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Think I found out why the gearbox was playing up a bit. Did the full service thing with new fluids and bits and pieces...came to draining the box and knowing that it holds 1.8 litres of fluid, I used the smaller 2.5 litre drop pan.

Thank heavens I was having a bit of a lie down under the car when I saw the fluid level getting to the top of the catch pan...quickly grabbed the 5 litre one and switched them over...the gearbox had 5 LITRES of oil in it...that would have nearly filled it to the top of the dipper tube in my thinking.

Well I rang the "subaru specialised business" here in the ACT who did the box service last time and they could offer no excuse as to why they overfilled it. Suffice to say I now have a weeping output shaft seal on the starboard side of the box and a very big mess on my cat converter. After my tyrade on the phone, the "business" is replacing the seals and cleaning the cat converter. Really pisses me off when the experts cant even get it right. The box is completely different in feel and no clunking of gears now. There was a heap of swarf on the drain plug but I think that is normal(was more like grey grease than filings...you should see a minis sump plug - looks like it has an afro!!)and adjusted the advance to 19 degs as the fuel quality here is poop and pings like a bastard.

I have also reclaimed my garage from the packing box monsters...only took me 7 months but I can now see the mini and touch it again - even sat in the drivers seat...gawd I miss the registered go-kart!!

Hooroo

You just can't trust anyone to do a good job these days. At least they did the right thing and paid for the damage. I assume its an auto since as far as I am aware its very difficult to overfill a manual? But don't autos have a dipstick to check the fluid level? I'm not sure how anyone could make such a mind boggling mistake.

Look on the bright side - at least it was only the gearbox and not something that could have had a direct impact on your safety. One of my friends had her brakes done by supposed experts just before setting off on a 450km drive- two hours into it one of the rear axle's just snapped off (of course the wheel and brake drum went with it!). Turns out one of the supposed experts weren't watching some apprentice who tightened a nut way over the specified maximum torque. Needless to say they paid for the damage - thankfully no one was hurt.

I guess over double the required amount of fluid would have been causing some pretty nasty pressure inside your gearbox....surprised it didn't crap out altogether!

No it was a manual box(5sp D/R) and no it isnt easy to overfill it - these guys did though. Took me over an hour just to get the box filled with 1.8 litres of fluid...then I got the poo poo's and loosened off the drain nut...presto!!

I am glad they are fixing the problem but it wasnt until I really pushed them to though - they were going to wash their hands with a free MINOR service(about $250 - seal replacement is going to cost them nearly double that...their time not mine!) and I will be present when they refill the gearbox:p

Hooroo

this is my good reason why that i don't give my cars to the mechanic's hands. They'll do the job to get money, not actually care abt your car, just does the job what they're told to. That what happens above. Not good tho, i wld be pissed off!
Cheers
AP