Oil Change Instructions! With Pics!

Did mine tonight so here they are!

LINK

Let me know what you think!

FANTASTIC report Opie, very well put together, looks great but will be leaving all of that to the professionals I think. Looks easy enough I suppose but I dont want to be putting them out of a job.........

Just curious also, when you were draining the oil, it looked very black, wouldnt this be considered very unusual for a new car? or did it just seem a lot blacker from the pictures?

FANTASTIC report Opie, very well put together, looks great but will be leaving all of that to the professionals I think. Looks easy enough I suppose but I dont want to be putting them out of a job.........

 

Just curious also, when you were draining the oil, it looked very black, wouldnt this be considered very unusual for a new car? or did it just seem a lot blacker from the pictures?

Thanks!

The pics make the oil look a bit darker than it really was, it actually looked (and smelled) very good. I can't wait to get a few more miles on it to go synthetic! :twisted:

What is the reason for replacing the crush washer?

Is this a Subaru thing?

I've never heard of doing that when performing an oil change (and I've changed quite a few hundred gallons of oil in my time).

So the filter threads are aranged verticaly/straight up which actually allows you to pre-oil the filter.....COOL! Don't see that too often today. Lots are angled and some are even upside down!

Does the filter cross to an aftermarket or AC-Delco PN?

What was the cost of the filter at the dealer?

Why does this dipstick measure higher when hot? Perhaps "cold" means cold oil, but engine has recently run? The dipstick should go down once the oil has been pumped all over the engine...

I'd think too much oil would be especially dangerous in a boxer..

What is the reason for replacing the crush washer?

 

Is this a Subaru thing?

 

I've never heard of doing that when performing an oil change (and I've changed quite a few hundred gallons of oil in my time).

 

So the filter threads are aranged verticaly/straight up which actually allows you to pre-oil the filter.....COOL! Don't see that too often today. Lots are angled and some are even upside down!

 

Does the filter cross to an aftermarket or AC-Delco PN?

 

What was the cost of the filter at the dealer?

Yep it's a Subaru thing, the crush washers are one-time use and should be replaced at every change to prevent leaks, they are cheap!

I don't know if the filter has any aftermarket alternatives yet, I got mine at the dealer, it was $6.50

Tide - You have PM

Deer Killer - Not sure, that's what the owners manual said regarding reading the dipstick...

I think I might remove the door to the oil filter on mine. Seems like a big PITA to not lose the clips and have to undo them each time.

I use fiber washers on all my cars. They are reusable and seal up very well. I'll try one on my scoobie to see how it works....

Around where I live, the local trash company will pick it up with recycleables.

Ken

In NY, at least, you can take it to any 'service' station that performs such service, and drop it off for free. They are required to take used oil, coolant, etc.

Later

i.

take it to any 'service' station that performs such service, and drop it off for free. They are required to take used oil, coolant, etc.

I'm not so sure of that.

The places that WILL take it free because their required are the Pep-Boys or any place that SELLS oil to you at retail. A local service station doesn't "sell" oil retail, therefore isn't "required" to take it for free.

well, don't know about that one...I bought oil from one store, changed the oil in my car, and dropped it off at the gas station down the road. They were nice, and had a sign up that they will 'gladly' take used oil.

So, that's what I did. Just my experience that most in the NYC area are required to take it back.

Later,

i.

The first time I tried to remove the oil filter on my 05 GT I could not do it by hand. I had to go buy a strap wrench. The filter was on there really tight.

I have not been able to find after market filters yet. I have 2500 miles on mine and my next oil change will be at 4000 miles.

The one OEM filter I have purchased cost me almost $9.00. Can't wait until the after market kicks in with $3.00 filters.

I was also amazed to find Subaru recommends 5W30 year round. I have gone to 10W40 for the warm summer months. I'll go back to 5W30 in the Fall.

I run 10W40 in my turboed Honda Civic.

I take the used oil to my local garage that burns it for heat in the winter.

I wouldn't recommend 10W-40 in too many of todays vehicles. ESPECIALLY a new one! Warm or not, 40 weight oil is too thick for todays tightly clearanced engines.

Plus you'll save gas with 5W-30.

The first time I tried to remove the oil filter on my 05 GT I could not do it by hand. I had to go buy a strap wrench. The filter was on there really tight.

I just now got around to do it, and this is correct. Now I gotta go buy a strap wrench that fits since the one I already have is too big for the Legacy's tiny oil filter! :x

What is the reason for replacing the crush washer?

 

Is this a Subaru thing?

 

I've never heard of doing that when performing an oil change (and I've changed quite a few hundred gallons of oil in my time).

 

So the filter threads are aranged verticaly/straight up which actually allows you to pre-oil the filter.....COOL! Don't see that too often today. Lots are angled and some are even upside down!

 

Does the filter cross to an aftermarket or AC-Delco PN?

 

What was the cost of the filter at the dealer?

 

Yep it's a Subaru thing, the crush washers are one-time use and should be replaced at every change to prevent leaks, they are cheap!

 

I don't know if the filter has any aftermarket alternatives yet, I got mine at the dealer, it was $6.50

 

Tide - You have PM

 

Deer Killer - Not sure, that's what the owners manual said regarding reading the dipstick...

I have a dealer service manual for my 98 Accord and they recommend replacing the crush washer too.

Thanks for documenting the oil change instructions. I did my second one (first one was free by the dealer) today and it was helpful.

Compared to my 98 Forester, the oil filter is a little tricker to get to as it's right there by the exhaust manifold (hot!). But the swing away door makes it a lot easier to access everything without taking off the plastic shroud. Unfortunately, and maybe others have found this, but the oil does seem to drip onto the shroud even with the convenient access openings.

I filled to 4.2 quarts but the dipstick was still reading a little lower than "F" on the dot. I found that 4.5 quarts got it to the full mark. I did prime the filter, run the engine for a minute, shut down, wait a few hours before topping off at 4.2 quarts too.

Anyone else notice this?

Ken

Thanks for documenting the oil change instructions. I did my second one (first one was free by the dealer) today and it was helpful.

 

Compared to my 98 Forester, the oil filter is a little tricker to get to as it's right there by the exhaust manifold (hot!). But the swing away door makes it a lot easier to access everything without taking off the plastic shroud. Unfortunately, and maybe others have found this, but the oil does seem to drip onto the shroud even with the convenient access openings.

 

I filled to 4.2 quarts but the dipstick was still reading a little lower than "F" on the dot. I found that 4.5 quarts got it to the full mark. I did prime the filter, run the engine for a minute, shut down, wait a few hours before topping off at 4.2 quarts too.

 

Anyone else notice this?

 

Ken

I noticed this. I used 4.5 as well. I think the engine capacity is 4.2 and 4.5 with filter.

I have noticed this as well. I initially drained & filled with 4.2qts, plus whatever fit in the filter(maybe 0.4), and it was under full, after letting the engine idle for a few mintues it was still not full, so then I took it for a spin around the block a few times. Yet it was still showing a bit low, I wound up adding maybe another 0.2, and that filled it, so it looks like my car needed 4.8 qts, or so including the filter. Make that a fact, because I have barely(0.2qt) any oil left from the 5 qt. jug I used.

I also remember reading on a forester forum that XT owners also had this same discrepency, and it turned out that SOA's manual writers had put in the wrong capacities for the 2.5 turbo, they had listed it as 4.2 w/filter, when it should have been either 4.8 or 5.0 I forget. But the point was, that the manuals were wrong, so perhaps they overlooked this on ours as well? Just a thought.. YMMV, but after changing your oil, double check how much oil your car requires to get to the full line and let us all know.

Just to add, the manual also states to use the dipstick as the final measure of if the oil is full. It states that 4.2 quarts is just a guideline.

Ken

I was also amazed to find Subaru recommends 5W30 year round. I have gone to 10W40 for the warm summer months. I'll go back to 5W30 in the Fall.

I too would stick with Subies recommend weight oil.

There were alot of hours spend testing that engine, and Subaru would tell you if you needed a different weight oil.

but thats just me.

-Nick