I did some searching and I certainly know that my universal synthetic will work. But I can get Dexron/Mercon III for like 10 bucks a case less.

 

I have no owners manual.

 

Dealer uses Mopar 4+ or something and didn't know what was really called for.

 

Anyone have the answer. Or better yet a link to something with capacities, fluid specs, etc.

 

I just pulled the plug for the first drain.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

Is there an owners manual in the glove box? I would think it's just regular ATF, like all the 97's I own?

 

Does it have the spin on filter of the newer style transmission (that came out in 98/99)?

No owners manual. It's a Legacy L 2.2 so I doubt it has a spin on filter but I actually didn't look when I was under there pulling the plug.

 

Also to further refine what regular ATF is - would that be Merc/Dex II or merc/Dex III?

 

I'm off to look for an external filter.

 

Dave

man i barely think about it - i think it's all III now isn't it? III meets all the requirements and spec's of II.

No external filter. I had checked the level and it looked good. Got just over 4 quarts out.

 

I thought for sure I'd be able to find the specs here. I know the exotic stuff and universal synthetic will work. I was trying to see if the Dex/Merc III met specs or not.

 

Dave

I just tried endwrench but don't have a subscription so nogo.

 

Dave

The Dextron III is what you want.

Yes, Dexron-III/Mercon is correct.

I just tried endwrench but don't have a subscription so nogo.

Are you having trouble accessing End Wrench?

re: Endwrench. I got to the site, went to owners manuals, found a list of PDF's but couldn't gett ot to any of them without a password.

 

Believe it or not I called Advance and they told me Merc/Dex III. My local place is gonna raise prices tomorrow. I bought 2 cases for 18.95 a case. The first case will go through this 98 Legacy L SW. I jsut got back from picking it up.

 

Thanks for the responses.

 

Dave

DO NOT! NOT!! NOT!!! USE ATF +3 OR +4

 

They contain a modifier that will make the plates "slip" more than "Dex-Merc" - it was for the Chrysler electronic trans. Yes, it's the same as the Dex WITH the "slippery additive" but it slips too much for "normal" AT.

 

BTW - "They" claim you can use Merc-Dex II in a Chrysler, too - but you will burn the clutches up RIGHT NOW (as in10k miles or so) if you add more than about 2 quarts.

re: Endwrench. I got to the site, went to owners manuals, found a list of PDF's but couldn't gett ot to any of them without a password.[...]

Sorry, but I don't see a link for owner's manuals there. Are we talking http://endwrench.com/ , or a different Subaru site?

Look on the tranny dipstick.

Here's the link where I couldn't make another choice without a password on endwrench.

http://techinfo.subaru.com/html/ixSearchNkOm.jsp?level=1&model_year=1998&vehicle_line=Legacy

 

I never looked at the dipstick to see what spec the ATF was. I'll look at it next time. That would just make way too much sense.

 

Dave

Here's the link where I couldn't make another choice without a password on endwrench.

http://techinfo.subaru.com/html/ixSearchNkOm.jsp?level=1&model_year=1998&vehicle_line=Legacy

Okay -- STIS can be linked from the endwrench site, but it's a separate pay site, hence the need for a password.

 

Anyone looking for an owner's manual could consider:

http://www.subaru.com/common/faq/index.jsp#4

They'll send you one if still available.

 

Or, for the PDF version:

https://my.subaru.com/login/login.jsp

You'd have to register, and only 1995-on vehicles are covered.

mercon/dextron III seems to work fine. I'd be real cautious putting any of the Mopar +4 in.

FYI I'm using mercon/Dexron III for the 3 or 4 drain and fills. First one is done. Gotta get the rear brake's done to take it for a drive before drain and fill #2.

 

Dave

I never looked at the dipstick to see what spec the ATF was. I'll look at it next time. That would just make way too much sense.

 

Dave

 

Subarus tend to make a lot more sense than a lot of other cars. That is why I fell in love with mine the first time I opened up the hood. It is also why I prefer to work on them over any other car (I do mobile mechanic work in the SF Bay Area)

In case you wanted info that may seem more confusing that helpful:

 

There's no such thing as Dex III any more. It is not being licensed by GM any longer. So, it's a matter of trust that the oil manufacturer is still meeting all aspects of that now-dead spec; there's no testing of the spec-maker to verify. GM is only licensing Dex VI now, which is a significantly different fluid than Dex III. Dex VI supersedes and is to be used instead of Dex III according to GM. However, Subaru says that their new ATF supersedes and replaces everything they were using before. Know what's neat about that? The new Subaru ATF is not the same thing as Dex VI. So, which one are we Subaru owners supposed to use?

We use both at work, We have cases of Subaru ATF/PSF, along with cases of the "new" fluid for the 5 speed automatic, and we have Dexron III in bulk, we usually use the bulk Dexron III since it's pretty mucht the same stuff.

 

Toyota on the other hand, older ones are also Dexron III, newer ones will take T-IV, and some of the brand new ones use ATF WS (World Standard) which is a PITA, most of the cars don't even have a dipstick that use ATF WS, you have to warm the fluid to a specific temperature range and then take a plug out of the bottom of the tranny, and note how the fluid drains out (fast dump = overfilled, steady trickle = good, slow dribble, or no dribble = underrfilled)

 

I prefer the subies, less fluids to keep track of (Although only a handful of the Toyotas use WS fluid)