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View Full Version : DIY: Changing Engine, Transmission, and Rear Diff Oil



Airgne
09-23-2008, 12:06 AM
Myth on oil

1. Conventional oil has to be changed every 3,000 miles. False!!
Conventional oil starts to break down around 7,500 miles. The 3,000 mile
myth was made up by the oil companies for people to by more oil.

Changing your Engine oil Tool List.

First make sure you have the tools to do this job yourself.
Things you will Need.
1. Ramps/Jack/Stands(this gets the car in the air so you can get under it).
2. Drain Bucket(this holds all the oil that comes out).
3. Oil Filter Wrench/Screwdriver(sometimes you can take it off by hand, the screwdriver is so you can puncher the oil filter and turn it).
4. Socket or Wrench that fits the Drain Plug.
5. Gloves(so if you can remove your filter by hand you dont burn yourself).

After you have these items make sure you have the type of Oil and filter you like. Also make sure you have the right amount. 4 Quarts is what you will need to complete your oil change. I also like to get an Engine Flush everytime I change my oil, this is not needed. I highly recommend it.

Changing your Engine Oil

1. Make sure your car it at operating temp.
2. Get your car in the air so you can get under.
3. Place bucket under Drain/Oil Filter(I like to remove the filter first).
3. Remove Drain Plug/Oil Filter and walk away for about 10 min(this lets all to the oil to drain).

Filling Your Engine Oil.

1. Put new Oil Filter on(HAND TIGHT ONLY!!!!!)
2. Put Drain Plug in oil pan(tight but not tight enough to strip out).
3. Fill oil with 3 1/2 Quarts of oil.
4. Move car to Level ground.
5. Turn car off wait 5 min and check oil.
6. Fill oil if low.

You have just completed an oil change on your car, and saved $25-50 bucks.

Changing your Transmission oil Tool List(this is for manual transmission).

1. Ramps/Jack/Stands(for tranny car needs to be level).
2. Drain Bucket.
3. Filler Funnel(one with long adj end).
4. Wrench to remove drain plug.

After you have all your tools make sure you have the type and weight oil you like. Also make sure you have the right amount. 4 Quarts will do. 3.5 quarts is what a BE/BH5 MT takes. Ask your local dealer or auto parts store for correct amount in your car.

Draining your Transmission Oil.

1. Make sure Transmission is warm(makes the oil easier to come out).
2. Remove Drain plug, and wipe off metal shavings(this is normal, just make sure there is not huge chuncks of metal).
3. Walk away for about 20 min(this makes sure all oil is out).

Filling your Transmission Oil.

1. Make sure drain plug is tight(not to tight to strip).
2. Make sure car is level.
3. Fill oil with 3 quarts of oil(dipstick is located under stock airbox).
4. Drive around the Block.
5. Check oil and fill to full level.

You have just completed your manual transmission oil change. Also saved yourself $30-60 bucks.

Changing you Rear Diff Oil Tool list.

1. Ramp/Jack/Stands(car needs to be level).
2. Drain Bucket.
3. Breaker bar.
4. Vaccum pump(this will pump the oil from the bottle to the diff).

After you have all your tools make sure you have the type and weight oil you like. Also make sure you have the right amount. 1 Quart will do. .8 Quarts is what BE/BH5 takes. Ask your local dealer or auto parts store for correct amount in your car.

Draining your Rear Diff Oil.

1. Make sure you can remove the Fill Plug Before starting.
2. Make sure Rear diff is warm(helps drain the oil).
3. Remove Fill plug.
4. Place Drain Bucket under Rear Diff.
5. Remove Drain Plug, and wiper off metal shavings(this is normal, just make sure there are not huge chunks).
6. Walk away for about 20 min(makes sure all oil is drained).

Filling your Rear Diff Oil.

1. Make sure drain plug is tight(not to tight to strip).
2. Make sure car is level.
3. Fill Oil until it starts to come out filler hole.
4. Install Filler plug.

You have just completed you Rear Diff oil change. Also have saved yourself $30-50 bucks.

This is made for everyone as a reference to changing there oil. I dont want to hear thats not how you do it. This is how i have been changing my oil's for yrs. I made this to help ppl out that dont really know how to change there oil. If you do not feel that you can do it please dont, please take to someone that can. If i did foget anything please PM and i will change it or add. Thank You.

Huffer
09-23-2008, 09:22 AM
Nice succinct post Airgne...

I will add that if you want to do a super tidy oil change, buy a Fumotovalve.
www.fumotovalve.com (http://www.fumotovalve.com)

Kraziken and I have them, I can now do all my oil changes without tools.
Hand crank the filter and you're golden.

Airgne
09-23-2008, 10:18 AM
i have out that it is better to be easy and to the point. i dont know about that drain thing. there is no mag to get the metal flakes.

decke48
09-23-2008, 10:52 AM
Myth on oil

1. Conventional oil has to be changed every 3,000 miles. False!!
Conventional oil starts to break down around 7,500 miles. The 3,000 mile
myth was made up by the oil companies for people to by more oil.



the 3000mile interval is because of dust in the air and weather conditions. it depends on where you live the intervals between oil changes. if its not dusty and doesnt have bad weather conditions yes you can change your oil every 7500miles but if its dusty and has bad weather conditions change you oil more often depending on how bad it is.

birukun
09-23-2008, 11:01 AM
One thing I love about my Subaru is the lack of a need for ramps. After the first time you change your oil, you know where everything is at. I don't even have an Outback and can change my oil anywhere.

4.5 quarts for a change with filter. The filter sucks some up.

You should also specify MANUAL transmission in bold, with stars, to avoid confusion with the A/T owners. A/T Owners can drain and fill 4 quarts with no filter change.

Great start to a list of maintenance items that will make your car last.

99SUS SFD
09-23-2008, 11:52 AM
So is the process the same for AT transmissions, minus the filter change? Recommendations for weights/brands/etc. may come in handy too (especially for me, haha).

decke48
09-23-2008, 12:55 PM
atf dextron/mircron 3 or higher. anything really brand name is good atf. shell works for me and throw a bottle of atf lubeguard stuff and youll be good. if you have more than 100,000miles or more i would do a filter. on yours 99sus its the external spin off filter. wix or oem is good but it cost around $30

99SUS SFD
09-23-2008, 01:02 PM
Ok thanks. I'm only at 71,xxx so I could hold off on the filter I suppose. I've been meaning to do the fluid because it's been shifting kind of hard lately.

99gtlimited
10-24-2008, 04:17 PM
so your rear diff on your BE takes 2.6 qts? that seems like an awful lot to me..

. according to the other DIY found on here rear diff fluid change (for BD) it only takes about .8 qts. is this a different differential? do you have an LSD and we have the open diff? i just wanted to know what makes such a big difference in the amount of fluid. I just want to know how much i should buy to change mine out and got a little confused by the two different sets of instructions, granted they do appear to be on two different generations of legacy.

Also, do you guys recommend synthetic for the differential, mine is only 62K old so i don't think there should be any problems.

Thanks

KAG
10-24-2008, 05:02 PM
so your rear diff on your BE takes 2.6 qts? that seems like an awful lot to me..

. according to the other DIY found on here rear diff fluid change (for BD) it only takes about .8 qts. is this a different differential? do you have an LSD and we have the open diff? i just wanted to know what makes such a big difference in the amount of fluid. I just want to know how much i should buy to change mine out and got a little confused by the two different sets of instructions, granted they do appear to be on two different generations of legacy.

Also, do you guys recommend synthetic for the differential, mine is only 62K old so i don't think there should be any problems.

Thanks
It should only be 0.8qts, that's what all Subaru r160's call for.

LSD or non-LSD has no relevance to how much fluid is put in. This is because the viscous unit on an LSD diff is sealed. The fluid you put in is only for the ring and pinion.

When I first put my differential back in, I used mobil 1 synthetic 75W-90. Now I'm running Extra-S in both the tranny and diff to match the friction points. You don't really need synthetic, but you can use it if you'd like. Personally, I think any GL-5 75W-90 is fine for a daily driver.

rougeben83
10-24-2008, 05:18 PM
rear will take a little less than one quart. Basically fill up to the top drainage bolt on the rear diff...with the car somewhere close to level. I don't know how you can overfill the rear diff unless you jack up the rear by a lot.

Subaru says to change the engine oil at 3750miles for severe duty. This is what I follow.

99gtlimited
10-27-2008, 11:55 PM
did my rear diff last night, only hard part was getting the fluid in the top hole. I used Mobil 1 synthetic 75w-90, i plan on using the sam in the tranny when i get around to changing that out.

99gtlimited
11-10-2008, 04:26 PM
again, great post, just did my tranny fluid last night, i used redline MT90 since i've heard lots of good things about it and i have no clue what was in there before.

99gtlimited
11-11-2008, 05:21 AM
so when i was underneath my car before putting my MT90 in i noticed this thing stuck between the crossmember, the steering rack, and the open part of the tranny exposing the flywheel. couldn't see it too well, so i got some needle nose plyers and went to work getting it out. ended up being a field mouse that made its way into my engine compartment somehow.... well it was way past dead by the time i got to it.. pretty gross


https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/11/IMG_3913-1.jpg

4n70n1n0
12-18-2009, 12:35 AM
Great write up and I think this should really be a sticky since it covers Engine, Tranny and Diff

Also it will make it easier for me to find it next time LOL

xoSubieLegacyxo
04-25-2011, 08:32 AM
where was this a month ago? Would of helped me out!! But I learned my lesson..... find the correct hole to fill trans fluid with. You know you have a problem when you drain all the trans fluid, pour 3 quarts and it overflows. Then you finally realize you just filled the front dif fluid with atf! I still smell burnt trans fluid every time I drive for a long time! haha FML

Subieee
11-16-2011, 11:06 PM
^^oh god haha

What about a tranny oil filter? Is there one & do i have to replace it?

97' bg5 wagon 112,xxx miles