Breathers...Includes a how to DIY.

[Dulagarl]

Yes it is a b!tch to put back in especially with the tube now in it.
I also spent a couple of hours at first too But once I took the bolts out & let the diff hang down a little, it was a lot lot easier. :iconwink: :ebiggrin:

Regards
Mr Turbo

Umm. Thanks. The bolts were already out when I tried to put it back in. Th driveshaft is resting on the exhaust pipe. Thinking i might have to drop the pipe to get the breather in.

 

[mr turbo]

The driveshaft is resting on the exhaust pipe. Thinking i might have to drop the pipe to get the breather in.

I think thats what we did troyXT's. We dropped the exhaust pipe a little by unhooking the rubber support that holds the pipe in place.

If you have car stands you could jack up the rear (both sides) & try that too. You might have some more room that way also.

Regards
Mr Turbo

 

[Dulagarl]

Thanks.

It really is a tricky little process to get the breahter back in. So many times I have had it lined up, but just can't get the downward force necessary.

I'll do both: I.e. drop out the exhaust from the hanger, and jack the vehicle so I've got a bit more room to move.

I'm planning to head up around the Wimmera River next weekend, and something tells me that I am going to need the diff breather tube in place.

 

[Barry]

Thanks.

It really is a tricky little process to get the breahter back in. So many times I have had it lined up, but just can't get the downward force necessary.

I'll do both: I.e. drop out the exhaust from the hanger, and jack the vehicle so I've got a bit more room to move.

I'm planning to head up around the Wimmera River next weekend, and something tells me that I am going to need the diff breather tube in place.

That is saying something for Victoria's version of 'Cooper Creek' - i.e the river that gets lost in the desert.

 

[Dulagarl]

That is saying something for Victoria's version of 'Cooper Creek' - i.e the river that gets lost in the desert.

Nice way of putting it.

I anticipate that the crossings between Dimboola and Jeparit will be very full.

 

[Dulagarl]

Done: finally!

It was much easier refitting the breather cap with the exhaust hanging low: it means you can actually drop the diff far enough to see what you are doing.

Thanks everyone for your help on this: the hints were of great assistance.

In the process I remedied a few other little issue with the car here and there.

Thanks again.

 

[Kevin]

Beaudy! Now you can breathe easy!

 

[lovesuba]

Does anyone knows which workshop can fix a breather extending tube for My10 Forester XT in Sydney, because I lack of such mechanical skills & tools and willing to pay anyone who can do the job for me. Please help me!

Many thanks
Lovesuba

 

[jeffy]

Hi folks, I thought I would try to fit a breather to the MY09 today. Has anyone tried to fit a breather to a MY09 model?

I have removed the cap (same location as shown in the diagram) and the cap looks completely different from the pictures shown earlier. The cap is solid! I could not find anything else on the diff which would resemble a breather. How does it breathe? I assume all diffs would need to breathe.

Should I still continue?

Cheers
Jeffy

 

[mr turbo]

Should I still continue?

Yes keep going, it's nothing major

I'm sure (99.9%) the diff breather (MY09) is the same as other year models
I do know that the OB, & Forry's (2000-2008) have the same one :iconwink:

Looking at the pic, you've only got the top half of it. (Don't worry, I too have done the same thing )

What you need to do, is get the other half out. Just get a pair of long-nose pliers & pull the other piece out. Once thats out, just push the cap (one in pic) back on.
Once thats done you can go from there

Regards
Mr Turbo

 

[jeffy]

Cheers Turbo! I'll give that a go tomorrow.

I managed to get the first bit off without dropping the diff, like you suggested may be possible in my other thread. I may have to drop it to get the remainder out or when I put the modified cap back in though.

For future reference it looks like there is a couple of additional nuts (compared to the how to) I need to remove on the MY09 to drop the diff. It is supported by a metal "hammock" that's bolted to the car through thick rubber washers. Shouldn't be too hard.

Cheers
Jeffy

 

[jeffy]

Completed my diff breather today! I didn't even have to drop the diff.

I took mine through just above the spare wheel well (as there is no existing hole) using a "cable gland" rather than a grommet. I also used fuel line for the tubing as I heard that the fumes may degrade silicon tubing.

Thankyou Mr. Turbo for all your help.
Cheers
Jeffy

 

[mr turbo]

Completed my diff breather today! I didn't even have to drop the diff.

Well done jeffy :ebiggrin: Now you can breath easy

Regards
Mr Turbo

 

[Barry]

Will do this when I fit the LSD in the rear.

 

[Dedman]

I notice that people seem to be ending their diff breathers in the passenger compartment. Do you not get a strong smell of diff oil coming up the tube after a while? Old diff oil is a smell I cant stand.

Also has anyone made a breather for a manual transmission? I am looking at doing this because my adventures of last week resulted in a tad of water in the gearbox ....

Currently I am thinking a tube over the outer of the dipstick and just keeping the dipstick in the car somewhere.

 

[mr turbo]

I fitted my breather (rear) a little over 5yrs ago & have never noticed any smells or odors from the diff (oil) at all
Mine ends in the rear strut cavity high up in the rear quarter panel.

As for a front breather (for manuals) yes it can be done.
I know of one person who replaced the dipstick with some tubing & mounted that tubing somewhere higher up

Mind you the dipstick is fairly high, but if you wanted it higher up, you could always feed the breather tube up & into the A Pillar cavity :iconwink:

Regards
Mr Turbo

 

[Dedman]

I fitted my breather (rear) a little over 5yrs ago & have never noticed any smells or odors from the diff (oil) at all

Thats good to know. I might move mine into the cab sometime. My current one uses tubing that is to small anyway.

Mind you the dipstick is fairly high, but if you wanted it higher up, you could always feed the breather tube up & into the A Pillar cavity :iconwink:

Haha you say that with a winky face but I am seriously considering it....
The dipstick is high up by not high enough aparently as my weekend experiences showed me. Unless the water was getting in else where....

 

[mr turbo]

The dipstick is high up by not high enough aparently as my weekend experiences showed me. Unless the water was getting in else where....

This might sound like a stupid question, but how/what is the condition of your dipstick ? I'm talking mainly about the rubber seal (on the dipstick) that fits into the stem ?

Maybe thats how it got in & you just need to replace that.
Just a thought

Regards
Mr Turbo

 

[Dedman]

This might sound like a stupid question, but how/what is the condition of your dipstick ? I'm talking mainly about the rubber seal (on the dipstick) that fits into the stem ?

Yeah the seal is in good condition the problem is that it is designed so that the dipstick can act as a breather. So its the same as the rear diff if it goes under water will come in.

I cant take a picture of my dipstick at the minute but I created a sketch to show its shape. Basically it has a rubber seal to seal it in the hole but so that it can breath Subaru have cut a slot under the seal to let air in and out/water in.

I think that I must have only been deep enough for the dipstick to go under for a short time but I guess that is enough to suck some water in. Doesnt take much water to make the oil go milky....

 

[PigSti]

It's all about air expansion and contraction and a small amount of air at that!

These rubber bellows do the trick either at the diff or on a metal breather tube extension.

Completely waterproof and will operate air tight under water as well.

Air perfect seal means no water ingestion.

https://www.trail-gear.com/differential-breather