What gear oil do you use?
I am currently using Redline Synthetic 75/90 NS GL5, and it was great for the summer, but now that it is below zero outside, it's not so great. If I don't allow a 20-30 minute warm up, the oil is so thick and heavy it is extremely hard to shift.
Thanks in advance.
50/50 water antifreeze mix. Now, you gotta change gearboxes every 4 days but it shifts like butter.
just kidding. I have an auto so I don't know.
DrBoost wrote: 50/50 water antifreeze mix. Now, you gotta change gearboxes every 4 days but it shifts like butter. just kidding. I have an auto so I don't know.
I'm hard enough on gearboxes as it is, LOL
I'm still on stock fluids and haven't had any issues in one of the coldest winters here in decades
I was using the same oil as you in my 98 AWD Impreza L. It took about 10 minutes to warm up in cold weather. Before then, it didn't like to go in reverse and the 1-2 shift was crunchy if I didn't go slowly. When warm, it was much smoother with the Red Line that whatever the old fluid was, but overall the Subaru 5-speed didn't like to be rushed. I don't know if there was any difference between the AWD tranny and the FWD tranny, so YMMV.
RexSeven wrote: I was using the same oil as you in my 98 AWD Impreza L. It took about 10 minutes to warm up in cold weather. Before then, it didn't like to go in reverse and the 1-2 shift was crunchy if I didn't go slowly. When warm, it was much smoother with the Red Line that whatever the old fluid was, but overall the Subaru 5-speed didn't like to be rushed. I don't know if there was any difference between the AWD tranny and the FWD tranny, so YMMV.
That is exactly what mine does, getting it into reverse in the morning is a joke and I am not organized enough to start it early enough to allow the oil to loosen up.
And, IIRC, the only difference between the FWD and AWD gearboxes is the FWD is really weak and has synchros for first and reverse (which don't work when the oil is cold). I could be wrong, though.
Put it in reverse before you start it??
My Toyotiac Mibe does that too on the -4 degree days we have. I find If I shift to first then to reverse It's improved, or I have the foresight to put it in reverse before I shut er down the night before.. obviously not a Subaru.. but maybe will help.
Strange, I'm running 75W90NS in my EA82. It's been hovering around 0* here in WI, and it still shifts quickly and without complaint.
IIRC, the 5-speed used in the GC- and GD-chassis Imprezas are kinda weak. There's also the possibility the old fluid in Morbid's and my Impreza wasn't changed enough or that the old owners beat on them. I changed my fluid when the car had about 102K miles on it. It looked like the factory fill to me and smelled like a toxic waste dump! 
RexSeven wrote: IIRC, the 5-speed used in the GC- and GD-chassis Imprezas are kinda weak. There's also the possibility the old fluid in Morbid's and my Impreza wasn't changed enough or that the old owners beat on them. I changed my fluid when the car had about 102K miles on it. It looked like the factory fill to me and smelled like a toxic waste dump!
I once had a similar circumstance - I blew up third gear in my '95 Outback 5-speed at 240-something thousand miles. Drained the fluid and it looked like raw sewage - didn't smell far off, either! I don't think the 5-speeds are particularly weak, but clutch-dropping hoonage (something that had happened a lot in my Outback with its previous owner) does not do well to an AWD car's transmission.
My EA82 also has all of 90HP and is a push-button 4WD system with a 14" long shifter. May explain some differences...
I use Royal Purple Max Gear. Its been about 12 degrees some mornings so far. No problems, shifts easily!
RexSeven wrote: IIRC, the 5-speed used in the GC- and GD-chassis Imprezas are kinda weak. There's also the possibility the old fluid in Morbid's and my Impreza wasn't changed enough or that the old owners beat on them. I changed my fluid when the car had about 102K miles on it. It looked like the factory fill to me and smelled like a toxic waste dump!
The FWD 5-Speed is extremely weak, while the AWD a bit stronger. And, when I purchased mine in May and changed all of the fluids it did seem that the gear oil was original to the car. The previous owner included all of the oil change/repair receipts with the car, so I sorted through them and, sure enough, nothing noting a gear oil change. So the car most likely went 16 years with the factory oil. ugh.
I hate it when people don't take care of their cars.
Morbid, are you on Cicenet? (Central Illinois Car Enthusiast Network)
Ask Emanuel on there. He's a former Subaru mechanic and has a 200xxx mile legacy that shouldn't still be running, but shows no signs of stopping. He'd help you out.
mtn wrote: Morbid, are you on Cicenet? (Central Illinois Car Enthusiast Network) Ask Emanuel on there. He's a former Subaru mechanic and has a 200xxx mile legacy that shouldn't still be running, but shows no signs of stopping. He'd help you out.
Nope, not on there, but I will go check it out. Thanks!
Google "Uncle Scotty's Cocktail."
Tried and true way to fix Subaru's little transmission quirks.
Osterkraut wrote: Google "Uncle Scotty's Cocktail." Tried and true way to fix Subaru's little transmission quirks.
Not everyone agrees... http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?t=27436&highlight=uncle+scottys+cocktail
Do a little reading on Subaru Extra-S. Plenty of reading out there about whether or not it is full synth. But, the Legacy guys agree for the most part that it is one of the best options. I'm going that way with my GT in the next couple months.
And, our '95 Legacy got fresh Subaru dino lube when the clutch was done a year ago. At 140k it was great in the recent cold WI weather.
In reply to Hocrest:
I found conflicting views on it, too.
@PeterAK, I think that's next on the list of things to try, I just found out that a friend of mine who has an STi rallye car is using that and loving it, and if it can take that kind of abuse, it should be able to handle whatever I throw at it 
Thanks for all of the advice guys, this is such an awesome resource.
Stay away from the Wal-mart synthetic gear lube even if it's spec'd for the Subie. It coudn't stand the ice racing I did with my '99 Forester last winter and the diff. bearings started to howl.
All the rally guys I know use the Extra-S and generally change it once a year.
nocones wrote: Put it in reverse before you start it??
Or park nose toward the street, getaway style.
RexSeven wrote: ...but overall the Subaru 5-speed didn't like to be rushed.
^this
I use the cheapest 75w90 the parts store had in my '02 Impreza TS with 185k. No grinds, no crunches, no whines, slightly stiff for the few miles in subzero temps. No complaints here!
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