The owner's manual for my 2006 Outback (2.5 liter engine, no turbo) shows drawings for changing the oil that are ridiculously inaccurate, including a cover over the oil filter that you pivot out of the way--but it doesn't exist!

 

Are there drawings or photos somewhere of this type of under the engine view?

 

I've posted a couple of photos on this site showing the oil drain plug and (one) shows the oil filter too. Verification that I'm really looking at the oil drain plug (as opposed to the front differential drain) would be appreciated. (Car was only raised about 6" and my digital camera won't zoom any wider.)

 

Woodpecker

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1540

 

sorry for the cross-forum referance, but that pdf will walk you right through it... it is for the turbo model, but everything should be in the same place... pretty much.

i've found that the drain plug is sort of angled wierd on the newer models... whereas in the older ones it was just right there, and you could see what you're doing...

Thanks for the link to the nifty pdf file.

 

HOWEVER, even though what is shown in the pdf DOES look like what is shown in my owner's manual, it's NOT what my 2006 Outback looks like underneath! It would appear that Subaru screwed up and didn't update that part of the manual from 2005 to 2006.

 

There are no covers for the filter (or anything) and I think locations may be different. See the photos I posted--click on Photos by my name in upper righthand corner of this message.

 

In any case, I did learn from the pdf, about putting oil in the filter before putting it on.

Hm...so does your '06 have the plastic 'underdoor' or is it missing?

Nope, no plastic underdoor. No protection underneath at all. I assumed that was normal; maybe I should look at other 2006s. Do you have one?

I don't have an '06. I have an '00. But it does have the plastic underdoor. I thought that was pretty standard on Outbacks? My '96 Legacy has no underdoor but it's the brighton and if it had one it could have been removed before I bought it.

my 05 has the plastic junk... how long have you had the car? was it there when you bought it?

I bought the car new from a dealer in July '06. It has never had it since I've owned it.

i'd go back to them and have them give you one... or soemthing

Yah I'd see if they'll give you one. Is it critical? Not really but it does have a uses/purposes. A common reason for it missing is someone took it off during some kind of service and forgot to put it back on. That could have even been during dealer checkout.

 

Or this can be a great excuse to buy a skid plate!