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Old 07-18-2018, 01:51 PM
97SVX_SCV 97SVX_SCV is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: LA, CA, USA
Posts: 19
Re: Transmission fluid drain, refill and "how the hell do I read the dipstick!"

I know this is an OLD thread, but after searching high and low for a satisfactory answer I came up with a different one, that I think is foolproof. Really I tried everything that was posted here and I still couldn't get a good reading with the brand new real clean ATF, especially while thin and hot. here is my advice.

This works for the COLD test with motor OFF. Remove the dipstick. You take a piece of [clean] tubing, stick it down into the dipstick tube and blow gently into the tube while threading it s-l-o-w-l-y into the dipstick tube. when you hear it start to bubble, you know you are in fluid for sure.

https://youtu.be/RaGu3_tTcpA

if you really want to go at it, get a Mityvac kit (or similar) and do the same thing,,,marking the hose to the depth reading on the dipstick, but then use the Mityvac to suck out excess fluid. extract ATF at the set depth until it pulls air, and youre done...you dont have to crawl under the car and undo the drain bolt, and even extracting hot ATF during the hot check with engine running seems to be ok [it worked for me anyway]

http://www.mityvac.com/

AND just to unload a bit...THANKS Subaru for being absolutely certain that the heater hose is routed directly inline and interfering with the reach and withdrawal of the transmission dipstick. You might be able to see in the video that I used a wee bit of steel wire to temporarily hold the heater hose out of the way.

Last edited by 97SVX_SCV; 07-19-2018 at 05:24 PM. Reason: clarify/amplify
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