Hi all

just needing a little advice please for my 2003 impreza STI

I will be servicing my car next week at some point and just need to know
what tool bit do I need to take the gearbox oil plug out. I think its a t-70 torx but I am not fully sure

and for the rear diff what tool bit and size do I need for taking out the two plugs for changing out the oil please.

the reason I am asking is I am just away to order them but I need to know the type of bit and size before I can order them.

thank you for any help

 

The rear diff is the size of a socket without an attachment. Half inch I think but cant remember.
It will be very hard to remove lying on your back.
I had to put mine on a four post lift to get enough leverage to remove.
Take top plug out first to make sure it comes undone as if it doesn't and you drain did you can't refill.
Gearbox is torx and get a long funnel as you refill it in dipstick hole under intercooler

 

Thanks Tubbs
very much appreciated

my plan is to drive the front of the car up onto two portable ramps
and lift the rear up with two trolley jacks to get the car higher and get it level.

I will do the top plug first to make sure it can be slackened off before taking off the bottom plug cheers
just about to buy a little hand pump and hose for getting the diff oil to the diff as well.

I got in halfrauds a funnel with a very long neck which reaches down to the
dipstick for the gearbox
but also will get a funnel and hose off ebay as well just incase

do you remember if the torx for the gearbox oil plug is the torx size T-70

is this right 1l oil in diff and just short of 4l oil in gearbox
from what I have searched and read I think this is right

also I done the hawkeye console conversion at the weekend mate
thanks for your advice a while back as it came in handy
as I got the brackets you mentioned and the hand brake lever from the hawk eye too
I see what you said about the little cable on the handbrake lever
I swapped the little cable from the blob lever as it is shorter and put it on the hawk handbrake lever and everything fitted perfect

 

its deff a torx, no idea which one it is though.

i think it is 3/4 of a litre in rear diff and around 4 for the gearbox, there are two drain plugs on a six speed box so make sure you undo both and get the oil nice and hot before draining.

you might get lucky but my drain plug was so tight i had to get it high up to remove. i tried it on a ramp and still couldnt get enough leverage.

what did you do with the mirror switch??

 

Will try it on the ramps first if it is to tight I will drive around to kwik fit
and ask to get it up on the ramps and crack it and slightly tighten it again and drive back round to my house to continue

I tried on my leather hawk eye door cards and when I plugged in the
window controls the electrics stated to act funny when I tried to
put down the window and my tripple gauges that I just installed also started to beep so I decided to keep on my original door cards and not to wire up the window switch to the new door cards.

for the window switch I have decided to use my drimmel multi tool
and cut into the holes where the dccd switch holes are.
I will be extremely careful with this as I seen somebody who had done
this before and he must of not used a drimmel and it turned out to be a dogs dinner as there was cut lines everywhere it looked like it had been done with a mini hacksaw LOL

and for the blue on the door cards I have been messaging JM carbon about carbon laminating with real carbon my hawk eye console.
and I am also starting to think about sending them my door cards while I am working abroad to carbon laminate where the blue parts of the door cards are.

 

you should be able to use the original door switches, if you look you can take the out of the outer casing and clip them in, thats what i did.

 

Thats a great idea tubbs I didnt think of that
it was pouring down of rain when I was doing everything so was trying to do
the door cards and change out the standard speakers to pioneer ones quickly so didnt even think to change out the switches
will try that in the next day or two

 

it does work, personally i think the mirror switch needs moving to make the conversion worth while.

 

now that you have pointed out with the switches I will probably wire them up to the door

another quick question for you tubbs

the fuel filter when I am changing it out do I fill the new fuel filter of v-power
or do I install it without and prime it of fuel somehow ?


cheers

 

i dont just leave the car off overnight so the pressure dissipates and change the filter.

i never prime them and have had no issues

 

just so I am clear

leave the car over night so all the pressure in the fuel line is gone
then just swap out the filter with no fuel in the new filter.

I take it when you start the car up afterwards does it splutter a little bit while fuel gets pumped into the new filter ?


cheers

 

thats what i always do

 

Thanks tubbs
exactly what I needed to hear

 

T-70 for gearbox plug and half inch drive extension bar for rear diff,maybe use a breaker bar with jack handle on it for leavage

 

cheers bud

also is both 6 speed gearbox plugs the T-70

just ordered the T-70 so should be with me monday

if the half inch plug is very stiff I was thinking of having a bottle jack under the wrench and giving it a pump with that to try and crack it.

failing that I will get it up on a car lift at kwik fit to get it cracked

 

a big extension bar will do it, problem is you dont have roof to pull it under a ramp

 

using breaker bar 1/2 inch end on the diff plug can either run the risk of rounding the plug off or chewing it up for next time use this as its a perfect fit
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1510469196...84.m1497.l2649

 

have you checked the drain plug as alot of stis have a 21mm bolt and wrxs after around 04 have the t70 i believe.

tip.. make sure you undo the top fill plug first.

 

cheers bud

just bought one

also bought a t-70 and got a 21mm socket aswell so covered for both mate

 

stick castrol driveline fluid in or think its new name is castrol syntrax semi syn for the 6 speed

 

I spoke to the fella at opie oils a little while ago and told him it was a 6 speed blob STI
and he said gulf competition racing gear oil SAE 75w-90 gear box oil was good to buy
and he also said I can use it in the diff as well
reading the back label the oil is for racing and rallying so it says so should be good LOL

the engine I got 5w-40 fully synthetic

 

proven gear oil for 6 speed most fully syn are too slippy for syncros

 

Hi bud cheers I will get them next time

the gear oil I have is 75w-90 semi syn bud

 

this is the stuff I bought mate

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gulf-Compe...item25844868c1

 

Does this oil work well in a dccd box? Currently have Millers crx in mine and really dont like it, gear changes are extremly notchy till its warmed up.

 

Yes will be fine . 6 speeds dont go well with millers you will notice vast improvement just dont use it in the rear diff

 

Thanks mate, have Motul 90 pa in the diff.

 

not cheap.
Let me know how it feels my concern would be its ester based again doin its job too well

 

Not sure if both same size mate,I know my 04wrx is t-70. A half inch drive will fit diff no problem and wont round off. Yes you could try bottle jack method but if I couldn't undo it with a longer bar over the handle of breaker bar then I would hit breaker bar with a mallet to crack the nut

 

You can change diff oil with all four wheels on ground,just lay down and reach under back off car. To refill you can do this with the litre bottles of oil with the spout that pulls out.dont need a pump