If you've been following my threads here:

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=101355

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=113770&page=2

 

I've been dealing with an oil leak for quite some time. I attempted to repair it last year and failed. This year I've gone the route of removing the engine and trying to get to the oil separator plate. I succeeded....sort of. I removed the engine and replaced the oil separator plate and used red RTV for the gasket. I put the engine back in and had a big transmission fluid leak. Turns out I tore the transmission seal and needed to replace that. So out came the engine a second time. Replaced the seal and put the engine back in. Now I've got what appears to be the exact same oil leak coming from between the engine and oil separator plate.

 

I was almost completely positive the leak wasn't the rear main seal (although I do have that part standing by to be replaced.) The leak looked like it was the oil separator plate at the lower left portion of the plate. It wasn't cracked, but the gasket was worn away.

 

So here's my dilema: what is leaking? Should I replace the rear main seal, even though that may not be the problem? I'm pretty skilled with RTV, but could I have messed up the gasket on the oil separator plate? What's going on? I need some encouragement here.

 

The oil only leaks when the engine is off and not running. When the engine is running it doesn't leak at all. When it's turned off, it leaks a good amount. When I added the oil, I poured all 5 quarts in because I read that was the requirement. Now I'm reading that 4 quarts is the limit. Is it possible I just overfilled it and that's causing the leak? Or could overfilling it caused too much pressure and broke the seal my RTV made with the oil plate and engine?

Edited July 15, 201015 yr by DupermanDave

it depends on the motor but it could be using 4 or 4 and a half quarts or so.

 

and i would say pull the motor again and replace the rear main and if it looks like your still loosing oil from the seperator plate then do that again.

 

good luck.

I could be out of line here but your clues drive me. That the gasket was" gone" in that spot may have caused another to overtighten that area and slightly bent the ear or casting to stop the same leak. You can't bend it back. You can check when it's apart with a straightedge or plate and file off the deformity if you find it.

ah good thought fuzpile

i'll double check the leak on friday. i got the steel replacement plate. is that easily bendable? Also, is red RTV or ultra gray recomended for this?

 

one more thing i just remembered. aside from using 1 quart more than recommended, the truck is still on jackstands. the front is lifted, but not the rear. could this cause it to leak and once it's level it won't leak?

Got the engine out AGAIN today. Looks like the leak was the oil separator plate...AGAIN...this time in a different spot. My gasket must have been bad. This time I used a good straight bead of ultra gray RTV, put the plate on and finger tightened the bolts and then waited an hour before making them snug. I also smeared some extra RTV around the outer edge of the plate just because I'm paranoid. We'll see how this holds up. My next fix will be welding the plate on.

wow wielding the plate on.. now that's serious

wow wielding the plate on.. now that's serious

 

Well, pulling the engine 3 times for this leak is frustrating. I got a good gasket made and I let it fully cure for 24 hours. I then took more ultra gray RTV and smeared it on the outer edge to try and create a good second barrier. That's curing now while the engine is back in the car and everything is assembled. No oil or coolant has been put in yet, as I'm letting it sit longer.

You have pulled the engine three times? GOODNESS MAN! I am impressed. I replaced my oil separate plate when I replaced the transmission. I made sure to use the latest subaru OE part, which was metal vs the original plastic.

You have pulled the engine three times? GOODNESS MAN! I am impressed. I replaced my oil separate plate when I replaced the transmission. I made sure to use the latest subaru OE part, which was metal vs the original plastic.

 

Yup. That's 3 times in the past week. I haven't had a day off from work in a while. While Friday and Saturdays are my typical days off from work, they were spend yanking the engine out and sealing up that plate again.

Fixed it! Seems the ultra gray was a better choice than the red RTV. No more leaks. No more smoke. Thanks for all the help. Although it took 3 tries, I was determined to get this fixed. I was never a subaru fan until we bought this, and even though it had the leak, it's been pretty easy to work on. The one peeve I have is that I was looking at replacing a few other bits once the leak was fixed, and the thermostat looks like a pain in the butt to get to. There's also a ton of hidden sensors under vacuum lines and the intake manifold. I'm not a fan of that.

 

But overall it was a decent job and I don't dread working on this engine at all.

Edited July 19, 201015 yr by DupermanDave