This would probably apply to any Subaru, but I've got a leak at the fill plug for the CVT and I'm hoping someone might be able to offer some advice. I went through numerous dealership visits in several states after the fluid level/temp light kept coming on, and finally a dealership in CO fixed the problem 4 years ago, covering the repair (barely!) under the 100k mile extended warranty they issued. About a year ago and 35k miles later the light came on again and I took it to a local AZ mechanic who specializes in Subarus for a CVT fluid flush. When they were doing this they told me that the threads of the CVT, not the plug, were slightly cracked. They added a thread sealer, and told me to hope for the best.
Just today returned from a 6 week trip while the car was parked at home, and noticed that maybe 1/4 quart of tranny fluid had leaked out from the plug. Darn. Wish I had a picture to share, the crack started on the outside of the plug threads and ran nearly through the threads towards inside the CVT. Maybe 1mm on the outside to 0.5mm on the inside. I'm tempted to pull the plug and and carefully add some high temp gasket sealer, top off the fluid... and hope for the best. If anyone out there is smarter and more experienced than me, would much appreciate any advice. Seems weird and suspicious that the threads on the plug hole would crack.
This is the End Result of OVER-TORQUING Ferrous Plugs into DC (Die-Cast) Aluminum Framing-Bodies ; the other more likely end result is Stripping &/or Galling of the AL threads by the Ferrous Plugs ( I use Moly Thread coating FILM , and reduce my Torques to 90% of Subaru Spec ON ALL ALUMINUM PARTS ! ) Raspberries to those In-De-Nile !
IF your vehicle can be successfully repaired, DO NOT Torque up to the recommended values when finished !
This is B/C that entire area is now weakened by the Damages leading to where you are now !
CRACK REPAIR : NEVER WELD ! Especially on any Automotive System that has electronics involved If you do weld , REMOVE ASSEMBLY from Vehicle , and do it on Bench !
The real problem with cracks, as seen in Glass , once started, they continue to propagate like Jagged-Linear Rabbitts ! The only way to stop this natural process, is to drill ~1/64-Hole(s) IN-FRONT of where the Crack(s) SEEM to be headed; unti you find someone who is familiar with this practice, .... it will never be fixed . Also , the constant Temperature Cycling of the Tranny will cause the entire un-fixed crack to continue to live on toward the Next Metallurgical Boundary of your Assembly - this is due to what are generally described as Stress-Concentrations ...
The DIRTY FIX ... ? Drain Tranny ; TILT vehicle to concentrate remaining Fliid to opposite side, away from Damaged Hole; stuff hole with quality (NO-FUZZ -!) Shop Towel ; then clean , CLEAN , and clean again with Brake Cleaner - THEN Compressed-Air Blow (about a dozen times) the actual crack to attempt to get a PERFECTLY CLEAN ( "good-enough" will guarantee Failure ...!!!) Crack :
IMMEDIATELY AFTER LAST CLEAN BRAKE-CLEANER CYCLE ( have parts Ready --!!) , apply a little heat with a House Styling Hair Dryer , then apply a high-quality Liquid Super Glue to the Crack ( I use LOCTITE 20g Plastic Bottle type Super Glue ; NOT the Metal Tube messy mini-samples !) While and after each application, use the Hair-Dryer to keep it 10-15-degrees above what ever ambient happens to be. When it will not absorb any more ... let it set for several HOURS to take a Final Set, then slowly remove your Shop Towel (you may want to slightly pressurize the Tranny by using its VENT Tube (usually somewhere on top, or forward toward engine) to attempt to keep any small filaments from dropping into the tranny. Like wise, if the Plug will not easily re-thread by finger into Hole, may need to slowly & carefullt CHASE the Threads with the proper Thread-Die to clear residual Super-Glue (again pressurizing).
Upon completion, and maybe another Trans-Flush (just to be "safe") , DO NOT TORQUE to metal crushing Subaru Specs : be sure to use a VERY GOOD CONDITION GASKET-WASHER , and re-torque your MOLY-COATED Drain Plug to NO-MORE than 80% of Spec, B/C you are trying to nurse a Damaged System into a New Life , after a Close-Encounter of the Terminal Kind ... !
Then, go burn Incense, offer Prayers, give all your Possessions to the POOR , .... and test drive your Resurrected Vehicle !
