I've been searching and reading etc. but I'm very confused.

What I've read seems to point towards a dip stick for the manual gearbox, with filling being done via the tube. I've been and looked at my car and can only see a dipstick to the right of the intercooler which I was sure was the engine oil dipstick.

What am I missing?

 

engine oil dip stick is at front right hand side near the battert area

the 1 near the intercooler is gearbox and yes thats where you top it up too

hope this helps

 

Well I'll be damned! Thanks for that, you've saved me a lot of hassle!

 

 

if you look down behind the lefthand side of the intercooler the gearbox dipstick is to the right of the downpipe. It serves as the filler point but you need some long tube to reach it. I'd be extremely careful not to overfill as usage is very low and gearbox oil lasts for thousands of miles.
Needs to be checked though.
Trev

 

Funnel through dipstick located under the intercooler .off the top of my head wrx 5 speed 3.5l and sti 6 speed 4.2l . castrol driveline universal semi syn 75-90 available from halfords works very well with subarus

 

OK now I am really confused as that info on the dipstick location seems to be the opposite to what Thunder has told me!

 

access down the lefthand side of the intercooler as you stand facing the engine bay

 

sounds the same as others did ,

as you stand in front of car top left by intercooler is gearbox depending on what intercooler you have depends on how you get to it ..i used a small funnel with some hose on it to reach

engine oil dipstick and top up still on front engine right hand side near battery

 

Cheers folks I found it. Strange thing is, the oil was all light and golden, so I wouldn't think worth changing, even though I'm trying to diagnose a strange noise.....

 

Gearbox oil shouldn't be like that from memory, and it usually stinks to high heaven even when fresh. It's not like engine oil.

Replace the gearbox oil, and the rear diff oil, would be my choice.

 

It did smell like gearbox oil usually smells, but it's been so long since I changed a gearbox's oil that I wasn't aware being golden was bad.

 

Just because its a nice colour doesn't necessarily mean there isn't any metal gear fragments floating around in there,waiting to get caught between the cogs and break your gearbox!
Change the oil if its old or you don't know if its been done before.
75w90 semi synthetic is fine and for rear diff too.

 

Did you say if it was a WRX or an STi (ie 5 or 6 speed box?)
If it's the 6 speed, don't forget it's got two drain plugs. The main one is under the centre diff and can be easily seen. The other is on the small sump under the gearbox itself and needs to have the small plastic undercover removed for access.

JohnD

 

It's a WRX and it has the bloody torx plug. Ordered a socket from eBay and have to hang tight til that comes now.

 

T-70