95 Legacy EJ22 losing coolant

[q959fm]

My 95 Legacy EJ22, with 195k, is losing coolant. About a cup or two each month. I use a bottle of 50/50 Prestone every 6 months or so.

 

I've driven it all over the place, from SLC to LA, up Pacific Coast Highway, and never worried once about it. Well, I need to make a 300 mile run on Tuesday and made the mistake of letting my old man borrow my car (the EJ25 in his Outback just blew a head gasket last week). He says he smells coolant and he worries I shouldn't drive my car until I get it fixed.

 

I typically smell the sweet smell after I punch it really hard on the freeway (3500-4500 RPM), and then exit, pull over, and stop. I smell it all over the place, including inside, outside, and strongly from the rear of the car (but not the exhaust).

 

No interior leaks. No "film" on the windows when I run the defroster, so I'm pretty sure that even though I can occasionally get strong whiffs of coolant, my heater core is fine. Heater works proud and strong.

 

I wash the engine regularly and I do see build up (likely coolant, although it's very dirty) on the driver's side of the engine around the plugs and below all the way down.

 

Is this an external head gasket leak? Valve cover leak? Freeze plugs? How serious is it? I've driven with the problem for over a year (20,000 miles) but I don't want to take this car on a long trip if it's a time bomb.

 

I'll post some pictures in a minute.

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited December 27, 2009 by q959fm

[Cougar]

I would first suspect the intake manifold gaskets for a leak. You may have an air leak there also. By spraying some WD-40 around the gaskets while the engine is running it will change the idle speed if there is one.

[q959fm]

I first suspected it was the bottom radiator hose, because I saw residue on it. I replaced these hoses about two years ago, and I wondered if perhaps they were a bit loose, although the clamps didn't seem loose. I wrapped a paper towel and duct tape around each end and drove the car 40 miles. Both towels appear to be dry. That makes me think something is dripping down.

 

 

Heater hoses both look good (other side looks about the same):

 

 

I wash the engine regularly, so the driver's side should look like this passenger side:

 

 

Which is why all this build-up on the driver's side really bothers me:

 

 

Could also be a leaky reservoir, maybe? I dunno.

 

 

Thanks!

[q959fm]

I would first suspect the intake manifold gaskets for a leak. You may have an air leak there also. By spraying some WD-40 around the gaskets while the engine is running it will change the idle speed if there is one.

 

I hadn't considered that. Are there coolant passages through the intake manifold gasket? Is it a common problem with the EJ22? Am I safe to drive it 300 miles? How easy is it to pull apart?

 

I sure hope it's a manifold gasket and not a head gasket.

[Fairtax4me]

Thermostat gasket or water pump. Try the gasket first, it's much easier.

 

The buildup on the drivers side of the engine is oil residue. Hit it with some degreaser (purple power works pretty good) and spray it off with a water hose. I'd bet on the valve cover gasket there, but it's nothing to be too concerned with, it's a Subaru thing.

[q959fm]

So you don't think I'm losing coolant through the intake then? I swapped the pump/gasket and thermostat/gasket about two years ago when I replaced the timing belt. I suppose I could replace the thermostat and gasket, albeit the car never, ever, ever, ever overheats.

 

Is it worth paying a shop some money to pressure-test the system?

[gbrand]

check the coolant hoses that go to IAC and throttel body-almost impossible to see leaks but they do crack and leak, and yes will drip down.....if need to be replaced dont by the pre-formed hose $$$$ buy bulk hose and loop around...had this problem on my 91 and drove me nuts trying to find leak, finally had to borrow a borescope (flexible camera) to see.....

[Cougar]

Your first two pictures show signs of fresh coolant on the hoses. I don't konw how it got there. If you didn't put it there somehow I suggest you look at those areas first. You may have to look for leaks while the engine is hot and running so the pressure is up in the coolant system.

[q959fm]

That coolant is misleading. I saw it and thought "a ha!" But it was gellified and looks like it's been there as a glob for a long time. I tried wrapping a paper towel around it and driving 40 miles hard on the freeway. Those towels were bone dry when I got home.

 

But I do agree something is fishy there. Will also snoop around with some WD-40 around the intake gasket.

 

I'm hoping a pressure test tomorrow would help. I mainly wanted to know if there was a "common problem" for EJ22's, but it sounds like there isn't (thankfully). My father has an EJ25 which is falling into classic failure mode, so I'm glad it's nothing like that.

[98obster]

you're losing a cup or 2 a month and you figured a 40 mile drive to rule out the rad hose? the fact that there is coolant present at the clamp leads me to believe that is you culprit (upper and lower). It may also be the type of clamp you are using. I recently noticed on my new 97 OB the upper hose was leaking when I just started the engine but stops after it is hot. Your upper and lower hoses are probably due anyway. put in a new thermo gasket as well.

[q959fm]

Great news, guys!

 

I had a shop pressure test it for $25. They were able to get that lower coolant hose to fail under pressure. Basically, they said it's a slow leak and I'll want to keep an eye on my coolant level until I get it fixed.

 

Glad it's not a head gasket!

 

The other part does look like oil slowly leaking through the intake cover. Eventually, I'll fix that. Might explain why I "use" a quart every 4000 miles or so.

[Cougar]

Good deal. Thanks for the feedback.

[Gloyale]

Great that you found the culprit. Get a new hose and a clamp on that thing.

Edited December 28, 2009 by Gloyale

[Gloyale]

This thread made me think of another often overlooked, and common leak spot on EJ engines

 

 

 

The EJ engines have a seperate crossover from the intake. The above posts about intake gaskets would on;y apply to EA engines.

 

The EJs use this pipe, sealed by O-rings. It is under the intake, and really the intake needs removed to access it, but it does not need to come off to replace heads. That's why it ends up being ignored, even during headgasket replacement. I've seen more than a few EJs come in having just had a headgasket job.....still losing coolant.........and then checked those gaskets and they are leaking.

 

Just wanted to add the thought for anyone who is reading this and chasing coolant loss.

Edited December 28, 2009 by Gloyale

[Fairtax4me]

Seems like the fix for that would be to fill it with RTV. Or cover the O ring with Indian Head before installing it. I will remember to check that on mine when/if I ever get around to pulling the engine.