I just bought my first Subaru, and I've been enjoying reading this site -- it's great!

 

Here's my question: I bought a 1998 Subaru Legacy wagon (4WD, 2.2 liter engine) for my daughter, who will be driving soon. I do as much maintenance as I can, and I have gotten into the habit of buying my oil filters from the dealers.

 

So I went to the dealer the other day and bought six oil filters. The kid working there then gave me six metallic gaskets. At first, I thought they would go on the drain plug, but he told me they go on the oil filter. He placed one on a concave part of the filter, right where the innermost hole is, where the filter threads onto the stud. I asked him if it was a crushable gasket (he gave me six gaskets), and he said yes.

 

The gaskets appear to be mettalic, and are fairly lightwieght. I'm not sure what they are made of, but they are light colored. IIRC, one side there is a groove or lip.

 

As I said, this is my first Subaru that I've owned, but in all the other cars that I've owned (Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Ford, Jeep), I've never seen anything like this. Is this really the way Subaru does things? I've never heard of an oil filter requiring an inner, metallic, crushable gasket.

 

TIA.

 

Dave in Springfield

Dave,

 

 

I don't think the parts guy understands what he is selling. In my experience, the only "gasket" involved in putting on a Subaru filter is the large rubber one built into the base of the filter. Your instinct about the ones sold you being for the oil drain plug is probably correct.

Bill

Yeah, those sound like the crush washers for the drain plug. The oil filter's gasket is built in.

definately for the drain plug

 

not for the filter

 

Jamie

Drain plug gaskets, no question.

Yes, it is most certainly for the drain plug. The only gasket for the filter is the rubber ring that comes already on the filter.

 

Which dealer was this?! Sounds like what I'd expect from Stohlman's, based on my experience...