90 Loyal Hatchback has severe oil leak

[vanditto]

I absolutely cannot find this oil leak!!!!! I have replaced the following:

 

Oil Pan Gasket

Cam seals

crank seal (front only)

Oil pump seals (O-ring and shaft seal)

Valve cover gaskets

 

The leak is coming somewhere near the cross member beneath the engine. I cannot, for the life of me figure this out! It only seems to happen at high RPM's and on the freeway. It pours oil!! I went through nearly a quart in 40 miles. It doesn't appear to be running out of the back of the engine around the flywheel leading me to believe that it is not the rear main. There are however, some hoses that run along the crossmember that do have some minor damage. Could those be leaking. The leak sprays on the passenger side of the engine creating a puddle in the engine compartment and lots and lots of smoke from landing on the exhaust. It seems for such a large leak it would not be so elusive. PLEASE HELP ME!! I am at my wits end on this one. The engine has 113000 miles, EA82, 3 Speed automatic. Thanks in advance.

[TomRhere]

I'd look around the oil pump area, see what you can find. Could be bad pressure switch or gauge sending unit. Posible leak around filter itself. There's a couple of plugs and caps on the pump that could leak also.

 

edit;

 

The lines on the crossmemeber are for the power steering. Don't own an Auto so don't know how tranny coolant lines run. But you're loosing engine oil, not tranny fluid or PS fluid, Right? So that would knock them out of the question anyways...

[kayakertom]

Another possibility is the failure of the o-ring that is between the head and camshaft tower. If your car doesn't have the special - metal reinforced o-ring there, that would be a likely source for leaks at high rpm / high pressure.

[Syonyk]

It sounds like a rear main, or one of the wrist pins plugs on the back of the engine. Also, check your PCV system - if the valve is bad, crankcase pressures can build up at highway speed & cause it to blow oil, when it won't at lower RPMs.

 

-=Russ=-

[vanditto]

Thanks guys! I will check all of those things today. Will the flywheel generally be oily if the rear seal is bad?

[Syonyk]

It was in my case.

 

-=Russ=-

[vanditto]

See that is the thing....there is no oil at all on the flywheel. I have seen others, not just subarus where the flywheel actually flings the oil around. The flywheel and associated assemblies are dry with no oil. I will definitely check the PCV valve, wrist pin covers (although I am not sure where they are) and the O cam tower O-ring. Where is the cam tower o-ring, and how do I get to it to replace it? Thanks again for you help.

 

Eli

[kayakertom]

The special o-rings are between the camshaft towers and the cylinder heads. You need to have the middle of the 3 marks on the flywheel lined up with the pointer so that the valve assembly is in the fully closed position - eases dissasembly and reassembly and sets you up for correct timing belt placement.

 

See that is the thing....there is no oil at all on the flywheel. I have seen others, not just subarus where the flywheel actually flings the oil around. The flywheel and associated assemblies are dry with no oil. I will definitely check the PCV valve, wrist pin covers (although I am not sure where they are) and the O cam tower O-ring. Where is the cam tower o-ring, and how do I get to it to replace it? Thanks again for you help.

 

Eli

[vanditto]

Finally!!! I figured it out. I cleaned up the engine and had a friend of mine sit in it with the RPM's at about 3000 while I searched. It was the passenger side head gasket! I couldn't believe it! I replaced it (well, both of them) and now it runs like a champ.....and no leaks!! Yet.

 

Thanks for all your replies.

 

Eli