30,000 miles: Replace engine coolant, fuel filter, air filter, spark plugs, and brake fluid.

I'm not very mechanically inclined, but I've managed to change my own oil since I bought the car brand new (an '04).

So now I'm approaching 30,000 miles and would like to do the service myself.

Engine coolant: This is in the radiator right? Drain it, refill it. Anything special I should know?

Fuel filter: What the hell is this and where is it? Need help here.

Air filter: Easy.

Spark plugs: Pain in the ass because the plugs are on either side of the engine, thanks to the boxer design. Anyone have tips or walkthroughs for this? Opinions on replacement spark plugs?

Brake fluid: Can be done at a brake place for like $10, right? Or I can buy a bleeder online for $50 and do it by myself pretty easily. Opinions?


Thanks for any help.

My personal opinion is if you are "not very mechanically inclined", you shouldn't be doing some of the 30k service items...especially brake-bleeding. Take it to a local service shop and let the pros work on the car.

If you insist on doing this work yourself, Scoobymods has write-ups on all sorts of stuff, I bet most of the items you mentioned are posted over there.

Spark plugs aren't until 60k since you have a turbo model. ;)

30k service:
oil and filter
coolant (just drain and refill)
fuel filter (near the driver's side strut tower, easy to do)
air filter
brake fluid (have a friend help you, do a search for brake fluid flush on Scoobymods)

from: http://www.subaru.com/owners/schedules/index.jsp?navid=SCHEDULE_2004

I think scooby's need new clutch's every 30K...as for bleeding the brakes you can do that for the price of a 6 pack, $4 in fluid and a 10mm wrench...you shouldent need fuel filter...

Roy

I think scooby's need new clutch's every 30K...as for bleeding the brakes you can do that for the price of a 6 pack, $4 in fluid and a 10mm wrench...you shouldent need fuel filter...

Roy


Only Scooby's with owners who can't drive for S*** need a new clutch every 30000 miles.

^^^^ what he said.

My personal opinion is if you are "not very mechanically inclined", you shouldn't be doing some of the 30k service items...especially brake-bleeding. Take it to a local service shop and let the pros work on the car.
Problem is, where I am, the Subaru dealerships aren't any better at this than I am.

Spark plugs aren't until 60k since you have a turbo model. ;)
...

fuel filter (near the driver's side strut tower, easy to do)

...

brake fluid (have a friend help you, do a search for brake fluid flush on Scoobymods)
Oh I didn't know that about the spark plugs. Phew!

What is involved with doing the fuel filter? Yank old one, install new one? If it's as easy as the air filter, I won't have a problem! :)

For brake fluid I may just take it to one of those 10-minute brake places and tell them to flush it.


Also, no I don't need a new clutch. :) I've driven plenty of sticks and know when I need one. I'm not a racer or a launcher or whatever, mine's still good at 27k.

2002 and 2003 WRX's have the fuel filter up by the strut tower but I think I read somewhere that the newer ones have it in the gas tank or something...if you look for the write up on scoobymods the thread will contain that information.

R

I want to do my own 30,000 mile service, what do I need to do?

1. Get in car
2. Drive to local Subaru dealer
3. Pay! Pay! Pay!
4. @!?*&
5. Poor

I think scooby's need new clutch's every 30K...as for bleeding the brakes you can do that for the price of a 6 pack, $4 in fluid and a 10mm wrench...you shouldent need fuel filter...

Roy

Holy crap! I have 136,000 miles, thast 45 clutches over 5 years, or 9 clutches every year. Thats almost as expensive as insurance in NJ, :lol:


btw, stock clucth for 136k works fine.

136k and still on stock clutch? wow u must drive like a grandma. whats the point in getting a wrx if u cant have a little fun?

no grandma... just not Unnecessarily mean to my car.