Davalos Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 In this thread, it says my oil leak is probably the cam cover seal that’s; leaking. This says it could also be oil pan gasket, valve covers, or oil pump. I’ve crawled-under this one, and WOW! That’s a lotta oil. Advice? I have a power washer … I could do some serious blasting under there to clean-it-up. Is that the way to go to find a leak? Someone told me that’s the thing to do, but it seems a little radical. I mean, I don’t mind, but my I can etch my name on a concrete sidewalk with my power-washer. Might be a little over-kill. This is a pretty good pic of what it looks like underneath – it seems to be a FAIRLY consistent goober down there. Is there a better place to look? I leak a lot of oil onto the driveway compared to what I’m used to in other cars. Are there telltale places which are dead giveaways as to the specific source? My landlady is gonna blow-a-testie if I don’t fix this & clean-up the driveway (now THAT is where the power washer comes in handy!) Yes, I know I said my Landlady has Testies. Trust me on this - she does. And she’s gonna use them to beat me if I don’t figure this out. I could do the cardboard thing, but I’d rather fix the leak(s). I suppose she's also gonna beat me if she ends-up buying a Subaroo someday and reads this. Hell, by then, I'll be gone, and at least she'll see I was conscientious about it, hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86subaru Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 yes using the power washer would be the best way to find oil leaks, my opinioin is rear main, + cam cover gaskets, and oil pump seal, while in there check out the timing belts, and water pump, i would also replace the oil pan gasket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyromanic Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 You might get lucky and find that a lot of that oil could be stopped from just snugging up the oil pan bolts. They come loose sometimes. Pyro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 If you have the resources, it's best to pull the engine and do a reseal. For the oil pan at least, use ONLY the dealer gasket - others are vastly inferior - I had one last only a week! You *can* do the pan gasket in the car (have to unbolt the engine mounts, and jack it up), but you can't really do the rear main seal easily, and the valve covers are easier out of the car too. The valve covers you can just RTV and reuse, but the pan gasket should be replaced. The front and rear crank seals, and the cam seals should be replaced as well as the oil pump seals (requires removing the timing belts, and cam sprockets - take the plastic belt covers off and throw them in the trash. Most likely they are all leaking a little. It's a subaru thing - if you can live with it just leave it alone. They mark their territory but it's not usually detrimental - it looks like a lot but it's really not. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank B Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 Go buy a gallon of kerosene, same stuff that's in the engine degreaser cans, and a ggod spray bottle, completely spray the engine everywhere the grease and oil is. Let it sit, then blast away. If you have an adjustable nozzle on your washer, adjust it so it's stightly fanned and not a pin-point spray. keep the hood propped and let it drip/air dry for an hour or so then start it up and idle untill the engine is dry. You may want to keep the hood up for the rest of the day so the kerosene stink goes away. then just pop your head under the car, and under the hood to see where the fresh oil is to find the leak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davalos Posted December 1, 2006 Author Share Posted December 1, 2006 Bump. Well, I'm about to attempt to de-goober the Soober ... Got a bunch of gaskets (took GD's advice and got the oil pan gasket fro the dealer). My landlady says that if she finds another oil drip in the driveway, she's going to cut me up into pieces and feed me to her cats ... Question ... Should I seafoam this badboy BEFORE I do anything? I'm sorta assuming I'm gonna change the oil 2x here ... once before (to do my deisel trick) and maybe once after. The plan: Seafoam Deisel Re-Seal Fill'er up... Pray for no leaks Sound good? Also, is the pickup screen the small guy in the offset tube @ the top of the oil pan, like the pic in the manual? I can't seem to find that or the "Mickey Mouse" gasket, but I assume that's just the oil pump gasket. So yeah ... over the next week, I'm doing the following: Clutch Engine Re-Seal (Both) Axles Timing Belts & Tensioner Water Pump Rotors & pads, Shoes Oil Sending Unit Fuel Filter Whatdyall think? Should I also do motor mounts, just because? And - is there anything else "just because" I should think about while I'm all up in it's bowels? I've got some cash I can spend if it's not too crazy - and I'm sure I'll be at this a few days, so if I have to order stuff, I'll have lead-time unless the sequencing is screwed-up. Te only other thing I'm worried about is the alignment - I chewed-up a tire on the driver's side front in about 3 months, and I mean BAD! And i know parts in that area are gonna have to be ordered ... any other thoughts as to some no-brainers in that category? Nothing worse than taking the car in for an alignment and hearing them say "Sorry, Dude - you need x, y, and z." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill90Loyale Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Bump. Well, I'm about to attempt to de-goober the Soober ... Got a bunch of gaskets (took GD's advice and got the oil pan gasket fro the dealer). My landlady says that if she finds another oil drip in the driveway, she's going to cut me up into pieces and feed me to her cats ... Question ... Should I seafoam this badboy BEFORE I do anything? I'm sorta assuming I'm gonna change the oil 2x here ... once before (to do my deisel trick) and maybe once after. The plan: Seafoam Deisel Re-Seal Fill'er up... Pray for no leaks Sound good? Also, is the pickup screen the small guy in the offset tube @ the top of the oil pan, like the pic in the manual? I can't seem to find that or the "Mickey Mouse" gasket, but I assume that's just the oil pump gasket. So yeah ... over the next week, I'm doing the following: Clutch Engine Re-Seal (Both) Axles Timing Belts & Tensioner Water Pump Rotors & pads, Shoes Oil Sending Unit Fuel Filter This is a great plan. Forget the Seafoam for now. When doing the oil pan gasket, take your time. Carefully clean the seating surface on the engine side to shiny clean. NO residual gasket material or crud. On the pan side gasket surface, clean to shiny metal with a wire wheel. NO residual crud. Use the oem gasket as GD recommends. For install: Do NOT use any sealants. Mount the gasket dry. Take your time with all 18(?) little pan bolts. Tighten in about three stages, using star pattern technique (like you would torque your wheel nuts). Your final torque ain't much on these little things (10 foot pounds max?) (help me here GD). Overtorqueing these nuts seems like a nice idea but it's not. It squishes out the gasket. Nice even torquing and you're done. Using the technique described here has resulted in not a drop of oil from my pan since I did this about 7 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill90Loyale Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 One more thing (actually two): replace valve cover gaskets with oem. Similar to oil pan technique. But the cover on your LEFT (passenger side) has Four retaining bolts and the one on the right has five. You probably already knew that, but just in case.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davalos Posted December 1, 2006 Author Share Posted December 1, 2006 Actually, I didn't ... that's good to know. Might have sucked to start on the left one with 4, and I tried to pry the right one after only taking off 4 bolts, thinking it was just stuck ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davalos Posted December 1, 2006 Author Share Posted December 1, 2006 This is a great plan. Forget the Seafoam for now. When doing the oil pan gasket, take your time. Carefully clean the seating surface on the engine side to shiny clean. NO residual gasket material or crud. On the pan side gasket surface, clean to shiny metal with a wire wheel. NO residual crud. Use the oem gasket as GD recommends. For install: Do NOT use any sealants. Mount the gasket dry. Take your time with all 18(?) little pan bolts. Tighten in about three stages, using star pattern technique (like you would torque your wheel nuts). Your final torque ain't much on these little things (10 foot pounds max?) (help me here GD). Overtorqueing these nuts seems like a nice idea but it's not. It squishes out the gasket. Nice even torquing and you're done. Using the technique described here has resulted in not a drop of oil from my pan since I did this about 7 years ago. Thanks, man - I still haven't figured-out where the leak is coming from, so I figure if I do it all, it'll cover the bases ... does that gasket really squish-out? It looks really wide. How come forget the seafoam for now? Just curious. I'm in the mode of "let's clean that F-er out before we get it open!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill90Loyale Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Thanks, man - I still haven't figured-out where the leak is coming from, so I figure if I do it all, it'll cover the bases ... does that gasket really squish-out? It looks really wide. How come forget the seafoam for now? Just curious. I'm in the mode of "let's clean that F-er out before we get it open!" I have the same philosophy: i.e. do it all - especially on a car that might get you another 100k or more (if the body cancer doesn't get you first). The "forget the Seafoam for now" comment was just made in the spirit of "you've got a lot of work (fun) ahead of you - get on with it and do the easy stuff last". No worries if you feel like Seafoaming it now. On that subject, I'd recommend the full treatment - suck it directly into the intake manifold via the PCV valve. Will the oil pan gasket really "squish out"? Answer: Yes. Especially once it gets saturated with oil. You can search this subject in this forum and you'll find plenty on this subject. There are also plenty of guys who've stripped the threads on those delicate little pan bolts - big PIA. That's why they have Phillips heads on 'em too - some guys only use a screwdriver to tighten! A nice even torque to snug, and then a tad more is just about right. "Tighter is better" is especially WRONG on these little bolts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davalos Posted December 2, 2006 Author Share Posted December 2, 2006 Okay, cool - good advice on the bolts. I'm one of those usually "Tighter is Better" kinda guys ... (ahem!) but in this case ... I'm thinking of the Seafoam & deisel trick, etc beforehand because I want to be able to see what the motor is like on the inside when it's (hopefully) at its best. I can certainly judge what comes out of the crank to determine how much WAS in there, but I'll wanna see shiny new bright steel in there once I get in there. Because if I don't see that, it'll give me something else to go on in terms of looking for future problems. Plus, I've never done Seafoam and ever since Daeron mentioned doing his, I've had a hankerin' ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill90Loyale Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 On the oil pan bolts, the factory manual calls for 3.3 to 4 foot lbs (not 10 as I had suggested earlier), so this gives you more confirmation that the torque is LOW. If you want to narrow the oil leak search more precisely, power wash the engine (steering as clear as you can from electrical connectors), including undercarriage. Drive the engine dry, or let sit dry. Then go buy a can of deodorant - the spray powder kind - and spray the parts or joints that you suspect. Then take her for a ride and warm things up. Your leak sources will be easily traceable to their sources. The Seafoam treatment, when done right, may frighten the elderly or small children. If one didn't know what was going on, one might assume that the car is a tactical nuclear device (ala "mushroom cloud"). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nkx Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Then go buy a can of deodorant - the spray powder kind - and spray the parts or joints that you suspect. Then take her for a ride and warm things up. Your leak sources will be easily traceable to their sources. how does this work? does the spray deodorant make the oil leak contrast better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill90Loyale Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 how does this work? does the spray deodorant make the oil leak contrast better? Yes, it makes the contrast better and creates a clear trail. The spray deodorant with baby powder leaves the powder on the surface of the part. The powder wicks up any moisture (oil). Leaves a nice brown trail on the engine part(s) leading (uphill) to the source of the leak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davalos Posted December 3, 2006 Author Share Posted December 3, 2006 If you want to narrow the oil leak search more precisely, power wash the engine (steering as clear as you can from electrical connectors), including undercarriage. Drive the engine dry, or let sit dry. Then go buy a can of deodorant - the spray powder kind - and spray the parts or joints that you suspect. Then take her for a ride and warm things up. Your leak sources will be easily traceable to their sources. OMG, that Rocks!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DasWaff Posted December 3, 2006 Share Posted December 3, 2006 When you pull the oil pan you may want to soak the bolts in mineral spirits, it will remove any gunk which has built up on the under side of the bolt head. At 4 ftlb you really want a clean fit between engine, gasket, pan, and bolts. Also (I know, I'm repeating myself) clean the pickup screen while you have the pan off. A spare oil pan is a great thing to have... It can be cleaned and prepped in advance, then swapped. The old one can then be cleaned at your leisure, especially true where the gasket has become one with the pan. You may also want to replace the O ring on the dipstick tube while you have it out when you pull the T belt covers. It can not only leak a surprising amount of oil out but as GD noted elsewhere, allow air to leak in to the 'sealed' system too. If the tube and dipstick are nicely sealed the engine should run slightly rougher at warm idle when you pull the dipstick up. As for your landlady... ??!! Maybe a dart gun and Estrogen... Good Luck, DW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank B Posted December 3, 2006 Share Posted December 3, 2006 The micky mouse o ring is the oil pump o ring, or mounting gasket. If your doing all that anyway, and have to remove the t-belts, go ahead and replace the oil pump, and water pump too. I possible, clean out the threads in the block for the oil pan bolts. then use some lock-tite on the bolts so they won't back out again. If you have the time, get a large drain pan or something and place the oil pan(upside down) and the valve covers in them with some kerosene or gas to soak overnight if the gasket is stuck solid on them. So you won't have to worry about gouging the gasket surface or yourself when scraping them off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davalos Posted December 3, 2006 Author Share Posted December 3, 2006 What can I say? This place is DA BOMB!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davalos Posted December 4, 2006 Author Share Posted December 4, 2006 ... go ahead and replace the oil pump, and water pump too. Yep - I got the water pump .. but Wow ... are oil pumps for this badboy really $175 to 200 bucks? ... Any particular brand to look for (or to avoid)? And do the pumps come with the mickey? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 AFAIK, there is only one brand of oil pump - Parut (OEM). My local discount import has them for $95 GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davalos Posted December 4, 2006 Author Share Posted December 4, 2006 ok ... thanks. I'll look around. the more I think about it, the better I think the idea for the pump replacement is good - I remember this one thread where I mentioned my oil pressure has been always low ... and some people say "just ignore the dash gague ..." dunno. For $100 bucks I think I'm in ... for $200 ... hmm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now