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Subaru Legacy/Outback Oil and Other Fluid Questions
Will using a synthetic oil increase my overall gas mileage?
I drive a '97 Legacy Outback AWD, 2.5.
I drive a '97 Legacy Outback AWD, 2.5.
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Won't hurt, certainly.
Are you sure that what you're seeing is oil, and not antifreeze?
Oil "in" the radiator is not a good sign. It indicates a possible cracked engine block, a cracked cylinder head or a gasket problem. Oil "outside" the engine could mean cracked external oil lines, or again a cracked engine block. Since you mentioned oil in the radiator my guess is a cracked engine block or cylinder head.
Pray that I'm wrong, as you're looking at big bucks to repair that.
Bob
-mike
-mike
Head gaskets and seals are a fairly common issue with the 1998 2.5L model. Cost of repair, if it is a head gasket problem, is about $2000.
-mike
Given the previous owner put oil in the coolant overflow tank, you might want to have all the fluids changed to be safe! :surprise:
Maybe if you add 3.38 gallons of the stuff to your tank (i.e. 20% of the fuel tank capacity).
Front Diffy, which is the PASSENGER SIDE behind engine, in engine bay.
Transmission/center diffy, which is DRIVER SIDE behind engine, in engine bay.
Rear Diffy, which is in the back on the actual diffy.
Front and rear Diffy takes 70-90 GL5 Gear Oil
Trans takes ATF (I suggest Amsoil or Redline High Temp ATF)
-mike
Just to confirm that I know what you're saying: Even in automatics the center diffy and the trany share fluid? That is, if the trany fluid level is fine, then the center diffy level is fine as well.
And so, I'll check this but I think it may be more than a fluid issue.
I had the car at a trany shop last year b/c it was doing the same thing. All he said was that he added fluid. I recall him saying something like "the "hop" is caused by the 4x4 being engaged when it shouldn't be". Could fluid level cause this?
Part of the problem is I don't know how all-time 4x4 works. Is it always front wheel drive except when slippage is sensed, and the the 4x4 kicks in? Could my car be improperly locked in 4x4 mode? That is, could the center diffy be broken? How would I know?
Sorry for all the Qs.
On an automatic subie of that vintage there are clutch packs that vary the power between the front diffy and the rear driveshaft. As a differential of speed is sensed F/R the clutch packs (electronically controlled) will tighten up and send power front or rear. They are similar to the clutch packs found in the automatic trans and therefore share the same fluid (your trans takes about 9-12 quarts of fluid).
Hope this helps.
-mike
The fluid was low and I added amost a quart. Problem is much better. There's still a slight hopping in slow sharp (to wheel lock) turns. I suspect a little damage to the clutch pad in 6 mos of low fluid. Thanks again.
Paul
Thoughts??
Remove the bottle by removing the top two bolts and freeing the assorted tubing from clamps on the side. The wires are a little difficult to pull out, but come off easier when the reservoir is lifted up. Pull the motor out and replace with the new one. It would be a good idea to replace the rubber grommet around it also. These little motors run about 40 to 60 dollars.
Anybody have any tips to make this a smother operation. I have the service manual, it looks like quite a job. I need to get a compression gauge to set the engine at top dead center first. I'm going to change the timing belt also.
Any thoughts would be great
Thanks
Dan
When I replaced my water pump, at about 177,000 miles, it took about four hours to do the task. I also had assistance, but we were working in a shop with which we were unfamiliar, so finding tools took some extra effort/time. I never made any special effort to set mine to TDC, and had no problems with it any of the five times I had the timing belt off the car.
Replace the thermostat while you are in there, and also your upper and lower radiator hoses if they are original or very old. The job is fairly straight forward, but it does take some time to dig down to the pump, put everything back together, and then refill the cooling system. Be CAREFUL with the timing cover bolts and the water pump bolts. They are small (10 mm heads?) and are not very forgiving when it comes to torque....
Do this - remove the top bolt FIRST, that's critical, because if you can't remove it and you drain the fluid by removing the bottom bolt only, you'll never be able to fill it with fluid again.
Remove the bottom bolt 2nd, drain the oil in an oil drain pan.
Replace the bottom bolt, and use a hand pump to add oil in the top hole. The stuff is thick so be ready for a little bit of work here, especially if it's cold.
Basically buy one quart and top it off. When it begins to spill, it's full. Wipe it clean.
Replace the top bolt, voila, you're done.
Now go shower because your wife will hate the smell of gear oil cologne. :shades:
Remove the bottom bolt 2nd, drain the oil in an oil drain pan.
Replace the bottom bolt, and use a hand pump to add oil in the top hole. The stuff is thick so be ready for a little bit of work here, especially if it's cold.
Basically buy one quart and top it off. When it begins to spill, it's full. Wipe it clean.
Replace the top bolt, voila, you're done.
This is for the rear differential. For the front/center, there should be a dipstick, and the fluid is filled there. There is a drain in the bottom that now uses a T70 Torx fitting, though a T60 works fine, too (T70 can be tough to find!). I am not sure if the Torx was being used on your model year, but the drain plug should be pretty easy to find - between the oil pan plug and the transmission pan plug (if yours is an automatic).
Yeah, look for a yellow dipstick. Not easy to find, though.
For that instead of the pump use a funnel with a long tube attached to it.
It'll take far more than just one quart, also.
The drain plug is a flat nut at the bottom of the transmission casing, IIRC I want to say it's a 17mm? Maybe bigger.
I use the pump to fill my front/center differentials as well. I have a long-neck funnel, but it is tough to access that opening, especially on newer models. When I put the synthetic 75w-90 in my 2010 Forester a couple weeks ago, there is no way I could have accessed the port with a funnel. I had to pump a gallon of gear lube by hand. Well, i think it was something like 7.9 pints, so almost a gallon, but that is for a manual transmission, so I would think the differential only needs about half of that. I'm just being lazy and not using my own link to look up the info for the OP. :P
I used a funnel with a long plastic tube. That tube ran down to the dip stick, which is also the fill hole for gear oil on the manual trans.
If this is an Automatic you have Front Diffy, Rear Diffy and the Automatic Trans Fluids.
If this is a MT, then you have Front Diffy combined with the Manual Trans Fluid and the Rear Diffy.
Front Diffy on an AT takes less than 1 Quart, Rear takes about 1 Quart.
Front Diffy + Manual Trans on an MT takes 3 Quarts, Rear takes about 1 Quart.
Filling the Front Diffy on the AT is a Dipstick (the side will depend if it's a Turbo or a Non Turbo).
Filling the Automatic Trans Fluid is a Dipstick (the side will depend if it's a Turbo or not)
Rear Diffy on AT or MT is upper bolt on the casing itself.
-mike
Subaru Guru and Track Instructor
I have a 1990 Subaru Legacy that appears to have some center differential issues. It is an AWD model, but when both front wheels OR both rear wheels are on a low-traction surface, one of the wheels on that axle spins and torque is not shifted to the other axle. In other words, both axles get torque at different times, but no shifting of torque between axles happens when it is supposed to.
Cons? Well, my '08 Outback, with its rear LSD, chattered a little when I spun the tires, but a little slip lock cleared that right up. I only drove it 300 miles (on dry pavement) before changing the fluid, so I am not sure if the chatter would have occurred with the OEM oil.
I EAR THAT IS BETTER TO CHANGE THE WHOLE ENGINE
Anyone!!
Thank you!! :sick: