Fill Plug corroded

edjack · 11-08-2005, 11:06 PM

'98 Legacy Outback, 84K miles. Want to change diff lube. Fill plug is corroded. Do I have to replace the diff cover, or is there an alternative?

* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

Hayes · 11-09-2005, 11:10 AM

Heck no. Just wire brush the plug clean and use some permatex sealer ( the ever soft kind) and you are good as new.

jac04 · 11-09-2005, 12:19 PM

Also, replacement fill plugs are cheap. I just bought one for about $2.75 from Jamie at subarugenuineparts.com.

edjack · 11-09-2005, 11:13 PM

Sorry, I was not being clear: the plug refuses to come out. I have even tried heat (but maybe not hot enough).

I actually put a bottle jack on the breaker bar, and put a wrap in the bar, and left it there, while heating with a heat gun. Afraid to get out my Bernz-o-matic.

z · 11-10-2005, 01:19 AM

Spray with some liquid wrench or something else that frees seized up nuts.

Then put a long piece of pipe over your wrench to get more leverage.

DrD · 11-10-2005, 07:36 AM

do you know anyone with an impact wrench? If it's never been changed before, Subaru does put some sort of black threadlocker on there, so you need to break that free - shock loading usually works (like an impact gun, or if you put the breaker bar on there and try to load it like that)

Hayes · 11-10-2005, 12:43 PM

Yes those suckers are tight because of the thread sealer. I used a 1/2 inch braker bar and a 2 foot length of pipe.

edjack · 11-10-2005, 04:40 PM

Thanks for the inputs - I'll keep hammering at it. I began spraying Kroil on the plugs last night. I'll let you know what happens.

edjack · 11-16-2005, 10:22 PM

Took it to my mechanic, he put a breaker bar and a length of pipe on it, and got it loose, on the lift. There is no Loctite on the threads, as some have posited.

RedLine 75W90 installed. Good to go.

z · 11-16-2005, 10:41 PM

Good to hear but, why did you pay someone else to do that when I said a few posts up to put a pipe over your wrench for leverage?

edjack · 11-17-2005, 11:57 PM

zavigm,

I couldn't get it up in the air high enough to get a long enough lever arm on it. The mechanic said he had a LOOONG pipe on the end of the breaker bar, and he could do it because he put it on a lift.

The plugs were not Loctited in; just terribly tight, and with no signs of corrosion: the threads on the plugs were shiny, with no Loctite deposits.

DrD · 11-18-2005, 05:03 PM

maybe the threadlocker is a more recent development - on my car it was on both the fill and drain plugs.

z · 11-18-2005, 08:14 PM

edjack, at least he got it loose for ya. You should have no problem in the future getting it out if you decide to change it yourself later.

It's not loctite to keep the threads from backing off, though.
it's a liquid thread sealant that you should use so that gear oil doesn't leak out.

11-08-2005, 11:06 PM	#1
edjack Scooby Newbie Member#: 99470 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Vehicle: 1998 Legacy Outback White	Fill Plug corroded '98 Legacy Outback, 84K miles. Want to change diff lube. Fill plug is corroded. Do I have to replace the diff cover, or is there an alternative? * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

11-16-2005, 10:22 PM	#9
edjack Scooby Newbie Member#: 99470 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Vehicle: 1998 Legacy Outback White	Solved! Took it to my mechanic, he put a breaker bar and a length of pipe on it, and got it loose, on the lift. There is no Loctite on the threads, as some have posited. RedLine 75W90 installed. Good to go.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Help! Need a rear diff fill plug...	farside62	Southern California Impreza Club Forum -- SCIC	3	04-16-2005 04:33 PM
Differential fill plug stuck!	loudog800	Service & Maintenance	12	04-27-2004 06:29 PM
Where is the fill plug on the 5 speed tranny	SupraTT&WRX	Transmission (AT/MT) & Driveline	3	02-11-2004 12:20 PM
Where the hell is the fill plug on my transmission??	ScoobyHead1993	Legacy Forum	7	06-20-2002 07:45 PM
Transmission/differential drain/fill plug sizes	Karl	New England Impreza Club Forum -- NESIC	5	04-16-2002 10:23 PM

11-09-2005, 11:10 AM	#2
Hayes Scooby Specialist Member#: 11808 Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cape Coral,FL	Heck no. Just wire brush the plug clean and use some permatex sealer ( the ever soft kind) and you are good as new.

11-09-2005, 12:19 PM	#3
jac04 Scooby Specialist Member#: 49895 Join Date: Dec 2003 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: Connecticut Vehicle: 09 Forester 06 Legacy 2.5i Wagon	Also, replacement fill plugs are cheap. I just bought one for about $2.75 from Jamie at subarugenuineparts.com.

11-09-2005, 11:13 PM	#4
edjack Scooby Newbie Member#: 99470 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Vehicle: 1998 Legacy Outback White	Sorry, I was not being clear: the plug refuses to come out. I have even tried heat (but maybe not hot enough). I actually put a bottle jack on the breaker bar, and put a wrap in the bar, and left it there, while heating with a heat gun. Afraid to get out my Bernz-o-matic.

11-10-2005, 01:19 AM	#5
z Scooby Specialist Member#: 41762 Join Date: Aug 2003 Chapter/Region: International Location: House of Pancakes Vehicle: 04 STi CT-DE-FL rinse+repeat	Spray with some liquid wrench or something else that frees seized up nuts. Then put a long piece of pipe over your wrench to get more leverage.

11-10-2005, 07:36 AM	#6
DrD Scooby Guru Member#: 22412 Join Date: Aug 2002 Chapter/Region: SWIC Location: Albuquerque, NM Vehicle: 2012 Legacy 2.5GT Ice Silver Metallic	do you know anyone with an impact wrench? If it's never been changed before, Subaru does put some sort of black threadlocker on there, so you need to break that free - shock loading usually works (like an impact gun, or if you put the breaker bar on there and try to load it like that)

11-10-2005, 12:43 PM	#7
Hayes Scooby Specialist Member#: 11808 Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cape Coral,FL	Yes those suckers are tight because of the thread sealer. I used a 1/2 inch braker bar and a 2 foot length of pipe.

11-10-2005, 04:40 PM	#8
edjack Scooby Newbie Member#: 99470 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Vehicle: 1998 Legacy Outback White	Thanks for the inputs - I'll keep hammering at it. I began spraying Kroil on the plugs last night. I'll let you know what happens.

11-16-2005, 10:41 PM	#10
z Scooby Specialist Member#: 41762 Join Date: Aug 2003 Chapter/Region: International Location: House of Pancakes Vehicle: 04 STi CT-DE-FL rinse+repeat	Good to hear but, why did you pay someone else to do that when I said a few posts up to put a pipe over your wrench for leverage?

11-17-2005, 11:57 PM	#11
edjack Scooby Newbie Member#: 99470 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Vehicle: 1998 Legacy Outback White	zavigm, I couldn't get it up in the air high enough to get a long enough lever arm on it. The mechanic said he had a LOOONG pipe on the end of the breaker bar, and he could do it because he put it on a lift. The plugs were not Loctited in; just terribly tight, and with no signs of corrosion: the threads on the plugs were shiny, with no Loctite deposits.

11-18-2005, 05:03 PM	#12
DrD Scooby Guru Member#: 22412 Join Date: Aug 2002 Chapter/Region: SWIC Location: Albuquerque, NM Vehicle: 2012 Legacy 2.5GT Ice Silver Metallic	maybe the threadlocker is a more recent development - on my car it was on both the fill and drain plugs.

11-18-2005, 08:14 PM	#13
z Scooby Specialist Member#: 41762 Join Date: Aug 2003 Chapter/Region: International Location: House of Pancakes Vehicle: 04 STi CT-DE-FL rinse+repeat	edjack, at least he got it loose for ya. You should have no problem in the future getting it out if you decide to change it yourself later. It's not loctite to keep the threads from backing off, though. it's a liquid thread sealant that you should use so that gear oil doesn't leak out.