Some Questions after changing my fluids....

[Guest jetboy12]

Changed the fluids out in my 94 Legacy today and had some questions. I have an auto trannie and wondered if the drain plug on it is magnetized (didn't have anything on it) ? I drained it then started it up and went through the gears a couple of times and got a little over 5 quarts out, will do it again in a couple of weeks to flush it out. Is this a good way to change it out ? What about the filter (has 145K on it) ? Changed out the rear diff and it needed some fluid(didn't drain out when I took out the check plug) but wasn't too low, got almost a quart out. That plug did have a magnet and some metal particles on it, looked like small shavings. This common or something to worry about ? The diff fluid was real dark and looked like it needed to be changed out (put 80W in it). Couldn't get a socket to fit the front diff drain plug. Anybody know what size socket that is ? Any tricks to draining the front diff fluid ? Thanks Again !

[Guest remarcable]

If the filter has 145k miles on it and it is the external filter (looks like an oil filter that eats too much junk food) then I'd suggest changing it. I changed mine at 30k miles but they are meant to last much longer than that. I think the filter was about $50 at the dealer.

[Guest Legacy777]

the external trans filters are "meant" to last forever, or pretty long time. I replaced mine around 140k. It's cheaper to buy the entire retro-fit kit, then it is just to buy the filter.

 

There is a separate magnet inside the tranny. You'd need to drop the pan to get at it. Mine just had a thin film on it, no real metal shavings.

 

The front diff bolt is like 21mm or 22mm. That plug is magnetic as well, and mine had some metal shavings on it. Especially since I didn't replace it for a LONG time.

[Guest jetboy12]

Well, I guess I'll replace the filter when I replace this fluid. Also looks like nothing to worry about on the diff. metal shavings. Thanks Again !

[boxerhummfetish]

So I just replaced the Front Diff/Manual Trans fluid, and indeed, it was a 21mm socket.

 

I added 4qts of 80w90, which is not as much the 3qts (tops) that I drained. I can never find my manuals when I actually need them, but if my memory serves correct the manual diff capacity is 4.2qts. Unless a huge amount remains undrainable in the tranny the low <3 qts could very well explain some strange shifting behavior of my 1995 impreza, at cold startup temperatures. I will post this later on another thread perhaps.

 

So, leading to my question regarding the rear diffs....

 

Well, after doing the front, i was going to do the rear diff as well. From reading some USMB searched posts on this, I was under the impression a square 1/2 inch drive would fit right in and be able to remove the top and bottom drain plugs. But on inspection, I see that the drain plugs are regular hex nuts. Does anybody know what the size of these might be? (I think it's somewhere between 17 and 19mm), 18mm or 19mm?

[99obw]

I don't know what size they are, but let me offer a tip I picked up recently, just can't remember where from, probably from the USMB.

 

Remove the fill plug first. If you remove the fill plug first and can't get the drain plug out no big deal, put it back together and take it to a shop. If you remove the drain plug first and can't get the fill plug out you can't fill it back up.

[Turbone]

Uh, who said it was a good idea to drain the fluid out of a AT, and then run it thru the gears with the engine running? Anyone see anything wrong with this pic? Or did I misread the post.

Rob

[boxerhummfetish]

>Well, after doing the front, i was going

>to do the rear diff as well. From reading

>some USMB searched posts on this, I

>was under the impression a square 1/2

>inch drive would fit right in and be able

>to remove the top and bottom drain

>plugs. But on inspection, I see that the

>drain plugs are regular hex nuts. Does

>anybody know what the size of these

>might be? (I think it's somewhere

>between 17 and 19mm), 18mm or 19mm?

The correct answer to the size of the bolt: use a 17mm socket (for the rear diff on a manual transmission impreza).

I finally got around to doing this. The top bolt was a tight as a mofo, but I got it loose finally (after using a pipe around the short 3/8 in driver, and my hulk like powers).