Oil all over the engine compartment

[TedZ]

2002 2.5 Legacy wagon has started using oil but not burning it. There is a pretty good film everywhere in the engine compartment. Something is leaking or clogged. Must be relatively common.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks.

 

Ted

[AlpineRaven]

2002 2.5 Legacy wagon has started using oil but not burning it. There is a pretty good film everywhere in the engine compartment. Something is leaking or clogged. Must be relatively common.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks.

 

Ted

 

Give the engine a good wash with degreaser then find the leak.. it shouldnt leak at all!

Cheers

AP

[idosubaru]

mileage? general maintenance history? can you take some pictures?

 

what you're describing doesn't normal at all. if it's leaking that bad you should be able to find it. there's all sorts of possibilities here, we need more info.

 

make sure it's engine oil, you are loosing oil? it's not power steering fluid, that is much more common and likely to find "all over engine comparment".

 

if it's getting on your timing belt you need to replace that ASAP and fix the leak. oil will degrade the belt and it'll break, which will ruin or cause extensive damage on this vehicle since it's an interference engine. a friends car did this and the oil soaked belt, which was brand new, only last a couple months and a couple thousand miles.

[AlpineRaven]

mileage? general maintenance history? can you take some pictures?

 

what you're describing doesn't normal at all. if it's leaking that bad you should be able to find it. there's all sorts of possibilities here, we need more info.

 

make sure it's engine oil, you are loosing oil? it's not power steering fluid, that is much more common and likely to find "all over engine comparment".

 

if it's getting on your timing belt you need to replace that ASAP and fix the leak. oil will degrade the belt and it'll break, which will ruin or cause extensive damage on this vehicle since it's an interference engine. a friends car did this and the oil soaked belt, which was brand new, only last a couple months and a couple thousand miles.

 

 

Yeah that is another thing - check the colour of the oil - if its darkish red around where the power steering pump is - is showing a sign of - worn o ring under the pump - you'll need to remove the reservoir to replace the o ring... messy job!

Like i said above - best clean the engine up and trace the leak.

Cheers

AP

[TedZ]

Thanks all.

 

I'll clean it up and see if i can find it. The way it is distributed, it looks like it is blowing out of something. It is not PS fluid as the oil level is going down fast in the engine, i.e. a qt a week.

 

Ted

[AlpineRaven]

Thanks all.

 

I'll clean it up and see if i can find it. The way it is distributed, it looks like it is blowing out of something. It is not PS fluid as the oil level is going down fast in the engine, i.e. a qt a week.

 

Ted

 

if its "blowing" out - there is a hose coming out from the camshaft area, located top/back of the rocker cover, there is a black hose coming out from there approx 3/8" thick check if there is a split or something. also follow where the hoses would go to/from and i know there is one that goes to inlet manifold.

Cheers

AP

[OB99W]

[...] The way it is distributed, it looks like it is blowing out of something. It is not PS fluid as the oil level is going down fast in the engine, i.e. a qt a week.

Since it appears to be engine oil, I'd suggest checking the PCV system (valve and tubing) for proper operation. A malfunctioning PCV can allow engine blowby to pressurize the crankcase, and oil might then exit from an imperfect seal.