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Transmission fluid change/drain help please?


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Hey all.

 

I own two BP5's and am after advice for the correct trans/gearbox and diff fluids

The 5EAT is the first auto I've ever owned and they are a bit more finicky to service than a manual.

 

The first BP5 I want to talk about is my 04 EZ30 Outback with the 5EAT. this vehicle has 310,000 kms on it and I am planning to drive it down to Queenstown (I live in Nelson, 1500~kms round trip) so i wanna give it a good service to give it the best odds of making it.

My questions for the outback - 

 

1. I hear people saying that it is best to use Subaru ATF from the dealership for the 5EAT? what do you think?

 

2. Is it okay to just do a simple drain and refill? i hear it only replaces half of the fluids or should i buy two lots of oil and do a full flush?

 

3. Front and rear diffs. what oil do you guys recommend? just some good DEX III Penrite or something?

 

4. Does anyone know if this vehicle has a open or LSD in the rear? i would suspect just open?

 

 

My other vehicle is a 04 BP5 EJ20Y B. Spec legacy 5Spd (Yes 5 spd bspec, it was the first year that they made them). 

Questions about the EJ20Y 5spd manual -

 

1. What gear oil would you recommend for the 5spd? 75w90 Penrite?

 

2. Does the manual gearbox share its oil with the front diff? I thought so, please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

3. What Oils for the rear diff (and front diff if its separate to the box)?

 

4. Lastly I'm just curious about the type of diff again. I believe a LSD in the back with a center diff?

 

 

thanks all, all opinions appreciated, cheers

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For the AT, the Subaru 5EAT is a bit of a picky a bastard and really likes the "correct" fluid, which is either Subaru-branded or the actual manufacturer of it, which is Idemitsu ATF-HP, if you can find it. Apparentlt Amsoil also do a "compatible" fluid, ymmv but for a 310k car it's probably not the end of the world.

As for changing it, yes, unless you can pressure-flush it then you leave a whole lot behind. Honestly there's no point doing a double-flush, as, best case, you'll still probably have ~20% old fluid with all the crapola floating around in it. Drain and refill and call it good enough. Also IIRC the filling part is a bit of a mongrel - via the dipstick tube?

 

The diffs all like Syntrax 75w90. If your Outback is a NZ-new car it will almost definitely have an LSD in the rear (probably a viscous one, although rumour abounds that the odd one got a plate diff), but it still likes the same juice.

 

The 5MT, Syntrax for everything. What the diffs are is a complete lolly-scramble, could be anything from open-open-open to open-viscous-viscous.

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I use Penrite Trans Gear 75w-90 for my BP5. I can't say it is awesome but it is adequate. There's a bit of a period between being cold and fully hot where 3rd gear has to be engaged gently at low rpm or it doesn't feel quite right. I have it in the diff too. 

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On 4/05/2023 at 1:34 PM, boon said:

For the AT, the Subaru 5EAT is a bit of a picky a bastard and really likes the "correct" fluid, which is either Subaru-branded or the actual manufacturer of it, which is Idemitsu ATF-HP, if you can find it. Apparentlt Amsoil also do a "compatible" fluid, ymmv but for a 310k car it's probably not the end of the world.

As for changing it, yes, unless you can pressure-flush it then you leave a whole lot behind. Honestly there's no point doing a double-flush, as, best case, you'll still probably have ~20% old fluid with all the crapola floating around in it. Drain and refill and call it good enough. Also IIRC the filling part is a bit of a mongrel - via the dipstick tube?

 

The diffs all like Syntrax 75w90. If your Outback is a NZ-new car it will almost definitely have an LSD in the rear (probably a viscous one, although rumour abounds that the odd one got a plate diff), but it still likes the same juice.

 

The 5MT, Syntrax for everything. What the diffs are is a complete lolly-scramble, could be anything from open-open-open to open-viscous-viscous.

Righto, that's for the info. I'll pick up some Syntrax from super cheap and some HP from the dealership? It's a good point you raise about flushing it, I will always leave a little bit in there and it does have 310,000kms after all. I will probably find that the LSD is worn out to being non existent anyway.

 

 

Thanks for your help!

4 hours ago, Boltonator said:

I use Penrite Trans Gear 75w-90 for my BP5. I can't say it is awesome but it is adequate. There's a bit of a period between being cold and fully hot where 3rd gear has to be engaged gently at low rpm or it doesn't feel quite right. I have it in the diff too. 

Maybe you give this Syntrax a go and see if it helps? Have you already? I have received multiple compliments on how smooth my box is from the few ppl who I have trusted to drive it (mainly the mechanic and alignment guy🤣). If I noticed a change in the feel of my shifts using this Syntrax stuff I'll be sure to let you know!

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On 6/05/2023 at 10:34 AM, Panda said:

Thanks for your help!

Maybe you give this Syntrax a go and see if it helps? Have you already? I have received multiple compliments on how smooth my box is from the few ppl who I have trusted to drive it (mainly the mechanic and alignment guy🤣). If I noticed a change in the feel of my shifts using this Syntrax stuff I'll be sure to let you know!

 

I probably won't before my next change interval in 25000km but I'll get some then. As I said it's just a short interval between cold and hot where it isn't the best feeling (am I feeling each cone synchronise?). Its mint at all other times especially once warm. 

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On 4/05/2023 at 1:34 PM, boon said:

For the AT, the Subaru 5EAT is a bit of a picky a bastard and really likes the "correct" fluid, which is either Subaru-branded or the actual manufacturer of it, which is Idemitsu ATF-HP, if you can find it. Apparentlt Amsoil also do a "compatible" fluid, ymmv but for a 310k car it's probably not the end of the world.

As for changing it, yes, unless you can pressure-flush it then you leave a whole lot behind. Honestly there's no point doing a double-flush, as, best case, you'll still probably have ~20% old fluid with all the crapola floating around in it. Drain and refill and call it good enough. Also IIRC the filling part is a bit of a mongrel - via the dipstick tube?

 

The diffs all like Syntrax 75w90. If your Outback is a NZ-new car it will almost definitely have an LSD in the rear (probably a viscous one, although rumour abounds that the odd one got a plate diff), but it still likes the same juice.

 

The 5MT, Syntrax for everything. What the diffs are is a complete lolly-scramble, could be anything from open-open-open to open-viscous-viscous.

I just when into the dealership today. Dayman's Subaru in Nelson. I should the guy the Idemitsu stuff and he said they don't use it. They used to use some Motul fluid until 2014 and now they use Castrol Transmax multivehicle.

 

I asked the guy if I bought my outback in because I'm afraid to do the work myself what fluid will he put in. He said he will put the Transmax in. 

 

As for manuals and diffs, Castrol Syntrax is indeed what they use and recommend. Currently they are actually using some other semisynthetic stuff coz they are struggling to get their hands on Syntrax he said.

 

 

As for the LSD's, he told me that the BP5 shall either has VDC or a LSD. Not both, if it has VDC then it won't have a LSD as the wheel speeds are electronically limited by the computer somehow.....and vice versa.

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Interesting on the auto fluid.

Re. VDC, the '04 is the transitional year between DBW throttle and cable throttle. If you have a cable throttle you definitely won't have VDC, if you have DBW you might have some sort of VDC but very unlikely it's at all sophisticated.

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