Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

Tranny Fluid Replacement and Tranny Cooler?


Recommended Posts

Ok, I think my tranny is not doing real well on my 93 Legacy SW, 144k miles. A few things:

 

What type of fluid do you recommend for a high mileage car?

 

Anyone have a link or info on replacing the fluid (and filter if it exists).

 

Anyone ever try an after market tranny fluid cooler? I hear they extend the tranny life quite a bit and are usually about $50. Seems like a good investment to me.

 

Thank you all!

Take care...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure how the newer Legacies are, but my 91 has one filter attached (in between the fluid line going to the radiator) located under the battery and then there is the filter/screen inside the tranny that you need to take out the fluid pan to change it.

 

When you flush out the old fluid, I would recommend putting new full synthetic fluid in for maximum efficiency. Just make sure to flush out the old fluid completely. For me, I added a cooler in front of the radiator, connected the new cooler by way of using fuel line, attached in between the the fluid line of the external filter and the radiator.

 

It does its job well and help cool the tranny fluid alot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's on the left side of the radiator (driver side). Look carefully, you should see two lines connected to the two prongs there, I don't remember which is the IN or OUT. It doesn't matter as long as you connect one to the external cooler and link it so it goes back to the tranny.

 

Here's a little direction

 

Items you will need:

 

1. Two fuel lines 1.5 - 2 feet. (Make sure they fit the prongs on the new external cooler - very important.)

2. One adaptor that fits the fuel line of the external cooler and of the line from the tranny.

 

Remove the fans and their protectors then the radiator. Install your external cooler in front of your radiator using the included accessories and directions. (Your external cooler should be slim enough to fit in between the space between the radiator and AC condenser. If not, get a different one.) Before putting the radiator back there, install the two fuel lines onto the two prongs and put everything back where they belong.

 

Now, loosen the upper line that that goes into the radiator and using an adapter, connect it with one (any) line from the external cooler. (Don't touch the bottom line/prong on the radiator). Then connect the one line remaining from the external cooler to the prong on the radiator.

 

After done, you should have something like this: Line from the tranny into the bottom prong on the radiator, out from the radiator into the external cooler, out from the external cooler (adapted) and back in to the tranny. Now, you have a continual flow of fluid throughout the whole thing and the external cooler will cool down the fluid.

 

Hope this helps. I hope my directions are clear. If not, let me know and I will try to explain them another way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DON'T USE FUEL LINE!!!!

 

The lines needed are special high-pressure high-temperature tranny cooler lines. Around $3.00 per foot at your local parts store. Fuel line won't last long in this application. A tranny cooler kit should come with the proper line, though it may not be enough.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could be mistaken, but I think fuel line can take more pressure though not sure about the temperature. The tranny line/system is not pressurized like that of the fuel line/system. I can connect and disconnect tranny line without doing any depressurizing but not with fuel line as there is always high pressure in the fuel line, so the apposite may be true of what you said. Again, I'm not saying you are wrong, I'm just telling it from experience (opinion) and not based on technical data.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That transmission cooler is a good idea. I don't know why I didn't think of that. I went out and bought one today after work. Then I got a little carried away and put STI on it in a blue metallic. Looks really cool. Had an idea. So I welded up some custom mounts for it to be sitting above the engine right under the hood scoop. :banana: I was about to remove the black plastic molding from the hoodscoop to let more airflow in when finally common sense hit me. Duh this would probably be worse. The heat from the engine rising up to the cooler would probably make matters worse. Kinda put a damper on my day. :mad: I was in the midst of making a really fake sti. So now I am sitting here thinking about just putting it up front where it belongs...or possibly a heat shield??? hmmm yeah probably up front.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, everyone has been great. Here is what I did today and it has really helped the tranny slip issue:

 

Bought 4 quarts of synthetic blend ATF. Would go full syn, but money is very tight right now. Also bought Lucas Transmission Fixer (or something like that). Well, I can say that my tranny is slipping 90-95% less! WAY BETTER!

 

I noticed that when I was draining the tranny, it seemed like it was going to go on forever, in fact I think I got about 6 quarts out, something seems wrong with that number, however, I only put about 4 qts back in and it seems to be at the right level. Any ideas on this?

 

For the COOLER, anyone know what size we could easily fit on my 92 (not 93, my Dad always said it was a 93, but alas, today I find it to be a 92) Legacy? Subaru X, what did you get, did you go tube and fin?

 

Here is a site that has some cool tranny coolers for all of you that are interested.

http://www.bulkpart.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=MDITP&Category_Code=Coolers

 

The Tru-Cool LPD Transmission cooler

looks like a nice idea...

 

Anyway, looks like the traany cooler is NEXT for my Sube!

Thank you all!

Take care....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...