to the races.

[@verdunian595]

My dad is a subaru master tech and he sees blown 5 speeds on stock wrxs almost weekly. They're fragile as hell, extra power or otherwise

[@krudmuphinstudioz]

Well unfortunately WRXs still blow their transmissions frequently in stock form too when they are driven hard. If it's almost guaranteed to fail with additional power, then that means in normal operating conditions it's simply skating on thin ice. If something is properly engineered, it should withstand more than the bare minimum.

[@blvkoz3538]

There's a difference between abusing parts and abusing parts with a bad design. Subi just made bad 5 speeds that were under built from factory. You always want some headroom before getting to the limits of something mechanical being weight, pressure, etc for safety and reliability. If you need a steel bar that has to hold 50kg you will not get one that can hold at max 50kg, you'll get one that can hold more because it's safer and common sense.

[@dynamicunknown5899]

I feel like a good idea would be maybe rebuilding one of the 5 speeds with all upgraded gear sets for low wrx and sti 6 speed swapping high wrx so you have DCCD and compare them.

[@warnabrotha95YT]

Here's a crazy idea.... Low Rex gets a sequential gearbox High Rex Gets direct drive, like in the Koenigsegg Regera.

[@00imprezaRS]

6 speed swap is fairly standard upgrade I think it would be cool to do a built 5 speed, straight cut gears, cryo treatment, etc.

[@antonjuuruskorpi7097]

after watching this whole video i've come to the conclusion that, subaru transmissions fail.

[@hotpinkfryingpan]

it's been up 2 minutes?

[@drywater3559]

bruh Donut can't even keep a Honda running. that should speak volumes.

[@thisaraperera3678]

@@hotpinkfryingpan watch it in 10x speed

[@kennykunie6660]

The engines though, what about the engines???

[@alejandroguerrero03]

Only true on the WRX trans but STI 6 speeds are bullet proof

[@jimmybelt8616]

Yall should do a Hi Low series on tools. Yall get nice new expensive tools to help with the builds and we can see what tools are worth balling out for

[@coldshadow3]

As a transmission specialist I knew this was coming 🤣 you got a lot of your explanation right but those aren’t the teeth you crunch when you miss agree but overall well done donut 👍🏽

[@AntSwift]

I think the Donut boys have singlehandedly changed by perception of the reliability of Subaru Imprezza's 🤣

[@quyle9483]

They've always been terrible cars. Just no one cared. And subaru fans love to blanket the truth

[@AntSwift]

@quyle9483 I mean I'm more of an Evo man myself, would castrate myself to get an Evo 6

[@quyle9483]

@AntSwift I don't even hate subaru like that. It's more so these fan boys and gals lol. They are also SUPER sensitive which is hilarious. All you gotta say is something among the line "a fuckin Saturn's a better car than a pos subaru" and they'll blow a headgasket

[@AntSwift]

@@quyle9483 Who blows first, the Subbie or the Subbie fan boy? 🤔

[@Puhnunduh]

You guys should absolutely do a sequential in high car and an sti 6 speed in low car. That would be extremely interesting to see

[@designbydoucette3318]

Takeaway: @7:05 - The Cheaper WRX platform is not designed for much more power, stop expecting it to hold up if you're shooting for the moon. It's that simple. Certainly not a Subaru problem. Solution: Send them off to ZF Design in Colorado for the best rebuilds or Subie transmission solutions outs there.

[@BoHorror]

Well said, thank you for the summary Chief.

[@omgsus]

solution: cut your losses

[@mauroghen]

It IS a subie problem that they cheap out on parts “because theyre not meant for more power” No manufacturer explicitly expects people to add more power, yet some brands over-solidify their parts regardless, simply for build Quality.

[@wayneparker2295]

Low car should get the STI 6 speed and hi car should get a sequential gearset, then you can compare them for people who want to upgrade.

[@Trasshprod]

These dudes are worse than tiktok builds. Should of been common sense to begin with.

[@AB-bx5to]

​@user-zr3fw3lk4z common sense to anybody who's actually worked with subarus. They're literally doing this from the perspective of people who haven't worked on them. Don't get what your point is.

[@Trasshprod]

​@AB-bx5to lack of basic knowledge. Lack of reading. Come on bro if you're building something, do it right. So many forums you can read that could have prevented this. That's my point.

[@AB-bx5to]

@user-zr3fw3lk4z so you mean to tell there hasn't been a single person who's had an oversight during a build? If anything, these videos showing fails are perfect. Shows that a build isn't done with just slapping on more boost/power. If you think doing it right is as easy as that, then you should really start a series on it, I'm sure you'll help a lot of people out. Not saying they didn't fuck up, just saying this is how it goes for a lot of people

[@JaredRoso]

It’s designed that way because the power goes through the front differential first before it sees being split by the gearbox and sends power to the rear differential. You’re seeing smaller gears because the WRX wasn’t intended to get the “COBB” treatment because all the “race parts” were put into the “STI”. Hints the bullet proof 6-speed.

[@EvilCerealBoX]

WRX 5 speeds were never changed from their first introduction back in the 90s for the NA models. STI 6 speeds were a whole "new" design that is designed to handle power.

[@squidikka]

"Get your pitchforks ready vapelords!" Lol, subbie kids really be like that tho.

[@Zarlax]

Can Amazon pick y’all up and give us a 10 episode series already. Keep the editors you have. This video was excellent.

[@mochikun3022]

Theres some questions in the community regarding the WRX Trans Case having flex under load. Someone made a mod called "Blast plates" (Made by Moore and Kein) that supposedly prevent the case from flexing as much? that could be a cool test.

[@LV_daWEED]

They really should cause most people including me call those snake oil cause there really is no proof they work

[@alexRamirez-yt7wc]

STI Transmissions are bomb proof yall just suck at building cars

[@kihgu]

I bet you haven’t worked on a car ever and don’t care that donut is filled with a bunch of engineers and people that have worked on a lot of cars that are reliable

[@drywater3559]

facts. Donut can't even keep a Honda running which speaks volumes.

[@knowntalker135]

​​@@kihgu you don't know what you are talking about, sti transmissions are way stronger and can hold 1000hp for a little bit

[@kihgu]

@@drywater3559 do it yourself then

[@gravyd316]

@@drywater3559 what have you built throughout your lifetime? And don't tell me that you've never made mistakes if you've ever actually built a car.

[@fredio54]

The reason it's third in a 5 speed WRX and a Miata 5 speed is bearing support location and shaft flex. Standard gears mesh properly at any engagement geometrically. But when LESS engaged they are weaker. So the more torque the more flex the less engagement the faikure is imminent. Subby 6 speeds FTW. Very nice box with built in oil pump!

[@adhdturtle37]

I'm not a Subaru guy so I don't know details of your options, but I'd think y'all should be able to use those two transmissions to make a good one for low car with some upgraded internals. Then get in touch with Subara Motorsports to buy a built rally transmission for a high car price. But y'all are the ones running several of these series' so I'm sure it's been in the works for months by the time we see it ;D

[@crunchysoup406]

the 5mt upgrade isnt really worth it honestly, costs the same as an sti swap by the end of things but with the swap you get an extra gear

[@francsmash]

not really viable, they both have the same broken parts

[@Manu__R]

I think the reason why more people don't have these transmission issues is because the engine blows first 😂 My mechanic told me that my transmission would eventually fail on my 07 Legacy, it's probably the same or similar transmission as shown here. But joke's on him, it's sitting dead right now with a deleted head gasket until I have the time and space to fix it

[@KnightRowlet]

Head gasket delete so no more Head gasket issues

[@caseyronson603]

UPGRADE IS A MUST!

[@shiveksoi2439]

'we blew 2 trans' would have been a fire title

[@asianinashed]

Fun fact: the 6spd in the VA WRX is exactly the same as the older 5spd. The only difference is the extra gear subaru squeezed in.

[@theshawnmccown]

Always check what your transmission can handle. I have a Dart 2.4L and was going to turbo it to get some extra power and found out that the automatic transmission won't put out the power. There is a company that makes a custom one for it, but it's not worth it. Now, if an engine swap was done, then it could make a fun sleeper car. Add an electric motor to the rear, and the thing would bexreal sneaky. But, yeah... make sure all components going from the engine to the wheels can handle the engine upgrades.

[@stoneylonesome4062]

If you’re gonna get a modern Subaru, I highly suggest one with a manual. CVTs, in general, are dodgy in the long term, and you might as well not have to worry about that crazy EyeBall safety thing breaking on the windshield.

[@GoOregonDucks]

Well duh

[@alsogore7710]

Subaru cvt are actually more reliable than the manual 5 gear. They can hold up to 400hp and have little complaints in the long term. You're more likely for your driveshaft to fail before your cvt

[@514aam]

Subaru CVTs are pretty reliable if you take care of them, I'm talking oil changes every 30k or 20k if you race the thing, oil filter replacement every 2 oil changes... Letting it warm up before WOT, getting a cooler if not included

[@quyle9483]

I think I'd question why I'd want a modern subaru to begin with. The driving dynamics and creature comforts are just too mediocre in comparison to what's available for in that pice range.

[@alsogore7710]

@@514aam literally fam, at 300 hp your already at the breaking limit for the 5 spd, the cvt can handle up to 400. That's why I'd recommend getting the cvt until you can sti swap it if you're going to mod it at all

[@acwright]

Doesn't the transmission need upgrades too if you boost your engine?

[@ethanacton408]

Not usually, unless it's a huge boost in power. But these cars hate the slightest mod so you usually have too but not required

[@rexlanv]

Yes. The WRX's 5MT is the same 5MT that comes in the NA version (2.5RS or 2.5i depending on model year). They're not designed to hold any more power than a stock EJ-255 produces, and in some cases even under stock power they can grenade if you're not being careful.

[@taylerdarlas1589]

do a junk yard one in low car where the boys go and rescue it from a junk yard in the video and on high car do a nice one fresh rebuild with all supporting mods

[@davidfischer7528]

Wow really great episode, i almost forgot that you guys are mechanics...all those fancy new cars and stuff. This content is the best. Funny and educational. Awesome work guys.

[@Trasshprod]

These guys are playing mechanic. They can't keep a Honda running 😂 should say a lot for these "mechanics"

[@Deadspace_too]

They are not mechanics lol

[@LionRunner]

I thought the Subaru CVT is known to fail. Never thought the manual transmission would fail. As for the STi it was an absolute blast to drive. IMO it was very well priced, when I test drove it was under $40,000 in CO. Sad Subaru decide to stop it. 😥

[@ittimjones]

But the STI motor is also glass. I've known 4 owners and all 4 had bent rods from nothing more than a tune.

[@ceilingbro]

if, if this info will help but from what my friend told me. Its because of the transmission being a split transmission and not a one piece housing like the sti. So it vibrates differently and thats why people invented blast shields for the 5speeds to help improve strength under high torque situations. Im sure theres more information somewhere else.

[@AaronSkone]

I knew from the get go you guys were gonna blow both gearboxes pushing that much power 😂 6-speed swap is a must