[Lino]

Yes I have been doing a bit of reading, I read about draining and refilling about 3.5 quarts, noting about a filter, does the transmission have a filter, when you guys change the fluid are you removing the pan, or is there a drain plug?
I want to change the transmission fluid and filter on my 2005 AT, do I buy a filter and gasket kit or it just has a screen filter that can be cleaned and reused?
My owners manual said use Dexron III, this is good right, I read about other fluid recommendations, but must be for other years.
Also what kind of oil is in the front differential?

 

[2.5x_sleeper]

The ATF filter is maintenance free, per the Subaru technical documents. If you change it, I'd recommend getting a genuine Subaru ATF filter & it is expensive. Subaru part number - 38325AA032 :icon_eek:

From the Subaru technical documents.
Recommended ATF:

• SUBARU ATF HP

Substitute ATF:

• IDEMITSU: ATF HP
• Castrol: Transmax J
• Pennzoil Quaker State: Pennzoil ATF-J

We're using Red Line Synthetic ATF & Red Line Synthetic oil in the rear differential. :wink:

Bobby...

['07 FSXT MODding Journal] ['03 X MODding Journal]

 

[adc]

Don't buy an aftermarket one. Aftermarket ATF filters are identical to the Engine oil filter. There is some evidence that the engine oil filter will not pas enough flow. In other words the Subaru ATF filter filters less and flows more.

 

[snajper69]

subaru atf-hp is backwords compatible and the only one subaru recomends dextron for emergency use only and some reported not as smooth shifting

 

[funkymonkey1002]

The 06+ requires the HP fluid, however the 03-05 requires Dex 3.

If you want to change the ATF filter, its a spin on filter on the side of the trans. Get an OEM one, an aftermarket one will not flow the same as oem.

Front and rear diff take 75w90

I believe there may be another filter if you remove the transmission pan, but theres really no need to do that if you're just doing a drain and fill.

 

[Tremo]

If you change that spin-on filter on the side of the tranny, do use only the OEM from the stealer. When you pull off the old filter, you'll lose about another quart of ATF.

For the older Dex3 trannys, Redline D4 works great.

 

[O_T_L]

ATF filter on a 5MT??

Hi. I just got back from taking in my mother's '09 Forester for a fluids service, and on closer inspection of the invoice, it appears they have billed us for an ATF filter, while the car is a manual.

At first glance I thought it was an air filter, and the five units of ATF were a power steering flush, which I thought was awesome. Then I noted the two units of 75W90. I have an '05 WRX and have changed these fluids myself, and IIRC it took just under three quarts to do the front diff + tranny, AND rear diff. There also appears to be an MT drain plug gasket listed. :shrug:

So I present to thee, my questions three:

- Does this look like an ordinary fluid service for a 4EAT? (if yes, this is a simple mix up of AT/MT)

- How much gear oil is in Subau's containers (2 @ $15.12)? (one for the front, one for the rear?)

- How can I know if they changed the rear diff fluid, at all?

Just trying to be as informed as possible before I call them up tomorrow and "alert them of their mistakes". Thanks in advance for your info.

 

[adc]

So I present to thee, my questions three:

- Does this look like an ordinary fluid service for a 4EAT? (if yes, this is a simple mix up of AT/MT)

- How much gear oil is in Subau's containers (2 @ $15.12)? (one for the front, one for the rear?)

- How can I know if they changed the rear diff fluid, at all?

Just trying to be as informed as possible before I call them up tomorrow and "alert them of their mistakes". Thanks in advance for your info.

I am pretty easy going but I would go in there and politely ask them what they are going to do for you...in light of this obvious ripp-off attempt. They owe you A BIG REFUND ($100+)

Those costs are very high. 2 hours max and anyone with a minimal amount of skill could do the job. Tell them you no confidence they did 'any' of the work.

Welcome to the board.

 

[flstffxe]

Looks like some one invoiced it wrong to me, probably an honest mistake.

Many shops/dealers have these jobs preset in the computer system, IE scroll down one line too far and you get a trans service for an 4EAT VS a 5MT.

I would just ask to speak to the tech to see what service/s he performed on the car. This will tell you if it was a simple billing mistake.

 

[O_T_L]

Thanks for the insights guys (gals?? any of those on here?). I also thought, "that's a lot of time for fluids service!" Especially with a lift and all the right tools, extractors, a bleeder, etc. I'd have done all of this myself, but I'm just visiting here and don't have as much as a jack, much less a T70 bit. I'll update on the results later.

I thought I'd made an introductory post for this forum already. Guess that was one of the other ones.. :icon_rolleyes: I'll have to get on that...

 

[O_T_L]

Okay, I haven't called the dealership, yet, but I did go through my mom's service records and found that the two previous 48K services were properly billed as manual transmissions. Some of the prices appear to have changed over the years, the labor stays the same at an atrocious $331 for 4 hours(listed on another page), and total cost for parts is $15 less for the MT compared to the AT. That's the good news.

There are a couple discrepancies, though. First of all, all the above parts add up to $131.18, which, IMO, is a big rounding up to the $139.00 that they charge.

Secondly, I noticed that they are charging for a fuel filter. I seem to recall the newer Subies ALL have the filter in the tank now. Now I don't see the dealership digging out the fuel pump, disassembling it, and replacing a fuel filter that they routinely claim never needs to be changed. Sure enough, I googled the part number, and it's the discontinued fuel filter!

So if flstffxe is correct and the billing system is pre-configured, they've been charging every customer who comes in for a 48K km service, on any 2005 or newer Subaru, for a $51.82 fuel filter that cannot be installed, for the past SEVEN YEARS?!

:mob: :mob: :mob: [aruguably the best smiley you guys have here]

I didn't want to have to believe those ugly dealership stereotypes, especially since these guys are friendly and seem to be doing good work, at least. And I want to piss off my mom's mechanics less than I want to piss off my own food handlers, but this is accounting ineptitude bordering on fraud.

So I think I'm going to do this like so: ask that they print out a new, correct, service record for me, and credit the $15 difference. Then I can see if they are still charging for that fuel filter. Then I don't know what to do. Something, something, service manager, right? Suggestions?

I realise this post has nothing to do with AT filters or '03-'05 fozzies, but I'm unfamiliar with the forum categories and/or your priority of staying on topic, so I went with: keeping the story flowing.

 

[Georgie]

http://www.licmotorsports.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/product_full/_mg_0072.jpg

 

[GotDiesel]

Was searching around for info. re AT filter due to a leaking one (rusted) on a recently inherited '99 outback and found this thread before I found another that linked here w/a lot of info. Subaru transmission filter IS different - Page 5 - Subaru Outback - Subaru Outback Forums re OE vs. various aftermarket filters. I will be off to the dealer tomorrow to compare the carquest made in Taiwan one I bought for $12 vs. the dealer $34 one. That thread also answered why the filter leaked at idle but I manged to get home a few hundred miles from the airport w/o a problem except at the tolls - the filter does not get flow when the TC is locked, which it was most of the trip (interstate), thank goodness since it was my elderly parents and 200+ pounds of luggage in the car!

 

[adc]

I will be off to the dealer tomorrow to compare the carquest made in Taiwan one I bought for $12 vs. the dealer $34 one.

All you need to know is that the Subaru filter allows the bulk of the tranny oil to go through the screen and straight through. Ale the filter media in the filter filters maybe a few percent of the oil every time through. So the entire oil volume is filtered maybe once every half hour.

As a result the pressure drop through the Subaru filter is non existant and the flow will be max. The aftermarket ones filters all of the oil so the result is that the flows and pressures are not right.

Don't waste any of your efforts researching something that has been discussed ad-nausea on here (if you chose to search.)

The new filter mesh has been redesigned

 

[kjohannes]

OEM Filter

I changed out my ATF fluid a little less than 10k miles ago. I didn't have access to an OEM filter and my mechanic friend (no Subie specific) said its all the same. He also convinced me to put in the Lucas Oil atf fluid aid stuff. Not sure if that was a good idea or not. It definitely shifted better in Drive and slightly better from P, N, D, etc.

Needless to say, I am changing out my fluid this week with ATF fluid (valvoline high mileage stuff) and no Lucas oil additive. I also purchased an OEM filter. Doing so because I am paranoid and finally have time to do it and also because I feel its shifting more difficult from P, N, D, etc. Shifting while driving I haven't had a change.

I was organizing my garage and I clumsily hit the filter (still in the box), off the countertop and onto the cement floor. I cursed and picked it up to open and inspect. I couldn't find anything except a very small dent like thing, almost a small "crease". It kind of looks like the paint cracked and there may be a slight deformation. It's located right in the middle of where the indents are for tightening/loosening. It wasn't a bad as I thought.

My concern is that the ATF filter is compromised and I need to buy another *sigh* I hope not. I need some opinions on this. The last thing I want to do is install it and have a leak and have to do this all over again. But going to the dealer and getting another is almost just as big of a hassle and I wont have time until next month to do it...

I can get a pic uploaded later tonight once I am at home.

 

[adc]

My concern is that the ATF filter is compromised and I need to buy another *sigh* I hope not. I need some opinions on this. The last thing I want to do is install it and have a leak and have to do this all over again. But going to the dealer and getting another is almost just as big of a hassle and I wont have time until next month to do it...

I can get a pic uploaded later tonight once I am at home.

I personally wouldn't worry about it. Shake it and if nothing rattles you should be fine.

 

[kjohannes]

Good! But Question?

Nothing rattled and I installed and changed the fluid yesterday. Seems good to go!

I know there are other threads on this but man is that dipstick hard to read accurately! It took forever to fill a little and check. Fill a little and check. And then go drive around for it to be hot inbetween.

I read somewhere here on another thread that auto tran change was like 3.5 quarts or something. But I looked in the manual and it says 9.8 I think? Either way a big difference. I don't have a way to measure fluids I drain (and I think it was overfilled anyway). So I added 3.5 quarts and checked (it was low and didn't even show up on the cold scale). But drove a bit and it shifted super hard and loud. Came back and added in 0.5-1q at a time. I had to add a total of 7.5q (includes first 3.5q) in order to get it to the low mark on hot scale. I did drive around a mile or so inbetween filling as well. But left it as is for the night.

I checked it after my drive home from work and it looks like it's way higher than the full mark on the hot scale now. Either that or fluid in the tube is messing up my readings. It was hot last night when I filled and drove and checked so I'm not sure why they are different.

We are pretty busy as we just purchased our first home and moved so I apologize for lack of clear specs and/or links. Just don't have time. Plus no internet here for the week :/.