00 Outback Wagon tranny/diff question

[Glen4X4]

Hey y'all I'm obviously new, I'm use to trucks not an awd vehicle like this. I'm looking to buy the car tomorrow for a winter car. I test drove it today, seemed to drive and shift well. The owner right now claims to have had the trans fluid and filter changed, the external filter I see is brand new, I checked a yellow dipstick on the passenger side near the firewall, the fluid on the dipstick was a brownish color...it was clean but it was red/pink like I'm use to seeing for ATF.... Does the transmission and front differential share the same fluid like a FWD car? The guy kept claiming that sometimes when putting in Drive that it took a couple seconds for the tranny to engage he messed with the shifter while sitting still while I was in the driver seat and the engagement delay seemed normal to me...and from my research it seems to be a common thing amongst Subarus around this year anyway and doesn't indicate transmission failure in the near future. I am sorry for the long post! Look forward to talking to ya!

 

EDIT: It doesn't matter but the car is an Outback Sedan not a wagon.

Edited November 9, 2014 by Glen4X4

[johnceggleston]

 

I checked a yellow dipstick on the passenger side near the firewall,

this is the front diff dip stick.

the ATF dip stick is at the fire wall center of the engine, slightly drivier side,

it is under the AC and heater hoses.

check both fluids to make sure he didn't put ATF in the diff,

or failed to refill the trans.

 

 

Does the transmission and front differential share the same fluid like a FWD car?

 

not on the auto trans, only the manual trans.

 

 

when putting in Drive that it took a couple seconds for the tranny to

engage he messed with the shifter while sitting still while I was in the

driver seat and the engagement delay seemed normal to me

not uncommon on the 00 auto trans.

a fluid change ( 3 drain and fills ) plus a qt of TRANS-X should control it.

but not if the trans is low on fluid.

[Glen4X4]

Your responses are excellent johnceggleston. Thanks for the information! I did then infact check the front differential fluid, the owner said he took it to a shop for the trans fluid and filter change. I will check the correct dipstick tomorrow before completing the transaction, it should be fine if a shop did it but hey some shops aren't out there to make an honest buck. Overall I'm impressed with an old car like this, it was either taken care of well or these Subaru's are just pretty well built.

[Glen4X4]

I told the fella I was getting the car from that I was told about a fluid to put in it and he said the tech already put a conditioner in it. So therefore I am not adding anything, I will have to change the fluid and filter myself to be sure and since you told me to drain and fill three times with the trans-X added into it. I am also going to recheck the fluid level a couple times....from what my wife experienced it sounds like low fluid level. While on a hill with the front pointed down the car wasn't engaging but when giving it a little bit of throttle while in drive it kicked in. Will update when I know further.... It's a pretty old car so I don't expect it to be perfect but have to get it to good running condition. Thanks again!

[porcupine73]

While on a hill with the front pointed down the car wasn't engaging but when giving it a little bit of throttle while in drive it kicked in.

Hopefully it's just the level, but that does _not_ sound good. The 'slow to engage to drive' issue seems to usually begin with it taking longer and longer to engage into drive, then to the point where it won't engage until it gets a little throttle ... and then more throttle etc. The TransX a lot of people have reported good results. I never had that issue on my '00obw at 200k miles but some bearing or something in the front diff ended up going out.

[johnceggleston]

FYI:

a dose of Trans-X does not last for ever.

best info shows it lasts about a year.

and then it must be re-added.

 

and if you change the ATF, 3 drain and fills, and add a qt of Trans-X,

you will have effectively removed all the old ATF and Trans-X.

so do that each year and 2 things will be true,

1/ your ATF will always be fresh

2/ Trans-X will always be helping your trans problem.

Edited November 10, 2014 by johnceggleston

[Glen4X4]

I followed the suggestions, I figured the "conditioner" the tech put in was either weak or just snake oil. I put a quart of Trans-X in it, ate supper went out and waited for the trans to engage drive and drove it about 5 miles through town and then a back road. I tested it on a couple hills but being warm I couldn't be sure that it fixed the issue even though it didn't engage going to park then drive when warm earlier today. I let the car cool down to almost non operating temperature and started it again and put it in drive and it immediately engaged. Tomorrow morning will prove whether or not it has really helped, to me it seems like it. I figure if this helped resolve the issue then I will drive it for a week or two and change out the fluid and put fresh in again and add the trans-x. Thanks again.

[Rooster2]

I have used the Trans-X fix for 5 years now on my 99 OBW, and it continues to work well. I have added only 1he smaller bottle containing, I think, 15 oz of fluid. So, a quart added is too much IMO. Trans-X has low viscosity, meaning that it is very "watery," and may dilute your ATF too much.

 

Here is the original write up on Trans-X. Well worth your reading it..........        

FIXED!! Trany delayed forward engagement Edited November 10, 2014 by Rooster2

[Glen4X4]

 

I have used the Trans-X fix for 5 years now on my 99 OBW, and it continues to work well. I have added only 1he smaller bottle containing, I think, 15 oz of fluid. So, a quart added is too much IMO. Trans-X has low viscosity, meaning that it is very "watery," and may dilute your ATF too much.

 

Here is the original write up on Trans-X. Well worth your reading it..........        

FIXED!! Trany delayed forward engagement

Yeah I had notice when putting it in the car last night that it was very thin....and the car went into drive when I tried it this morning. I've never heard of an additive actually helping a car so this is pretty cool.

[porcupine73]

It's great the TransX did the trick. It works in this case because the issue is caused by a shrinking seal, and additives like TransX tend to have extra seal swell agents, so it's kind of a 'match made in heaven'.