Difficulty

Easy

Steps

10

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 2 hours

Sections

1

  • Oil and filter
  • 10 steps

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Member-Contributed Guide

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  • Back1989-1993 Subaru Legacy

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Oil and filter
  • Collect the tools you’ll need
  • Drain bolt wrench, drain-pan, jack, jack-stands, rags, filter-pliers, cardboard, funnel, gloves
  • Check what drain bolt size and type your car uses before starting
  • For Subaru specifically, I’ll be using a black Tokyo Roki LFS706 factory filter, sold by a Subaru as part # 15208AA100 with a new crush washer

Collect the tools you’ll need

Drain bolt wrench, drain-pan, jack, jack-stands, rags, filter-pliers, cardboard, funnel, gloves

Check what drain bolt size and type your car uses before starting

For Subaru specifically, I’ll be using a black Tokyo Roki LFS706 factory filter, sold by a Subaru as part # 15208AA100 with a new crush washer

1024

Step 2

              Jacking up the car
  • Jack up the front of the car from the centre jack point if you have a hydraulic jack
  • Put jack-stands under pinch welds before gently lowering the car onto them
  • Check the stability of the stands before getting under the vehicle

Jack up the front of the car from the centre jack point if you have a hydraulic jack

Put jack-stands under pinch welds before gently lowering the car onto them

Check the stability of the stands before getting under the vehicle

Step 3

              Check your drain pan
  • Check your drain pan is empty and clean it out as required
  • Raise the hood/bonnet and open the filler cap to assist draining
  • Place the drain pan under the car

Check your drain pan is empty and clean it out as required

Raise the hood/bonnet and open the filler cap to assist draining

Place the drain pan under the car

Step 4

              Drain the oil
  • Climb under the car using your cardboard or a creeper
  • Remove the drain bolt slowly, adjusting the catch pan as it starts to flow to avoid spillage
  • Wait for the oil to flow from the engine

Climb under the car using your cardboard or a creeper

Remove the drain bolt slowly, adjusting the catch pan as it starts to flow to avoid spillage

Wait for the oil to flow from the engine

Step 5

              Replace the drain bolt
  • Clean the bolt
  • Remove the old crush washer if you have a new one
  • Fit the new crush washer onto the bolt
  • Clean the bolt mating flange on the cars oil pan
  • Put the bolt back into the engine and tighten to the suggested spec
  • If you don’t have a torque wrench, don’t over-tighten the bolt

Clean the bolt

Remove the old crush washer if you have a new one

Fit the new crush washer onto the bolt

Clean the bolt mating flange on the cars oil pan

Put the bolt back into the engine and tighten to the suggested spec

If you don’t have a torque wrench, don’t over-tighten the bolt

Step 6

              Remove and replace the oil filter
  • Carefully adjust the now-full catch pan under the oil filter
  • Remove the old oil filter, using pliers or a wrench if required
  • If it’s too tight and you don’t have the right tools, you can hammer a screwdriver through the side and rotate it… But hope you have the right replacement!
  • I like large oil filter pliers, as they can be used also for brake jobs
  • The filter will be full of oil so place on your drain pan or carefully upright if your pan has no place for it
  • After the car mounting flange stops dripping a lot, prepare the new filter with a smear of oil on its gasket
  • Be 100% sure you’ve removed the old gasket before installing the new filter
  • Wipe down the mounting flange on the engine, and screw on the new filter by hand, 3/4 of a turn past when it touches the gasket

Carefully adjust the now-full catch pan under the oil filter

Remove the old oil filter, using pliers or a wrench if required

If it’s too tight and you don’t have the right tools, you can hammer a screwdriver through the side and rotate it… But hope you have the right replacement!

I like large oil filter pliers, as they can be used also for brake jobs

The filter will be full of oil so place on your drain pan or carefully upright if your pan has no place for it

After the car mounting flange stops dripping a lot, prepare the new filter with a smear of oil on its gasket

Be 100% sure you’ve removed the old gasket before installing the new filter

Wipe down the mounting flange on the engine, and screw on the new filter by hand, 3/4 of a turn past when it touches the gasket

Step 7

              Remove pan and lower car
  • Carefully slide the now-full catch pan from under the car
  • Lift the car slightly and pull away the jack stands
  • Carefully lower the car to the ground
  • Push the front of the car down a few times to reset the suspension

Carefully slide the now-full catch pan from under the car

Lift the car slightly and pull away the jack stands

Carefully lower the car to the ground

Push the front of the car down a few times to reset the suspension

Step 8

              Fill the car with oil
  • If your drain pan has gradations you can guess approximately how much oil to put in
  • Or if your manual has a listing
  • My car takes AROUND 4.5 litres
  • Using a funnel, pour in 3.5 litres or so
  • Check the dipstick with your rag
  • If you hold the large oil bottles sideways they won’t glug as much
  • Fill until near top of range on dipstick
  • Re-check there are no loose tools or rags in the engine bay, and start the engine for 10 to 20 seconds

If your drain pan has gradations you can guess approximately how much oil to put in

Or if your manual has a listing

My car takes AROUND 4.5 litres

Using a funnel, pour in 3.5 litres or so

Check the dipstick with your rag

If you hold the large oil bottles sideways they won’t glug as much

Fill until near top of range on dipstick

Re-check there are no loose tools or rags in the engine bay, and start the engine for 10 to 20 seconds

Step 9

              Check for leaks and top up
  • After running the car for a few seconds, turn it off
  • Check the level again
  • The oil filter should be full now, so the level might be lower
  • Top up as required
  • Check under the car for leaks

After running the car for a few seconds, turn it off

Check the level again

The oil filter should be full now, so the level might be lower

Top up as required

Check under the car for leaks

Step 10

              Cleanup
  • If you used all your oil you should be able to use the empty bottle to put the used oil in
  • Funnel and lots of patience to transfer the oil from the catch pan to the empty bottle
  • You can drop off the old oil at car part places or some mechanics
  • Run the car around the block or so to get a temperature cycle and recheck level and leaks
  • DONE

If you used all your oil you should be able to use the empty bottle to put the used oil in

Funnel and lots of patience to transfer the oil from the catch pan to the empty bottle

You can drop off the old oil at car part places or some mechanics

Run the car around the block or so to get a temperature cycle and recheck level and leaks

DONE

Remember to check for leaks

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                    Gaspard Leon

Member since: 04/24/2010

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