Oil change/other fluid change questions.

[CDG]

Mr. PepBoy has a very small point, however as far as I know there are no Antifreeze journals running anywhere near the transmission, other than the trany line running through the rad itself, where there are no seals.
His reluctance to change the fluid is a common one. His reasoning is somewhat flawed.
another fyi, Transmission fluid has one of the highest detergent levels of any auto fluid, therefore the dirt seal excuse is a little weak, but history shows that if it has never been changed, and you replace it all, problems have been known to arise.

The SVX trany is more prone to failure if you do not do regular changes.

You may need to take the car to a trany shop and ask them to do it right, or their assessment.

Originally posted by StaceyVX
Ok, here's the update. I got the oil changed. When he told them to change the trans. fluid, the service manager told him that I shouldn't because draining would clean out what's called a "dirt seal". He said that around the seals and gaskets that the antifreeze circulates around has dirt helping to prevent leaks in there, and that changing the fluid would cause the new fluid's detergent to eat away at it and cause leaks.

As for the differential fluid, he forgot. Is this a big deal?

What do you guys have to say about this?

Change the tranny fluid, but ONLY do a drain and fill, not a flush, so the "good" dirt built up in the tranny doesn't dislodge itself, possibly causing leaks/clogs. My friends ex-SVX got a flush, as recommended, and a week later the tranny was not shifting correctly, and the TC didn't lock up properly. I have my tranny fluid drained and filled every 9k miles (every 3 oil changes), and (knock wood), original tranny shifts great.

It's a 92, so does it have the little external filter add on? (Just look near you battery cage and lower, right next to the engine. It's round. You'd be able to tell

P.S. - Do you ever have to change the external tranny filter or the one on the radiator?

[Landshark]

Originally posted by nextcubepro
Do you ever have to change the external tranny filter or the one on the radiator?

i don't know the exact change interval for the factory external filter, but it does need changed. it would probably be cheaper (and allow easier changes) to remove it and get the larger Perma-cool external filter which uses the less expensive filters you can buy at any auto parts store.

the 'filter' in the radiator transmission cooler is a small internal screen that is not replaceable, or even accessible. when it clogs, good-bye transmission. the later model SVX's deleted this. if you plan on keeping your transmission for a long time, i would bypass the factory transmission cooler and get an aftermarket one.

Originally posted by Landshark


i don't know the exact change interval for the factory external filter, but it does need changed. it would probably be cheaper (and allow easier changes) to remove it and get the larger Perma-cool external filter which uses the less expensive filters you can buy at any auto parts store.

the 'filter' in the radiator transmission cooler is a small internal screen that is not replaceable, or even accessible. when it clogs, good-bye transmission. the later model SVX's deleted this. if you plan on keeping your transmission for a long time, i would bypass the factory transmission cooler and get an aftermarket one.

Subaru quoted me $24 for the entire external filter "kit", as if the filter wasn't sold separately. Is it a user changeable part? Can It be done by, say, Pep Boys while they change the oil filter? Is it as easy to change as the oil filter?

[Landshark]

Originally posted by nextcubepro


Subaru quoted me $24 for the entire external filter "kit", as if the filter wasn't sold separately. Is it a user changeable part? Can It be done by, say, Pep Boys while they change the oil filter? Is it as easy to change as the oil filter?

Pep Boys? are you mad at your car?

i don't have the factory external filter, so i can't really answer your questions, but the Perma-cool external filter uses a regular old oil filter, so it IS as easy to change as an oil filter.

Originally posted by Landshark


Pep Boys? are you mad at your car?

No, just use them of oil changes occasionally

[svxsubaru1]

I change my oil every 5000-6500 miles using sythenic, but you have to rember to still change your oil filter about every 3000 miles. Oil degrading is not the only reason to change your oil.

Is there any other good oil filter that you recomend that is cheaper than the subaru $10 oil filter.

[CDG]

Lucky me, John gave me about 28 oil filters with the car, I don't see ever needing that many.

[James Scott]

I use Redline synthetic lubricants. All synthetics, I've been told, are more detergent and therefore may clean debri from gaskets and cause leaks. I don't know why "he" said not to change ATF (assuming he was going to add more Dexron)?

1) I use Redline 10/30 synthetic for oil changes (don't always remember to change at just the right mileage - synthetic [esp. Redline] more security)
2) I use Redline 75/90 synthetic both differentials - only takes one to 1 1/2 quarts each diff
3) I use Redline D4 ATF synthetic in the auto trans - you can remove all trans fluid and replace with new while SVX is running to replace "all" trans fluid with a special machine many shops have. [The dealer charged $180. The local Shell Lube charged $89 for the same thing. Both replaced with (included) Dexron (stock fluid)]

Depending on your mileage and your previous owners service history, I would replace all (AT, diffs) with either oil or synthetic.
Not that much money for some piece of mind!

Nothing like a bunch of different opinions!!! All the above is good advice. Pick one and do it!

HAVE FUN!

Originally posted by James Scott
I use Redline synthetic lubricants. All synthetics, I've been told, are more detergent and therefore may clean debri from gaskets and cause leaks. I don't know why "he" said not to change ATF (assuming he was going to add more Dexron)?

1) I use Redline 10/30 synthetic for oil changes (don't always remember to change at just the right mileage - synthetic [esp. Redline] more security)
2) I use Redline 75/90 synthetic both differentials - only takes one to 1 1/2 quarts each diff
3) I use Redline D4 ATF synthetic in the auto trans - you can remove all trans fluid and replace with new while SVX is running to replace "all" trans fluid with a special machine many shops have. [The dealer charged $180. The local Shell Lube charged $89 for the same thing. Both replaced with (included) Dexron (stock fluid)]

Depending on your mileage and your previous owners service history, I would replace all (AT, diffs) with either oil or synthetic.
Not that much money for some piece of mind!

Nothing like a bunch of different opinions!!! All the above is good advice. Pick one and do it!

HAVE FUN!

You mean let it drain WHILE the SVX is running? Wouldn't that hurt the pump?

[Reaper450128]

Originally posted by nextcubepro


You mean let it drain WHILE the SVX is running? Wouldn't that hurt the pump?

Under normal circumstances, yes, but in the is case the trans cooler is disconnected and the lines are hooked up to a special machine. The input line to the cooler drains the old fluid into the machine, while the machine pumps new fluid in from the return line simultaneously at the same rate its draining. This way there is always a full amount of fluid in the transmission, its just being changed over to a clean supply as it gets pumped through.

Originally posted by Reaper450128


Under normal circumstances, yes, but in the is case the trans cooler is disconnected and the lines are hooked up to a special machine. The input line to the cooler drains the old fluid into the machine, while the machine pumps new fluid in from the return line simultaneously at the same rate its draining. This way there is always a full amount of fluid in the transmission, its just being changed over to a clean supply as it gets pumped through.

hmm...I still don't like it. What about the good dirt in the tranny? What if it gets only partially dislodged, and you're driving, and the dirt that loosened from that procedure clogs the mesh filter in the radiator. I could see future problems with that method unless it is performed regularly and since the car was new.

I think i'll stick to the drain and fill. Never caused me any problems, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Reaper450128]

Originally posted by nextcubepro


hmm...I still don't like it. What about the good dirt in the tranny? What if it gets only partially dislodged, and you're driving, and the dirt that loosened from that procedure clogs the mesh filter in the radiator. I could see future problems with that method unless it is performed regularly and since the car was new.

I think i'll stick to the drain and fill. Never caused me any problems, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I've never believed in the whole "good dirt" idea. I believe if dirt is helping to a seal to function, the seal needs replacing because its too old to function right anymore. Besides that though, if the dirt is not being dislodged in normal operation, this method shouldn't dislodge it either, as it will seem to the transmission as if it is normal operation. If it breaks loose during this procedure, it probably would have soon anyway, and at least this way it gets sucked out with the old fluid instead of recirculated to all the little nooks and crannies it might get clogged in where it would no longer be "good dirt".

[SubaSteevo]

Originally posted by nextcubepro


Subaru quoted me $24 for the entire external filter "kit", as if the filter wasn't sold separately. Is it a user changeable part? Can It be done by, say, Pep Boys while they change the oil filter? Is it as easy to change as the oil filter?

The filter is sold seperately and costs about $40. If you go to subaruparts.com you can order the "kit" for the legacy (search for the part #) for $9.95+s/h. The legacy kit is the exact same filter but comes with a different bracket and hoses. I'd say its easier to change than the oil filter, provided they don't let all the fluid leak out. You just disconnect two hoses and put them on the new filter. The aftermarket oil filter type addons such as the Perma-cool have less filtering ability than the stock filter (there was a discussion on the size of the particles each filters out).

[SubaSteevo]

Reaper, just realized you're like 10 mins away. We should meet up sometime.