Gosdawg

Would a stop link be a decent quick fix for it? Or should I avoid them? The leak doesn't seem as bad as I initially thought, but it's still hard to tell, I've been checking all day, put a half a quart of oil in there, and it went above the full line... But still...

Sorry, I feel like an idiot posting so much for advice... But I guess that's what this forum is here for... So here is an update on the oil leak... So, I've been monitoring the oil leak... The dip stick says my level is full, and safe (but it could be wrong?)... I wiped down the oil pan, and the jack plate in front of where the exaust meets at the form and stuff yesterday, and today, on the commute, I noticed smoke at a stop light... So I checked it, some oil returned to all of those places... The oil pan has a bead of oil dripping near the drain plug, but I do not think it is coming from the drain plug... The drips on the jack plate came back, or up maybe I didn't wipe them down enough... But for sure, it is leaking onto where the exhaust forks, that is where the smoke is coming from. (it could be more than one place, but I saw that for sure). I even saw a drip fall onto the pavement there... I don't know if it's anything serious, and I don't know if it is worsening because I've been running it a little hard (a lot of up hill, up mountain driving... A lot... I mean a lot). It seems like it has... But I cannot be completely sure... I also noticed (when looking from the bottom of the engine) a hose on the driver side with a drip of red liquid (power steering fluid?) it also seems like where the engine and tranny meets there is a leak... (so many it seems, I hope this isn't a hopeless cause)... I am really falling in love with this car... So I don't want to abandon it (even though i dont want to do with the leaks). And I wish I knew where they were coming from... But I imagine in the long run, it would be best to pull the engine and reveal everything... I'd like to know how hard that would be myself, or how expensive it would be for a shop to do it... Maybe someone knows of someone near salt lake city area who could assist or guide the process? And, in the mean time, as long as I monitor the levels and replace oil a d fluid as necessary, do you think it is a problem that could be waited on while the money is pulled together... Or should I be considering this a big problem that should keep me from driving anywhere... Aka the mountains (there are a lot around here), the desert (also a lot of those around) and so forth... Nothing else is abnormally wrong... I mean if I am hard on acceleration, it a rough shift out of first, but smooth otherwise... Also, the steering is posing no problem... And aside from the smell of oil and the smoke, I don't notice the leak being extensively fast... I have noticed a lack of power at times, but that could be from it being a 1.8, and not because I've been hard on it... But someone else would no know better...

Fair enough... How would add dye to the oil, or should I... There seems to be a slow moving leak, but over the period of a few years, it looks like it is everywhere... I kinda want to see where it is from... So, in response to that, How much would it be to reveal everything, or even swap to a 2.2?

Awsome. Thanks

By the way, is that green dye easily removed or washed away should I get it everywhere?

Seems like it would be better to just buy the calipers on amazon...

Indeed... Well well alright... How would I test the calipers before I pull them?

Is this the same seafood stuff you buy at the auto store in the white cans? I used it because I had some valve ticking a week after I got my impreza, then a week later, upon starting, the ticking got exceptionally loud (it got quieter as the engine warmed up), but the people at the store told me to use this stuff in the oil (which needed a change anyway), so I put half in the oil, half in the tank, drove it to park city (45 min uphill climb) and back, and when I changed the oil... Everything sounded, felt, rode, drove better.

Okay, fairtax4me, that is good to know, but if I do end up finding the shavings, what am I replacing, everything a/c related? What all is a/c related, there are the lines, the compressor, the condenser.... To coupedupsubie, that is useful information, I imagine it can be done cheaply if I find good parts at a junk yard, or do you think something else... And about the awd conversion, if I decided to do that, should I upgrade to the 2.2, or is there something I can do to the 1.8 that will add enough power?

Oh, that's the dye? Yeah, I can see that now... It's really visible... That's really good to know! Who knows if it was too full, I just know that the hub on the compressor one of you is telling me about will not turn by hand... It nudged a millimeter to the left or right, but other than that, it's pretty rigid... So according to you guys, I should evacuate the system, check the lines, replace the compressor, charge, and see what happens... I can find compressors at the local pick in pull for about 30 bucks. Do you guys think I should go ahead and change the lines, regardless of the condition I find them in? Also, is there anything else I should be looking for? Or checking for? Any procedure I should make sure that I do? (procedure explained in some detail if possible) I'm starting to think that this IS a compressor issue, and the old owners mechanic (as someone mentioned) was lazy and/or dishonest and saw the ability to mAke a quick 1000 (quoted price to fix the supposed metal shaving issue) However, I am still going to check the lines for these metal shavings to be sure... Again, thanks for all advice and future advice.

Still no pictures?

Yeah, there is refrigerant left in the system, I was unbolting one of the a/c lines when I started to hear it hiss, then, all of a sudden, this like, super radioactive green color liquid squirted out, so I tightened it (I'm assuming that is the freon)... I would have ran away for about an hour, but I'm worried about the green liquid stuff being corrosive or damaging in some way to the other engine components... Other wise, I would have a bright neon green engine right now :-p So what should I do with the green liquid should I run away for an hour? Anyway, I understand that my question are newbish... I appreciate the advice. Thank you. Further advice is also appreciated...

Okay, that is helpful information, and helps me think the I won't have much problem... It makes me wonder why the old owners mechanic would say there is... But either way, I think I'm going to check the lines like some have said, and so, I need a couple of answers based on the questions from my last post. Again, thanks everyone for all the advice.

So, I was taking off the a/c lines, when, low and behold... There is still freon in there... I guess I should have guessed, (hopefully freon is not corrosive, if it is, hopefully someone will let me know) So a couple of questions... How do I safely and cleanly, drain the freon out, so I can check the lines for metal shavings (or anything else weird)? Also, I tried to turn the hub on the front of the compressor by hand, it does NOT move... But I see where there is an Alan wrench screw, am I supposed to turn with the Alan wrench, or by hand, because by hand, it does not budge... But of course, I know little about subarus because I came from a ford focus before this car (big difference so far, not a bad difference, just unfamiliar) Also, if I take the a/c lines off, can I leave them off and be fine, should I cover the holes that they attached to, or should I reconnect them to be safe? Thanks for all the advice.

Hm, but I only smell that smell when the a/c switch is on, otherwise (on vent, bilevel and heat) there is no smell... But I'm definitely going to check the lines and the compressor today or tomorrow at some point (I know I said that already, but it's been a busy weekend) And to the second post, no, not the air filter... It's between that and the headlight... It's to like, a medium sized rubber hose and small on that hooks into it... I don't think the car has ABS... Thanks everyone.