Pre-Trip Fluids

Hello Sports Fans!

A quick trip to Elgin Auto Sales and Service for the following:

Oil and Filter Change.

Front and rear differential fluid change.

Installation of Fumoto F108S FS-Series Drain Valve with Short Nippple with Lever Clip, Bronze, 16mm-1.5.

I do my oil and filter changes every 5,000 kms and recently changed from Idemitsu IFG6 standard oil (0w-16) to Liquid Moly IFG7 standard oil (0W-20). The Red Mist will be heading east for a major road trip and the timing could not be better for an oil change, just before my departure in early September. OEM filter was changed as well.

The front and rear differential oil specification, per the manual, is API classificaiton GL-5 with a viscosity of 75W-90. There is no stated replacement interval in the 2024 Owner's Impreza manual, save that it says that the fluid may need,

"Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle

under hard-driving conditions such as

steep hills or dusty roads will necessitate

more frequent replacement of the

following items than that specified in the

“Warranty and Maintenance Booklet”.

and...

"It is not necessary to check the gear oil

level. Check that there are no cracks,

damage or leakage. However, the oil

inspection should be performed according

to the maintenance schedule in the “Warranty

and Maintenance Booklet”. Consult

your SUBARU dealer for details."

The Warranty and Maintenance does recommend replacing this fluid every "D" service which occurs every 60 months of 100,000 kms.

This service occured at 65,400 kms, so the Red Mist is getting some extra care. Fresh and frequent fluid changes are the cheapest, most effective way to prolong engine and drivetrain life.

For the differential change the Red Mist went for MOTUL GEAR 300 75W-90 from Subie Supply Co.. I ordered 3 litres to cover the capacity needed for the front and rear differentials and the price was really good as I got it for about $20.00 less than the current price at NAPA.

Elgin also installed my Fumoto F108S drain valve to ease the oil change process in the future. This was aquired through Amazon.ca and the primary value is ease of maintenance. Sure, I save on oil drain plug crush washers, but the ROI at approximately $2.00 is about 25 oil changes.

Last, I decided to replace my cheap, formally black (now an odd bronze colour) tire valve stem caps with a set of Fifteen52 Valve Stem Cap Set - Red - 4 Pieces (SKU: FFT52-VALVE-PACK-RED) as a simple cosmetic upgrade.

Of note, I think the Red Mist runs better on the thicker viscosity oil. I have had not needed to add oil between this last oil change. There was a minimal amount of oil consumption and the oil was mildly discoloured.

So, the Red Mist is ready for the next travel adventure!

Remember to keep the rubber on the right side of your vehicle. Drive safely and practice the Subaru Salute.

Changing Your Cabin Air Filter: Why the hell so?

 

Hey! Sports Fans! It’s been a while since the last post and today I have an exciting service to review – installing a cabin air filter in a 2024-2026 Subaru Impreza!

I mean, what could get more exciting?

Cabin Air Filter: Do I Really Need It?

No.

The idea of an air filter for a car is a bit silly, really. There are probably plenty of entry points for air other than the ventilation system, especially if you open the windows or sunroof, thus making the need for a cabin air filter pointless.

In 1989, Mercedes (of course!), introduced the cabin air filter in a response to… Wait for it! More profits.

The off-cited reason of the decrease of air quality and increase in pollution are not resolved by this system. It may reduce pollen and dust, but as it cannot be a totally closed system, and from the two vehicles I have owned, the filter and housing system does not offer an assured seal.

By 1990, the Opel Astra, a mass market car, had introduced the cabin air filter.

So, Hans Freudenburg, in a bid to prevent dust getting on his clothes while he drove, developed the idea of the cabin air filter. That must have been one hell of a long drive or one motherfracking dusty road. Was he commuting on the Dawson Highway?

Anyways, my 2013 Hyundai Accent was the first car I owned that had a cabin air filter. I never changed that filter until I had but 300,000 kms before I changed it. I really should have changed it sooner, but do you need to change it as frequently as the recommended service interval?

In the case of my Hyundai, the long time before the change found that filter had distorted and was not sitting in the housing properly, negating any filtration effects. I have no idea of how long the filter had not been doing its job, but it was a lesson in considering making changes of the filter to keep the car in good shape. I mean, you change the oil and filter but leave other items that degrade and if you have any pride in ownership, you think an owner would at least put a good filter in, or remove it altogether if you think having a cabin air filter is pointless.

Though I question the real utility of a cabin air filter, is now a part of the car’s maintenance regime and an understanding of this part and its place in the service life of your Impreza.

As to profits…

Google the OEM part number and you will find a PLETHORA of 3^rd-party providers offering solutions at a wide range of price offerings. Some are basic filters and some offer, I don’t know, protection from Anthrax or Nuclear fallout.

It’s a filter, damn it. Its primary role is to prevent PARTICULATE intrusion into the car’s cabin. It is a paper accordion pleat with a paper frame. Probably about 0.32 cents manufacturing cost. $1.01 landed cost in Canada in its box. These aren’t real numbers, but I am sure the profit margin on this part is ginormous.

Changing Your Filter

Below are the instruction for the current body style of the Impreza (2024-2026). Other Imprezas are probably similar, but CHECK your manual for correct procedures and fitment.

Replaced with FRAM CF12157 (est. $25.00 to $39.00 CDN).

 

 

Condition of Removed Filter

 

Why Change Your Filter?

It was evident from changing out the original filter it was picking up debris. Was this debris, if it passed unfiltered into the passenger cabin? Probably not, but it does prevent contamination of the ducting and fan, and that does keep the efficiency of the HVAC system intact during the life of the car.

Seriously, if you drive with your window(s) open, you are fully defeating the purpose of the filter.

Plus, for those with OCD, changing stuff related to your car’s care will be a soothing balm as each item gets done.

Do you need to change it as regularly as Subaru recommends?

Depends, Sports Fans. If you live and drive in a dusty climate or desert area, I would do the first change at the recommended interval and then amend the frequency of the changes. You could check the filter at intervals, but I think the effort outweighs the result. Plus, if you are not careful, you could introduce containments into the fan and ducting.

I would not leave it for more than 2 years, regardless of mileage, as it may start to warp and deform in the housing, preventing it from doing the job it was indented for.

Definitely do it yourself, and save some money, and learn a bit more about you car.

What Does Subaru Say?

Subaru recommends replacing your cabin air filter every 12,000 miles / 20,000 kms.

As this is a recommendation, your mileage/kilometerage may vary. If you drive on dusty road regularly, you might consider a more regular maintenance interval.

The OEM part number is 72880FN00A and its price is $30.00 USD MSRP.

There are plenty of 3^rd-party providers with Fram being one of the more recognizable brands.

Conclusion

So, a bit of contradictory information...

I think car cabin filters in most North American environments are silly. They are another high margin part that fixes a problem that does not really exist.

However, with my last car, I totally neglected the filter, and paid for it with fan noise, which potentially could have led to fan damage or failure.

My goal is to change the filter at an interval that is double that of the recommendation, and to source a filter of reasonable cost.

So, Sports Fans, take these wizened words into consideration when you consider doing a filter change.

Remember to keep the rubber on the right side of your vehicle. Drive safely and practice the Subaru Salute.