What the heck is in my Transmission????

[jerryeveretts]

I recently bought a 98 Legacy Outback, with 84K. Everything works like
new. I checked the transmission fluid (yellow handled dipstick on
drivers side running through a tube to the bottom side of tranny) and
the front Diff (yellow handled shorter disptick on pass side on top of
transaxle). The transmission dipstick has a fluid with the color of
brand new motor oil, very light honey colored. Am I actually checking
the center diff or something? the transmission shifts and works
perfect.
Jerry

 

[mulder]

I recently bought a 98 Legacy Outback, with 84K. Everything works like
new. I checked the transmission fluid (yellow handled dipstick on
drivers side running through a tube to the bottom side of tranny) and
the front Diff (yellow handled shorter disptick on pass side on top of
transaxle). The transmission dipstick has a fluid with the color of
brand new motor oil, very light honey colored. Am I actually checking
the center diff or something? the transmission shifts and works
perfect.
Jerry

Is this automatic or manual? If manual, there is just the one dipstick
for the trans which uses gear oil. This will appear almost clear on
the dipstick. On the manual the front diff shares the same oil.
If it's automatic, the trans will use ATF and the front diff is
lubricated separately with gear oil.

 

[jerryeveretts]

It is an automatic. Perhaps there is transmission fluid that is not red?

 

[Sheldon]

It is an automatic. Perhaps there is transmission fluid that is not red?

I just had my automatic flushed and replaced with synthetic lube. Don't
know what color it is. They just did it yesterday and I haven't checked it.
I would assume you can get fluids in all kinds of colors. I had the tranny
oil in my Porsche changed to this high-end stuff that's a gorgeous shade of
blue.

 

[Michael Pardee]

I just had my automatic flushed and replaced with synthetic lube. Don't
know what color it is. They just did it yesterday and I haven't checked
it. I would assume you can get fluids in all kinds of colors. I had the
tranny oil in my Porsche changed to this high-end stuff that's a gorgeous
shade of blue.

Cool!

Mike

 

[Sheldon]

Cool!

Mike

Yeah. They had a lot of that blue stuff left over, and I told them to put
some in a bottle and put it on the counter. People would ask about it and
they'd be able to get rid of their stock. All I remember is it was
expensive, and they had to buy a lot more than I needed.

Anyway, my mechanic said that flushing the system and using synthetic would
really help the tranny on the Subi. As we all know, automatic transmissions
tend to be a weak point on most Subarus.

 

[Edward Hayes]

And all the time my Subaru service tech. said the AT are rock solid
and most all there tranny work is on the clutches and MTs. Maybe I'm
just lucky that I have 102,000+ miles on my 4eat and shifts as new.