SparkSVT Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 As stated in another thread I bought a 93 Loyale 4x4 with 33,000 original miles on it. I devolped a severe leak from the front of the motor. I put the car in the shop and had the cam seals replaced. The shop thought thats were the leak was from. I go the car back and as soon as I hit the highway and the rpms went up (auto trans 3 speed, which means high rpms on highway) it began leaking again. when it leaks it dumps oil onto the exaust causing a large cloud of smoke behind me on the highway. So I bring the car back and they replace the front crank seal and oil pump seal? the shop tells me they leave the car run on the lot after the job is done and no leak. i pick the car up and get on the same highway as before to go home and again it POURS oil out. Can anyone at all give me advice? i called the shop and they are somewhat stumped but are more than willing to look at it again. Could it be building pressure some how and blowing the gaskets out? The mechanic said he is going to do a compression test this time and again look over the car. HELP ME PLEASE SOMEONE, Im close to dumping out of this car, but dont want to, I love this thing. I bought the car for 1400 with the 33k on it and have spent 600 dollars so far chasing this leak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Have you SEEN where the oil is leaking onto the exhaust? Are you sure that the smoke that you see is from extrernally leaking oil? Are you sure that it is engine oil? A couple of possibilities is that it is ATF, either externally leaking or being sucked into the intake sysetem from a ruptured vacuum modulator valve, OR it might be oil being sucked through the PCV system into the intake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamtheq Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Definately sounds like a vacuum modulator. $15 bucks for the part at your local auto store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin Soldier Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Same problem on my first suby. THe AT did something funky (never learned what happened) and blew ATF out the pipe. COuldn't see anything behind me. After that the AT would not shift right and I limped home in 2nd gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KStretch55 Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Yep, sounds like a vacuum modulator. Doesn't smoke until you're at high AT fluid flow and high vacuum on the highway. Does it seem to shift hard or late? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkSVT Posted August 2, 2005 Author Share Posted August 2, 2005 Its engine oil thats leaking, and its leaking out the front of the engine and all over the exaust. My transmisssion seems fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkSVT Posted August 2, 2005 Author Share Posted August 2, 2005 I also had replaced my PCV valve with a purolator brand one and it did rattle and seem normal. When I first bought the car it was overfilled with oil and I had driven it that way for a little while before realizing it. I only realized it was overfilled when I drove it on the highway and it belched massive amounts of smoke out the TAILPIPE. The smoke now is coming from under the hood off of the hot exaust components like the cat. The raw oil is actually leaking so bad on the highway it sprays it on the windsheilds of cars behind me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 How about a leaking oil pump, filter, sender, and/or other plug/port on the oil pump casting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamtheq Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Got me, then. Maybe a bad gasket or other leak near the oil filter that only shows up under high pressure? The shop guys say they let it run and saw no leaks, did they rev it up and keep it at high RPMs for a bit in order to see if/where it was leaking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkSVT Posted August 2, 2005 Author Share Posted August 2, 2005 I dont believe they revved it up. It sounds like they let it idle on the shop's lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TROGDOR! Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 Did this by chance happen after merging onto the highway after going around a long, sweeping, right hand turn ramp? If so, I guarantee it's your PCV valve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkSVT Posted August 3, 2005 Author Share Posted August 3, 2005 Can you explain what you mean? What do you think is going on with the PCV valve?>? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TROGDOR! Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 Subaru PCV valves tend to dump all kinds of oil into the intake when they clog up, causing a huge cloud of blue smoke. This oil collects in the intake manifold and vacuum lines until you make a long, hard turn... most of the time a hard right. Your typical interstate on-ramp will do this. I'm referring to the usual cloverleaf type interchange- make a right to exit the road you're on, make a long, round turn, almost a complete circle, and merge onto the right lane of the interstate. If your PCV is gummed up, that'll have you burning oil almost every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkSVT Posted August 3, 2005 Author Share Posted August 3, 2005 but im LEAKING oil not burning it, and im leaking it badly... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TROGDOR! Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 I remember reading something about someone installing a front main seal backwards once, causing all kinds of oil leaks. But, it's been so long that I don't remember what message board it was on or even what brand of car it was. May be worth checking into, to make sure the mechanic did everything right. Many mechanics are clueless as to what to do with "one of dem thar Japanese cars" and end up screwing things up, and bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkSVT Posted August 5, 2005 Author Share Posted August 5, 2005 SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME I just picked this car up for the third time for this oil leak. They stated that the crank seal they put in was defective or something and leaking again. they again replaced it. No charge. I pick it up and its STILL leaking. Not as bad, but still bad. It soaks the underside of the car and the windshield of cars behind me on the highway. The oil leaks from the front timing belt cover. How much would it cost to just replace this whole goddamn engine?? I have replaced the crank seal, the cam seals, the oil pump seal, and they tightened my oil pan bolts and it still leaks. Im seriously considering replacing the engine or bailing out of this car entirely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85Sub4WD Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 RELAXX!!! No you do not want to replace your engine *YET* I have had a similar (though it did not become as severe) a problem. There is an oil seal on the SHAFT of the oil pump - if THAT goes bad, it generates many of the problems that you describe. It WOULD release oil UNDER PRESSURE because it is one of the components that is directly exposed to oil pressure - it is VERY easy to overlook, and most shops WILL miss it. (I know if you have to order the gasket seperately) IF they did not properly install/torque it, that could cause a problem too. A BIG ISSUE is whether they were using genuine Subaru parts - they should, cheap knock-offs that many aftermarket stores sell use inferior quality components. I have had to replace many gaskets twice as a result. A faulty PCV valve is also a likely candidate, but for reasons other than what I saw in the aforementioned posts - if one gets plugged or is not relieving pressure at a proper rate, it will cause a buildup of crancase pressure, and shoot oil out of ANY part of the engine it can, namely the camshaft seals. There is an issue on SPFI cars of dumping oil into the intake on inclined right hand turns, but that does not apply here. TAKE IT TO A DIFFERENT SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION competent mechanics are hard enough to find - and Subarus, while reliable and very serviceable cars (take that ford, chrystler, GM, and volvo), do tend to have several mechanical quirks, that only a mechanic that has Subaru expierence can solve - this does not always mean the dealership - usually oil leaks are easy to spot and fix for a mechanic expierenced with Subarus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 What the heck, check the oil filter for tightness and for a hole. Look at the oii pressure sender. I don't think any gasket could leak as much oil as you have described. I would look real hard around the oil filter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkSVT Posted August 5, 2005 Author Share Posted August 5, 2005 Can someone reccomend a shop in the philadelphia area that is subaru oriented? Im in Montgomery County just outside Philly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkSVT Posted August 6, 2005 Author Share Posted August 6, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamtheq Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 When I had my 87 GL, I had good luck with Perky's in Warminster. They are right on County Line Road, so if you run across the street, you're in Hatboro. The owner, Danny, was pretty adept at fixing much of the goofy things that I had wrong with it. They are not specifically Subaru oriented, but I've never had a problem with them. They have worked on my Subaru, Pontiac, Isuzu and Volkswagon, always with good results and a fair price. Which part of Montco are you in? I used to live in Hatboro (southeast montgomery county) but now I'm in East Greenville (northwest Montgomery County). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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