Advice needed re:Black Soot and fluids

[aspenwhitewrx]

Hi All,
I'm concerned about a layer of black soot with a green fringe on the firewall inside my engine bay(behind dp and tmic). I don't know if it is from an exhaust leak, but do any of you have this? It looks a little too dark to be dirt. I don't have a turboback exhaust leak, but it might be my up-pipe to turbo junction(up-pipe leak)?

Also, I'm getting my 30K service done soon and was wondering what the best tranny and rear diff fluid is to put in my car. Thanks all.
Scott

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[phattyduck]

The 'soot' is dirt that has been caught by the greasy stuff that Subaru puts on the firewall from the factory. Its pretty nasty, but you can clean it off there if you want. If you had an uppipe leak bad enough to get stuff on the firewall, you'd hear it every time you drove.

Easiest choice for fluids is stock... otherwise, start reading up - there are lots of opinions out there.

-Charlie

[US2JDM]

Sounds like a leaky uppipe gasket. Use the Subaru part, it seals great.

For the trans and diff fluid, I'd suggest using what the dealer uses while you're in the warranty period (to avoid warranty claims being denied down the line should the tranny go south).

W3rp!

-Milan

[Psydotek]

Originally Posted by phattyduck

The 'soot' is dirt that has been caught by the greasy stuff that Subaru puts on the firewall from the factory. Its pretty nasty, but you can clean it off there if you want. If you had an uppipe leak bad enough to get stuff on the firewall, you'd hear it every time you drove.

Easiest choice for fluids is stock... otherwise, start reading up - there are lots of opinions out there.

-Charlie

Hmmm, so that's what all that junk is... So it's totally harmless then, just really bad looking. 2 years, haven't cleaned that crap off once...

I'll get to it one day.