2.5 Oil seals

[zundfolge]

Hello,

 

I just bought a 1998 Legacy Outback. I bought it as a fixer-upper; It had low compression in #4 cylinder, so the heads are out getting done right now to remedy that. (exhaust valve was not seating well)

 

In the meantime, I am trying to decide whether to replace the front crank seal or not. It is not leaking at all, so I am inclined to leave it alone. From what I have found in my search of this board, the "newer" seals are brown. The crank seal in there currently is brown. So my question is, for those of you who work with a lot of these 2.5L, what is the probability of this being an OE seal, based on it's brown color? Car has 125k, so it's quite possible someone did a timing belt and new crank seal already. Build date 01.98. I've yet to look at the rear main yet...does the same color=quality thing apply there too?

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

Daniel

[hohieu]

You surmise correctly, the belt has been replaced on your car. Those brown seals are made of a fluroelastomer branded Viton by Dupont. They're colored brown in order to differentiate them from black nitrile ones. The ones on your car are probably OEM seals, but not original ones so you're good to go.

I did receive Viton seals from Subaru in August 2005 when I ordered parts for a timing belt job on my '99 Forester. The original ones were nitrile. The newer OEM rear main seals are also made of Viton -- not sure about the older ones as I haven't yet pulled the engine on this car.

 

There are a few things you'll want to check while you have things apart.

 

Make sure the tensioner and idlers aren't leaking and spin without roughness or play, especially the cogged one as it bears the highest load and seems to be the first to go. Also reseal the oil pump and check that the back plate screws are tight. Finally, your car may have the infamous plastic separator plate located next to the rear main seal, which has a tendency to leak. If so, you should replace it with a metal one of which there are two types. If you get the updated one, you'll also need to replace the screws.

[idosubaru]

i'd replace the front crank seal and leave the rear main (unless it's wet).

 

the front crank seal is part of the oil pump. the reason i'd replace it isn't because of the seal though but because of the oil pump retaining screws. it is common for them to come loose so checking them is almost mandatory in my book. remove oil pump, tighten screws (with locktite on any loose ones), and reinstall pump with new seal.

 

for some reason Subaru rear main seals very rarely leak. i know of 3 people now that have had newly installed ones leak, so i wouldn't touch it unless it's wet, and make sure it's seated and installed perfectly.