2007 SUBARU OUTBACK engine oil

11-10Maintenance and service
.Be careful not to spill engine oil
when adding it. If oil touches the
exhaust pipe, it may cause a bad
smell, smoke, and/or a fire. If
engine oil gets on the exhaust
pipe, be sure to wipe it off.
If you check the oil level just after stopping
the engine, wait a few minutes for the oil to
drain back into the oil pan before checking
the level.
To prevent overfilling the engine oil, do not
add any additional oil above the upper
level when the engine is cold.
In 2.5-liter-engine models, the dipstick has
a notch above the upper level.
Just after driving or while the engine is
warm, the engine oil level reading may be
in a range between the upper level and
the notch mark. This is caused by thermal
expansion of the engine oil. & Changing the oil and oil filter
Change the oil and oil filter according to
the maintenance schedule in the “War-
ranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.
The engine oil and oil filter must be
changed more frequently than listed in
the maintenance schedule when driving
on dusty roads, when short trips are
frequently made, or when driving in extremely cold weather.
1. Warm up the engine by letting the
engine idle for approximately 10 minutes
to ease draining the engine oil.
2. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
stop the engine.
3. Remove the oil filler cap.
2.5-liter models
3.0-liter models
4. Drain out the engine oil by removing
the drain plug while the engine is still
warm. The used oil should be drained into
an appropriate container and disposed of
properly.
WARNING
Be careful not to burn yourself with
hot engine oil.
5. Wipe the seating surface of the drain
plug with a clean cloth and tighten it
securely with a new sealing washer after
the oil has completely drained out.

2.5-liter models
3.0-liter models
6. Open the access cover by removing
the clips and turning the access cover
counterclockwise. The oil filter will beexposed.
2.5-liter models
3.0-liter models
7. Remove the oil filter with an oil filter wrench.
8. Before installing a new oil filter, apply a
thin coat of engine oil to the seal. 9. Clean the rubber seal seating area of
the bottom of engine and install the oil
filter by hand turning. Be careful not to
twist or damage the seal.
10. Tighten the oil filter by the amount
indicated in the following table after the
seal makes contact with the bottom ofengine.
Model Oil filter
color Part
number Amount of
rotation
2.5-liter models Black
15208AA100 1 rotation
White 15208AA09A 2/3–3/4
rotation
3.0-liter models Black 15208AA031
3/4
rotation
CAUTION
. Never over tighten the oil filter
because that can result in an oil leak.
. Thoroughly wipe off any engine
oil that has spilled over the
exhaust pipe and/or under-cover.
If left unremoved, the oil could
catch fire.
11. Reinstall the cover under the oil filter.
12. Pour engine oil through the filler neck. Maintenance and service
11-11
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11-12Maintenance and service
Oil capacity (Guideline):
2.5-liter models: 4.2 US qt (4.0 liters, 3.5
Imp qt)
3.0-liter models: 5.8 US qt (5.5 liters, 4.8
Imp qt)
The oil quantity indicated above is only a
guideline. The necessary quantity of oil
depends on the quantity of oil that has
been drained. The quantity of drained oil
differs slightly depending on the tempera-
ture of the oil and the time the oil is left
flowing out. After refilling the engine with
oil, therefore, you must use the dipstick to
confirm that the level is correct.
13. Start the engine and make sure that no
oil leaks appear around the filter ’s rubber
seal and drain plug.
14. Run the engine until it reaches the
normal operating temperature. Then stop
the engine and wait a few minutes to allow
the oil drain back. Check the oil level
again and if necessary, add more engineoil. &
Recommended grade and viscosity
CAUTION
Use only engine oil with the recom-
mended grade and viscosity.
Oil grade: ILSAC GF-4, which can be identified with
the ILSAC certification mark (Starburst mark)
or API classification SM with the words“ENERGY CONSERVING ”
These recommended oil grades can be
identified by looking for either or both of
the following marks displayed on the oil
container.
ILSAC Certification Mark (Starburst Mark)
API Service label
1) Indicates the oil quality by API designa- tions
2) Indicates the SAE oil viscosity grade
3) Indicates that the oil has fuel saving capabilities

In choosing an oil, you want the proper
quality and viscosity, as well as one that
will add to fuel economy. The following
table lists the recommended viscosities
and applicable temperatures.
When adding oil, different brands may be
used together as long as they are the
same API classification and SAE viscosity
as those recommended by SUBARU.
SAE viscosity number and applicable
temperature
*: 5W-30 is preferred.
Engine oil viscosity (thickness) affects fuel
economy. Oils of lower viscosity provide
better fuel economy. However, in hot
weather, oil of higher viscosity is required
to properly lubricate the engine. &
Recommended grade and
viscosity under severe driv-
ing conditions
If the vehicle is used in desert areas, in
areas with very high temperatures, or
used for heavy-duty applications such as
towing a trailer, use of oil with the following
grade and viscosities is recommended.
API classification SM (or SL): SAE viscosity No.: 30, 40, 10W-50, 20W-40, 20W-50 Cooling system
WARNING
Never attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap until the engine has been
shut off and has cooled down
completely. Since the coolant is
under pressure, you may suffer
serious burns from a spray of boil-
ing hot coolant when the cap isremoved.
CAUTION
. The cooling system has been
filled at the factory with a high
quality, corrosion-inhibiting,
year-around coolant which pro-
vides protection against freezing
down to 33 8F( 36 8C). For add-
ing, use genuine SUBARU cool-
ant or an equivalent: a mixture of
50% soft water (or clear and
drinkable water) and 50% phos-
phate or non-amine type coolant.
Use of improper coolants may
result in corrosion in the cooling
system. It is important to main-
tain protection against freezing
and corrosion, even if freezing Maintenance and service
11-13
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.Do not splash the engine coolant
over painted parts. The alcohol
contained in the engine coolant
may damage the paint surface.
! Changing the coolant
Always add genuine Subaru cooling sys-
tem conditioner whenever the coolant isreplaced.
Change the engine coolant and add
genuine Subaru cooling system condi-
tioner using the following procedures
according to the maintenance schedule
in the “Warranty and Maintenance Book-
let ”. 1. Remove the under cover.
2.5-liter models
1) Drain plug
3.0-liter models
1) Drain plug 2. Place a proper container under the
drain plug and loosen the drain plug.
3. Loosen the radiator cap to drain the
coolant from the radiator. Then drain the
coolant from the reserve tank. Tighten the
drain plug securely.
WARNING
Never attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap until the engine has been
shut off and has cooled down
completely. Since the coolant is
under pressure, you may suffer
serious burns from a spray of boil-
ing hot coolant when the cap is removed.
4. Install the under cover. Maintenance and service
11-15
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in (mm)
Deflection
New belt Used belt
A 0.28
–0.35
(7.0 –9.0) 0.35
–0.43
(9.0 –11.0)
B 0.30
–0.33
(7.5 –8.5) 0.35
–0.40
(9.0 –10.0)
To check belt tension, place a straight-
edge (ruler) across two adjacent pulleys
and apply a force of 22 lbs (98 N, 10 kg)
midway between the pulleys by using a
spring scale. Belt deflection should be the
amount specified. & 3.0-liter models
It is unnecessary to check belt tension
periodically because your engine is
equipped with an automatic belt tension
adjuster. However, replacement of the belt
should be done according to the main-
tenance schedule in the "Warranty and
Maintenance Booklet". Consult your
SUBARU dealer for replacement.
If a belt is loose, cracked, or worn, contact
your SUBARU dealer. Manual transmission oil &
Checking the oil level
5-speed transmission (Non-turbo models)
1) Yellow handle
5-speed transmission (Turbo models)
6-speed transmission
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
stop the engine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and
insert it again. Maintenance and service
11-21
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11-22Maintenance and service
1) Upper level
2) Lower level
3. Pull out the dipstick again and check
the oil level on it. If it is below the lower
level, add oil through the dipstick hole to
bring the level up to the upper level.
CAUTION
Be careful not to spill manual trans-
mission oil when adding it. If oil
touches the exhaust pipe, it may
cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or a
fire. If oil gets on the exhaust pipe,
be sure to wipe it off. &
Recommended grade and viscosity
Each oil manufacturer has its own base
oils and additives. Never use different
brands together.
Oil grade: API classification GL-5
SAE viscosity No. and applicable tempera- ture Automatic transmission fluid &
Checking the fluid level
The automatic transmission fluid expands
largely as its temperature rises; the fluid
level differs according to fluid temperature.
Therefore, there are two different scales
for checking the level of hot fluid and cold
fluid on the dipstick.
Though the fluid level can be checked
without warming up the fluid on the“ COLD ”range, we recommend checking
the fluid level when the fluid is at operatingtemperature. ! Checking the fluid level when the
fluid is hot
Check the fluid level monthly.
1. Drive the vehicle several miles to raise
the temperature of the transmission fluid
up to normal operating temperature; 158
to 176 8F (70 to 80 8C) is normal.
2. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
set the parking brake.
3. First shift the selector lever in each
position. Then shift it in the “P ” position,
and run the engine at idling speed.

11-24Maintenance and service
fluid, be sure to use the kind specified.
For 4-speed automatic transmission:
For optimum transmission perfor-
mance, only use the automatic trans-
mission fluid that is recommended and
provided by Subaru.
If the recommended automatic trans-
mission fluid is unavailable, Dexron III
may be temporarily used. If the Dexron
III is used continuously there will be a
noticeable increase in the vibration and
noise from the automatic transmission. Front differential gear oil (AT vehicles) &
Checking the oil level
1) Yellow handle
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
stop the engine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and
insert it again.
1) Upper level
2) Lower level
3. Pull out the dipstick again and check
the oil level on it. If it is below the lower
level, add oil to bring the level up to the
upper level.
CAUTION
Be careful not to spill front differ-
ential gear oil when adding it. If oil
touches the exhaust pipe, it may
cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or a
fire. If oil gets on the exhaust pipe,
be sure to wipe it off.