Transmission Fluid Change????

[murphsubaru]

I have a 99 Forester with 106000 miles, should I change the fluid? I see a drain plug on the pan and a filter next to the pan. Is draining and changing the filter advisable???

[jon38iowa]

I have a 99 Forester with 106000 miles, should I change the fluid? I see a drain plug on the pan and a filter next to the pan. Is draining and changing the filter advisable???

In a word, Absolutely! I have the same year as yours, these transmissions are outrageously expensive to replace.If it hasn't been done within the last 35K then I would not only change it once, but three times in a row. This really cleans it, without chemical flushing(which I don't believe in). And, the filters are easily purchased on-line from Subaru.

[idosubaru]

yep, change the filter and the transmission fluid. Subaru's tend to have a really good chance of making 200,000+ miles if properly taken care of, that means you need to change your transmission fluid. realize that because of marketing and advertising, you are convicted of changing your engine oil. the same should be true of transmission fluid, change it.

[porcupine73]

Go for it! But yes the drain plug only gets about half the fluid out. You can use an OEM ATF filter, they are like $25; you can get a Wix equivalent from Napa (Gold) or Carquest or others if desired.

[Hondasucks]

I don;t know abotu your area, but my dealership charges $150 for a tranny flush + filter, and it's well worth it. Subaru recommends changing the filter @ 100k but that's under "normal" driving conditions, and most people fall closer to the "severe" category which is 35k if I remember correctly. I've seen Subies with 40k that the fluid is BROWN, and I've seen 'em at 100k with the original filter and fluid that have bright red fluid.... But a tranny flush is a lot cheaper than a new tranny!

[cookie]

The guy who rebuilt my Forester tranny also does the automatics. He reccomends a thourough fluid change every 50,000 miles and says he reckons a lot of automatics whould never come to his place if folks did that. He also reccomends an external cooler.

[nipper]

You are beyond drain and fill. you need to change all the fluid, which is 3 or 4 drain and fills (drain, fill , drive, repeat). Do change the spin on filter. Do not drop the pan.

 

After this then its 3/36000 for AWD soobies, 50,000 is better then nothing, but its just too long for the awd clutches.

 

After this one, another nice way to for it (depending upon how often you chnage your oil) is to do a drain and fill with every or every other oil change. I like this idea more and more.

 

nipper

[Rooster2]

Go for it! But yes the drain plug only gets about half the fluid out. You can use an OEM ATF filter, they are like $25; you can get a Wix equivalent from Napa (Gold) or Carquest or others if desired.

 

 

Does anyone have filter parts numbers if I were to purchase a Wix, Napa, or Carquest trany filter?

[porcupine73]

http://www.wixfilters.com

4eat phase II ATF filter is Wix 51365

also Napa Gold, carquest and some others are rebadged Wix

 

That's only for the phase II's. If you have a phase I without the spin on filter on the side of the trans (or in the LH fender for H6's) then it does not use this filter. Both the phase I and phase II have the suction strainer screen in the pan but those are almost never dirty.

[shortlid]

Go for it! But yes the drain plug only gets about half the fluid out. You can use an OEM ATF filter, they are like $25; you can get a Wix equivalent from Napa (Gold) or Carquest or others if desired.

 

Thanks for the WIX #, BUT if I look at the application guide it is all ENGINE or Motor oil service not ATF or Hydro. service!!!