bluebird

I have an 1998 Outback wagon 2.5, auto trans, AWD with about 87,000. I bought it used a couple of months ago and have no service history. I want to service the trans even though it seems to be working OK. The fluid looks good and doesn't smell burned at all. I want to know if this car has the screw on filter and if so is there also a filter inside the pan that also needs to be serviced? If there is no filter inside the pan should I drop the pan as part of the service or just use the drain plug? I have looked under the car and do not see an external screw on filter but my dealer parts guy and service dept guy both say it has one. I have decided against a flush as most say it is risky. Some have recommended that I just drain the fluid from the pan and change the filters, wherever they are and do it agian after about 10, 000 miles or so. Do any of yo have an opinion about that. Any advice would be most welcome. Thanks Frank

Hi, This is a followup to a post I made several weeks ago. I have had trouble logging on until now and want to see if I can get more info. I have a drive train binding problem with low speed sharp turns. 1995 outback wagon maanum trans AWD. Grossgary responded to my last post and suggested removing the last section of the driveshaft to make it a FWD car. I like this idea and was wondering if anyone could give me a little more detail before I go ahead with it. Should I mark the relationship between the yokes and the shaft so I can get the shaft back in the same place? As I see it the front part of the driveshaft will be truning and held in place by the center bearing and the rear wheels will be spinning the rear differential. Is this right? Anyway thanks in advance for whatever help you can provide. Bluebird

I have been reading about the fuse that can be removed and replaced that chages the drive from AWD to FWD. Is this true only for AT cars. I have a manual 1995 outback wagon that binds up, been told it is the viscus coupling, when I turn sharp in hot weather. It is getting warmer here and it is starting to do this again. If there is a fuse with manual trans can I use it as a way of emlinating the binding during the summer and then go back to AWD in winter? Thnaks Frank

Hello again Thank you for all the great feedback on my valve noise question which turns out to be piston slap. As I mentioned in other post I just bought this car and don't have a manual. Today I noticed that when locking or unlocking the driver side door with the key the rest of the doors don't lock or unlock as I am used to on my other wagons. Is there a button that disarms this? Or is it something I have to fix if so any ideas whre to start. I assume in the door panel somewhere. thank you Frank

Yes sorry I should have given the mileage and temp. Car has 83,000 (one reason why I bought it) and even though it is suposed to be spring here is the Washington dc area it has been around freezing in the mornings I have started it so far. I guess I'm glad to hear it is piston slap in a way esp since yu guys think that isn't a problem. Is that Castrol high mileage referring the oil itself or an additve made by Castrol? I have two other subaru wagons 92 and 95 both have 2.2 and don't make as much noise on start up. I assume this is a 2.5 thing. Thnaks again for all the solid info. Frank

Hello again, I have posted several messages in the last couple of days regarding the 1998 outback wagon I just bought. I have noticed that there is considerable valve noise when I first start the car in the morning. It settles down to the noraml subaru clicking level after it warms up. I know the valves are adjustable in this engine but assume if they were out of adjustment they would make noise all the time. Any ideas what is causing this and what I can to to correct it? Do you think an additve like Resiline(sp) might help? thanks in advance Frank

I posted a message last night about checking AT fluid and got some great help thanks. I just bought this car 2 dyas ago and have never had an auto trans subaru before, had many manuals. So I don't know exactly how it is supposed to shift, but it seems harder now than it was the first day I had it. No clunks but you can feel it in your back. The rest of the shifts are much smoother. The fluid isn't a rosy red but not really brown either. Also when I check it hot it seems about right but when I check it cold it registers higher than when hot. I know it is not supposed to be that way. Also is the dual dexron III/mecron fluid OK? I'm thinking of taking it to a local transmission shop to get their view. I have a 30 day or 1000 mile warranty. Any insight or experience would be mcuh appreciated.

I just purchased a used 1998 outback wagon 2.5 L it didn't come with an owners manual. I want to know how to properly check the ATF hot ? cold? which gear ? If someone can give me the correct proceedure I would appreciate it and also what type of fluid should I use if I need to add any? One more thing the vavles sound a little noisy, I think this engine uses adjustable lifters. Is this normal or should I adjust the valeves or try an additive? Thank you

Thanks for the feedback. I was led to understand that the VC has its own silicone fulid and it is self contained, so that the transaxle/tranny fluid has no bearing on the VC. I did change the tranny/tranaxle oil and that had no effect really. Not sure if I would gain anything by using synthetic unless I have been given bad info about all this. If I fix it at all I'm leaning toward just replacing the VC which I guess is a dealer only item. Do you know if this can be done without removing the tranny? Someone told me you just have to take out the tail shaft. The car has 160,000. I bought it used 2 1/2 years ago for 3000.00 so I'm not going to put a whole lot into it. I also just may drive it as is for as long as I can. Any ideas where I can get info on how to do the job if I decide to go that route. Thanks Frank

I have a 1995 Outback with a manual trans and AWD. Lately when I have driven the car for a while and then try to make a low speed sharp turn, as into parking space, the drive train seems to lock up. It acts normally if I only drive a few minutes before parking. So far I have read that this is probably due to a bad viscous coupling. But there seems to be some variation on the theme as to where it is located, if it can be fixed or must be replaced, if it can be done with the trans in the car, where you can buy one and what one costs. And is there any easy test to make sure the VC is the problem. Any chance it could invole the brakes? If any of you have been throught this I would appreciate any insight you can provide