[Shermanator]

twice in a week my local Subaru Dealer parts department has said "I've been here 5 years and nobody (motioning toward service area) has ever asked for that.."

Two items both for a 3.0r.
PCV Valve
A/T filter

Am I being completely an** (particular) by thinking I should change these at 93K miles?

I did find the A/T filter at another dealer but I am still waiting for the PCV valve to arrive. I changed the A/T filter along with a A/T fluid flush and it was a bear to get to and to remove/replace it clearly had never been off.

I am big on preventative maintenance. This is my first 3.0R.

Thoughts?

 

[subaruman49]

These cars last forever...................and so do the parts................you are SMART...preventative maintainence.....is an important key to longevity to your vehicle.I am tha same way............I get 250,000 on my cars......................AND......they are good for 250,000 MORE !!!!

No JOKE

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

A/T filter is questionable, I see no downside to changing it if the correct part is installed carefully though.

PCV valve, again, many cars probably do go to the junkyard with the original, but, they can get sludged and lead to problems. I swapped the one in our H6 at 63K miles. Cheap and easy. The old one could liklely have just been cleaned.

A couple of things i think people do overlook, power steering fluid, and, worse, brake fluid flushing. PS fluid shouldn't look like coffee! OK, maybe it doesn't need to be serviced as often as transmission fluid, but it degrades. Bake fluid is hygroscopic and it's resistance to boiling degrades.

 

[Shermanator]

A/T flush: Done
Brake flush: Done
Power steering flush: Done
Front and rear diffs: Done
Coolant flush: Done
Oil: Done

AutoZone loves me...

 

[priyadar]

PS fluid shouldn't look like coffee! OK, maybe it doesn't need to be serviced as often as transmission fluid, but it degrades.

How do you flush power steering fluid? I am not aware of any bleeder valves where we can remove old fluid out. Any idea how to do this? Thanks.

 

[tdelker]

There's a how-to somewhere on here or on legacygt.com

You take the upper hose off the power steering reservoir and turn the pump by hand.

Ah, yes, here it is: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/howto-replace-power-steering-fluid-15-minutes-172976.html

Tom

 

[Shermanator]

There's a how-to somewhere on here or on legacygt.com

You take the upper hose off the power steering reservoir and turn the pump by hand.

Ah, yes, here it is: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/howto-replace-power-steering-fluid-15-minutes-172976.html

Tom

That's how I did it.... Also replaced the belt as I had it off anyway.

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

I did multiple partial changes with a turkey baster out of the reservoir.

sorry if I misled anyone to think I did a power flush. Just pointing out that PS fluid is often overlooked.

 

[vebop]

How do you flush power steering fluid? I am not aware of any bleeder valves where we can remove old fluid out. Any idea how to do this? Thanks.

My mechanic ran an extension from the the PS outflow line into the waste oil bin. I started the engine and did continuous wheel lock turns while the he kept filling the reservoir until there was clean fluid flowing. Very quick and thorough as a two-man job.

 

[jogosub]

I saw my 2005 Forester's auto transmission taken apart with all gears on the table and I did not find any A/T filter there to be replaced....

 

[plain OM]

I saw my 2005 Forester's auto transmission taken apart with all gears on the table and I did not find any A/T filter there to be replaced....

The 4EAT Phase II, introduced around 1999, had the addition of an external, spin-on filter mounted on the left side of the transmission case. (See attached photo.) The use of this filter was discontinued around 2008.

Some Outbacks (and perhaps others) in or around 2004-5, had the filter mounted on an filter adapter-base in the left front fender, to the left of the battery, instead of on the side of the transmission case.

 

[jlflick]

I saw my 2005 Forester's auto transmission taken apart with all gears on the table and I did not find any A/T filter there to be replaced....

Help! You're the person I'm looking for-I looking to buy a mint 2005 Forester w/72K miles, only problem is the cold shift problem. It bangs from either 2-3 or 3-4, I'm not sure which. When warm it's OK. I've scoured the Forester forum, trying to find info on what fixes it.

The car is so clean and otherwise solid, the engine is quiet and the timing belt is of course miles away. I'm thinking of buying it 'as is' and having the trans serviced. In my experience it could be as simple as a bad o-ring.

What were your symptoms and why was it torn down?

BTW my daughter has a 2006 Forester X, at 149K I changed the A/T fluid, went to the dealer and bought a case of Subie trans fluid. I asked for a filter, the parts guy said they never replace it unless there's been damage in the trans or the fluid's burned. Ours was neither, just no longer red. I did a drain/fill/drive/drain 3 times, used up the whole case and the fluid is like new.

Thanks in advance.