Needing some good advice here!

 

I walked out to my '03 Impreza outback wagon this morning and was at least quart of ATF on the driveway! The drip is coming from around the seal on the pan. I have not had any issues with this tranny at all, no lag, hard shifts or hesitation whatsoever. Digging around online I found a guy post a diagnostic for a Cadillac that said he had a sudden leak like this after his TCC solenoid locked shut.

 

Just wondering if anyone out there has had a similar issue? I just have a feeling if I take it in without isolating the problem, they are going to say "total rebuild."

 

Thanks for your help!

Check the cooler lines that go between the trans and the radiator. Either the rubber split out on the hose, or one of the steel lines rusted through at an attachment clip. I would suspect this first. What you are looking at is far different than a cadillac(by design and common parts manufacture), especially with the age of the car, and if you live in a rusty environment(road salts). Not to rule out your original suspicions, but you should rule out the lines are leaking.

Somewhere in the cooler lines or filter would be likely locations for it to leak.

 

It could be leaking that much around the pan gasket I would guess but it doesn't seem many people say they have had that happen. Sometimes a leak looks like it is dripping from a particular point, but is actually running from somewhere else and just dripping off right there.

 

Can you stop with it in drive and have the engine not stall out? Then your torque converter is not locked up.

resist the temptation to drop the pan, as a means of fixing the problem. Dropping the pan, and replacing the gasket is a very nasty job, that often results in a continued leak from the pan, besides to loose that much ATF, it would be darn near impossible for a bad pan gasket to cause that.

 

I am with the others, look for a bad cooler line as the source of the problem. I don't think there is any similarity between Cadillac and Subaru trannys, to gleam any insight on your problem.

 

Suggest adding back ATF, if you want to drive the car to a garage for repair. Don't drive with low ATF. You don't want to entertain damaging the AT.

Plus that phase II 4EAT I believe does not use a transmission pan gasket, it just has some kind of orange colored RTV or something like that.

 

Maybe you dented it on a rock while doing some wheeling?

Thanks everyone for your help!

 

I turned it over briefly to see what might happen, and it started gushing out around the filter, so maybe I can crawl up under there and just tighten it in. Without serious intervention I don't think I could add enough fluid to even drive it 3 blocks the way it is pouring out.

 

I will start with the filter, and also check all of the lines while I am under there. I won't try and pull the pan and gasket--that sounds like a job for the shop, even if I have to have it towed. Great suggestions!

 

Quite odd that it would just blow around the filter so suddenly... the only wheelin' I have done of late was down a mile of pretty tame Arkansas gravel road about 4 days ago. It is always parked on the concreate driveway, and I never saw a drop of ATF or anything before the great flood this morning.

If it is something that went wrong with the filter and is leaking that should be a pretty simple fix. If it's leaking from a line or something above the filter and then leaking onto the filter that might be more work.

 

Use the genuine Subaru ATF filter for the replacement. They do cost more, but they have some metal screening over the internal bypass valve to keep large pieces of junk from getting by and plugging up the cooler.

Sounds like a good place to start! I have been reading several other threads on this filer and it sounds like you have some real world experience, porcupine73. I am looking at a pretty penny to have it towed, so the potential of fixing it with an OEM filter sounds great.

 

This is something where I could just belly up to the dealer and tell them what I need?

BTW, I am pretty sure it is the filter now as it makes a high pitched gurggling sound around the filter when it starts pouring out when it turns over...

Yes any Subaru dealer can get it, a good price is around $20-24, but many will want to charge you more.

 

You can just stick an engine oil filter on there, at least short term, that will get you out from having to have it towed. The thread size and pitch is the same as the engine oil filter, but you might need something a little shorter to clear the obstructions around it. Basically if you get this filter at say a Napa or Autozone, that's what they probably would give you.

If it is the tranny filter, it is not a big deal to replace it yourself. It just screws on like the oil filter. I bought one from an auto parts store about 2 years ago for my '99. Cost maybe $30. It looks just like an oil filter, but guess it is made differently inside, or has a different filtering media.

 

Call auto parts stores for availability if your Subie dealer is not close near by. It is not something that all auto parts stores will have in stock.

Alrighty! Borrowed a car and got the tranny filter in hand from the dealer ('twas $41 with tax, but our dealer here is a bit out of control on prices) and I am going to try it out this morning. I will let you know if it works! Fingers, toes and eyes crossed

Sounds good, hope it fixes it! Of course make sure the old gasket comes off before you put on the new filter.

 

Local dealers often double the list price on walk-in sales; not all of them but many do.

Alrighty! Got the old filter off and it was indeed loose. Did not need a filter wrench at all. No rock dings, but the seal was pretty hard. If it had just vibrated loose and the seal had lost its, uh, squish, then that might be the whole issue. I only had 3 qts of ATF, so I need to get more to top it off, but did not hear the gurgle when I turned it over and ran it through the gears a few times. It is hard to tell if it is not dripping because the funnel keeps running over, but it is sure not gushing any more. I will write back in after a few miles to hopefully give this chapter a close!

 

Any time you can see a HUGE puddle of fluid under your car, and get it fixed for under $75 bucks, is nothing short of a miracle!

 

Thanks to all for your assistance and support.

Sounds good, hopefully that will take care of it!

 

That is kind of unique, I haven't seen anyone say this filter loosened up on them before.

We're rooting for you mel! Do let us know the outcome.