2011 Subaru Outback Differential oil change question

2011 subaru outback 3.6R Why does subaru require front and rear differential oil change every 15,000 miles? I just called dealer to schedule service and they told me this is required by subaru. I have never heard of changing diff oil every 15,000 in any vehicle I've ever owned. and $68.00 x2 every 15K seems very high price to pay. They told me that if I have problem with differential and oil has not been changed as required that subaru would void warranty....I am thinking to either have it done somewhere else or disregard altogether.

Look in the manual. Check the "severe service" schedule. Follow it.

Yes, there is a lot more maintenance on there than most people actually do. That's why their cars fall apart.

If you don't want to pay $68 each, put it up on blocks and do it yourself, it's not a very difficult job. Notice the schedule for transmission fluid service while you're at it.

--scott

If you do decide to do it yourself save all receipts and document the repairs to prove that it was actually done if you ever run into problems.

If you put synthetic in you might be able to disregard the front diff but I would do the rear at least every 40k miles or so.

GL-5 in the rear I'd guess the front probably could stomach GL-5 as well since 3.6R never got a stick shift, not in the states anyway any anyone outside the us of a is likely driving a turbo anyhow

Subaru makes cars bigger and bigger, heavier and heavier but the differentials seem to stay the same, at least oil capacity wise. My 2000 Impreza L Coupe's curb weight is

2,730 pounds, while the 2013 3.6R Legacy's number is 3,496, the behemoth Outback Wagon 3.6R's is 3,647.

That is a 34% weight increase from 2000 Impreza to the

2013 Outback, but if I am correct the same 0.8L oil capacity in rear differential. The front may or may not be different than 1.3L in my Impreza. Check your manual for capacities.

No wonder they require severe service intervals at 15,000 miles. Even with synthetic gear lube, if it is not already required, like synthetic engine oil in all new Subarus, I would not stretch it too much especially if there is any mountain, or high speed driving.

The new 2014 Forester too is supposed to be bigger and heavier.

Basia

And if the diff covers are not easily removable (e.g. BMW where the diff cover has the diff mount integral to it) and there's no drain plug (common on newer cars) an investment in a *good* suction gun (e.g. Lincoln - the only one I've had that was worth a crap) will reduce your frustration factor greatly.

In fact you should probably buy one anyway. Rather than futz about with those "transfer pumps" that screw onto the top of a bottle of gear lube (but not Redline gear lube, because not every bottle is the same) I take the top off my suction gun, fill it with gear oil by pouring it into the barrel, then reassemble and push the gear lube into the diff or transmission that way. I'm not the only guy that does that - saw a mechanic at a race-oriented Porsche shop doing the exact same thing. Sometimes it's worth spending a little more money on a tool that doesn't piss you off.

If Subaru uses clutch-type LSDs it would make a lot of sense that they'd want you to change the fluid regularly. Since your car is a 2011 I would make sure to use fluid that meets their specifications and adhere to their schedule at least until the warranty is expired, *then* you can try e.g. Redline.

good luck,

nate

I wonder how well dry sumping would work with marginally heavier GL-4/5 oils. me thinks beefing up the capacity of differentials would further increase the weight and will, possibly, cut into the ground clearance

strange as it seems running the undercarriage through the wind tunnel and optimizing the cooling of the case might be cheaper than increasing complexity or case capacity, a computer simulation of that would be cheaper yet as I don't expect the same kind of diligence from FHI as from europeans

having fins on top of the case where it won't be smashed by debris seems like one way to go as long as you can pump some air there at

0.000000001 through 75 mph speeds that a typical car sees most the time

Sort-of on the subject of oils ...

If corn oil is made from corn, vegetable oil is made from vegetables, fish oil is made from fish, olive oil is made from olives, peanut oil is made from peanuts, coconut oil is made from coconuts, and cod liver oil is made from cod livers, then what is baby oil made from?

;-)

out of real girl scouts :^)