Heads Up 2006 Oil Change!!!!!

[The Dude]

In most ways I like my 06 Forester even better than my 99 Forester. But not for oil and filter changes. The oil filter on the 06 is SURROUNDED by the exhaust pipes. A socket type oil filter tool is needed because the clearance is so damn tight. Futher, the 2006 2.5L NA engine uses a filter with a much smaller diameter than the oil filter used on the 99 engine. I wonder what other surprises are in store for me with my new 06? I'm actually getting about 3 mpg more with 06 over the 99, so there's at least one good surprise, anyway.

[blitz]

I've noticed that all the official Subaru fuel consumption figures are higher for '06 than for previous years.

 

I guess the smaller oil filter is to keep the exhaust heat away from it.

 

**** ******!

[Setright]

I just did the 3k intial oil change on my 06, 2.5XT and wasn't bothered by exhaust pipes. Perhaps my turbo has different routing. I mean, it's still close but I could get my hand on the filter.

 

Leave the car to cool for fifteen minutes, the exhaust pipes do cool down quite fast.

[Steve B]

I have 97 miles on my '06 Outback 2.5 non turbo model. I put 307,000 miles (still going) on my '87 GL with twin stick tranny. I'll grit my teeth and go 3,000 miles to the ffirst oil change on the new car, then use 0W-30 Castrol synthetic. What oil filters are you guys using? The stock filter looks pretty small!

[The Dude]

I have 97 miles on my '06 Outback 2.5 non turbo model. I put 307,000 miles (still going) on my '87 GL with twin stick tranny. I'll grit my teeth and go 3,000 miles to the ffirst oil change on the new car, then use 0W-30 Castrol synthetic. What oil filters are you guys using? The stock filter looks pretty small!

 

It is pretty small. In fact, I'll have to be real careful because the oil filter for my 06 Forester and my 15 hp John Deere garden tractor are identical in size. I had hoped otherwise, but I guess O6 may be the first year for "variable" timing in the 2.5L engine. The change in cam position is done with oil pressure, and the engine has solid lifters, again. It's a little disconcerting, I knew the 99 2.5L engine pretty well, and there's quite a bit on the 06 engine that I don't even recognise.

One bad thing about Subaru, they have a well established history as using their customers as unpaid, and uninformed, beta testers. Subaru will throw some half baked component, or engineering change, out in the market, and let their customers do the field testing, at their own expense. Can anyone say "continuous variable transmission"? Anyway, if this the first year for variable timing that may not be a good thing. But I have to say, I just averaged 28+mpg for a tank of mostly suburban driving, not too bad.

Bosch makes a filter for the new 06 2.5L engine. It's a premuim filter, I used Bosch on my 99 Forester to 200,000 miles with good results.

[Steve B]

I did a little research on filter interchange. The WIX 51365 is the stock, small filter. The WIX 51356 has all the same dimensions and internals as the small version, the only difference being that it's longer by about and inch, so I'll be using the bigger filter.

 

Now regarding the variable timing, I agree on the first year thing, although I think the Subaru people are pretty damn good engineers, which counts for something.. I have been looking for a solid description on how this system works, and have heard everything from Dudes version to a special intake lifter design that changes with increased oil pressure giving more lift at higher rpm.

 

I purchased the 7 year/100,000 warranty because iof the new variable valve technology and because of all the electronics in new cars. I figure if the engine can hang together mechanically for 100,000 miles it will likely go more.

[DerFahrer]

Yeah, it appears that all 06 2.5i (or 2.5X in your case) models with the EJ253 engine have a "turbo" exhaust that routes in front of the oil pan instead of Y-ing off into the cat.

 

And Subaru now uses ONE filter for ALL 4cyl engines, including the EJ18 and EJ22 engines. OEM part number is 15208AA100.