Dipstick on new Subaru 5spd manual..

[JTK]

I just discovered Subaru still includes them on the 2014 5spd manuals. Pretty neat!

It's a gray plastic loop-pull deal, right hand side, right up against the engine block, kind of hidden under wiring harness and intake plumbing.

Not a real easy funnel routing for refill, but simple with some hose attached to a funnel.

Shear excitement I tell ya. I've never owned a manual trans with a dipstick.

 

[Rand]

a flex neck metal funnel works perfect.

just enough bendy to make it work.. and stiff enough it holds itself I just keep a finger on it so it doesnt move sideways when actually pouring.

usually I end up with a very mild "s" type bend in it
starting at the bottom.
into the fill hole(dipstick)
bend somewhat to get around the wiring harness and other junk on top of it. then bent back to vertical

 

[JTK]

Thanks Rand.

It will be awhile before I do a drain/fill on'er. I've only got about 600mi on the new Crosstrek. Still struggling with a smooth 1st gear take-off and a non-giggly 1-2 shift, but I've read that it smooths out after a few thousand miles.

 

[Rand]

thats just subaru. The tip in on the DBW throttle is excessive and makes it hard to apply gently if done incorrectly you will get the "subaru bounce"

You get used to it.

also every car is different.

My dad who has driven MT's for 45 years stalled mine 3x
of course I stalled his new outback once or twice.

The clutch was very different between the 2

 

[JTK]

LOL! I've got a case of the "subaru bounce". I've stalled it on take-off a good 3x and have come close enough another 3-4 for the dash lights to light up.

Like you say, the DBW and super low idle on this FB 2.0i don't help.

Well.. That and I haven't owned a manual trans in close to 20yrs. I'm used to shuttling 10spd tractor-trailers around all day at work. Even @ 80K pounds you can let out the clutch w/out touching the go-pedal. Pretty much every shift after that is clutchless. Thankfully I haven't tried that on the new Soob.

 

[ohforester]

They also have a dipstick for front differential! This at a time when many cars have no AT dipstick.

 

[JTK]

Front diff and gearbox share the same oil on the 5spds. It's all one as far as I know.

I do know on my previous Subaru, a 2012 Legacy w/ CVT, the separate front diff had no dipstick. You refilled through the breather port and refill 'till gear oil dribbled out a "full" plug you remove.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Sounds like you have a bad clutch adjustment or bad plate and disc design.

Isnt it nice they are non-adjustable . Hydraulic - yecch!

Ive owned IIRC eight subari, and somehad garbage clutches some beautiful. The current one has a good clutch but it takes up at the carpet which causing dog grinding and excess syncro wear.
(little known fact: you are not really shifting forward "gears" in a modern MT, they are in constant mesh).

 

[JTK]

I'm being a little nit-picky ARCO. It's not that bad. Just takes some concentration at this point to consistently get smooth take-offs and 1-2.

OT, but my second tank of fuel averaged me 25.6 MPG. The dash readout calculated 27.6 mpg for the tank. Temps have been in the low teen F range and this was almost entirely highway driving.

 

[Phishin]

Originally Posted By: Rand
a flex neck metal funnel works perfect.

just enough bendy to make it work.. and stiff enough it holds itself I just keep a finger on it so it doesnt move sideways when actually pouring.

usually I end up with a very mild "s" type bend in it
starting at the bottom.
into the fill hole(dipstick)
bend somewhat to get around the wiring harness and other junk on top of it. then bent back to vertical


Thanks Rand.

I just ordered this funnel, 6 quarts of Redline 75w90 Gear Lube, and a T-70 Torx bit for $100. This will give me THREE front and rear differential changes for HALF the price that the dealer wants to charge me for doing the front and rear ONCE!! Plus, I'm getting Redline fluid....not Subaru stuff.