Drats, I thought I had everything set on my '96 Legacy, then I figured I better check the ATF. It was wayyyyy low. So I started adding, and it took 2.5 quarts to get back to the right point. I'm surprised it had no shifting difference even on pretty steep hills being that it was that low.

 

Then looking under the vehicle, I saw a slow drip of ATF. Then I noticed it was coming from the metal ATF pipes under the battery. Hopefully it can be a quick repair with some transmission hose and clamps. I did it on my '94 a couple years back but the pipes under where the heater core hoses are kind of restricted access.

You can make new hardlines if they are rusted out - order the molded hoses from the dealer if they make any sharp turns. It's worth it.

 

GD

Hm thanks for the info, I hadn't thought about that. What would I use, 3/8" or so steel line with a single flare at the end or something like that?

 

New ones look to be about $44, maybe I should use up some Subaru bucks. http://subarupartsforyou.com/cp_partdetail.php?partid=11587

Edited November 1, 201114 yr by porcupine73

I bypass it and run ATF hose from the cooler all the way to the trans. done right it's never going to fail and eliminates a few hose/clamp connections, so you "gain" reliability in terms of removing points of failure. and it's all really simple and easy to repair that way too.

I could grab a set from the yard, but $44 is pretty cheap for new.

the hose is 5/16" or the mm equivalent. so not 3/8's.

I'm going to try to patch it up tonight. Else it's going to cost me more in ATF than gasoline to drive this thing haha.

 

I think the hose I have is 13/32" from Permacool. I think they made it that size to accommodate both 5/16" and 3/8" applications.

Thanks. I replaced it with hose last night. I really needed to get it fixed quickly so I can get to work with it. I had a 25 foot box of Goodyear 3/8" trans cooler hose so that is what I used. I don't think it was way too big, it still took a bit of effort and twisting and force to get it to slide onto the pipes.

 

I can't say I was happy looking at the pipes that go from the trans and stub up under the heater core hoses, those were very rusty too. I sprayed them thoroughly with some eastwood wax undercoating or something I had on hand so hopefully that will delay them rusting out completely.

 

Man the salt winters here just eat the snot out of the poor car after 15 years. I don't know how many more years I will be able to get out of this before something major rusts out.

 

While under there I noticed both boots on the left axle are blown. It looks like the thing went through a minefield because the cv grease is all over the place, plus the ATF from the dripping is all over everything too.

crack, finish up work only to find more. well one thing tackled at least.

haha exactly it does seem that way. It seems like it runs in packs. Like everything will be ok for many months or even a year, then suddenly a bunch of things go wrong or get noticed all at once between all of them.

haha exactly it does seem that way. It seems like it runs in packs. Like everything will be ok for many months or even a year, then suddenly a bunch of things go wrong or get noticed all at once between all of them.

good call, we need to just quit looking under our cars and drive them

good call, we need to just quit looking under our cars and drive them

 

yeah, and put black electrical tape over the CEL and the temp gauge.

 

out of sight out of mind.

Hm...now that you mention it, I do notice a correlation between looking under the hood or under the vehicle and the number of repairs that occur in the days following......

 

Doctor, my elbow hurts when I go like this.