It only took me 18 hrs! 10 hrs to get the tranny out...ouch. Really got hung up on the front end. Changed tranny and front diff fluids. New left tie rod end, new ex.manifold gaskets. Ever try to buy just the spring pin for the cv axle?...what a pain! Used a motorcycle\atv jack as a tranny jack.

probably frowned upon by the pros but whenever i need a pin for a cv i just knock it out of a junkyard car and put it in my pocket. i even used a long, skinny nut/bolt one time:-\

 

 

RV

You should have pulled the engine. Much easier. Seperator plate replacement is 4 hours tops.

 

The pin is a 6mm roll pin. All the dealers should stock dozens of them for only a few $.

 

GD

Edited September 27, 201015 yr by GeneralDisorder

Get 'em at the hardware store for like $2 for a pack of 10.

 

I didn't think it was too hard to drop the trans. Took about 3 hours to get it out and I was in no hurry. But I did that because I needed to take the trans apart. Still haven't pulled an engine out of one of these but I figure it would take about as long first time.

EJ engines come out really easily. Transmissions are a pain by comparison and I don't pull them except when I need to work on/replace one or for clutch's on turbo's. Easier than messing with turbo flange nuts . N/A EJ engine pull = 1 hour.

 

GD

How much of a lift do you need to clear the transmission from the car? It seems like a hassle.

About 18 - 20". You can put the front end on a set of ramps and it will clear.

I use the Harbor Feight 6 ton jack stands and with a block of wood on my jack I can get it high enough to clear the transmission and my transmission jack so I can just roll the transmission out and then roll it back in. Thus I go much higher than 20" - around 28" to 30" I would guess is where I typically put them.

 

GD

Next time I will pull the engine fo sho. Good experience but I'm not sure the leak is fixed as there are still a mess of drips on the jack plate. Could be the oil pan I guess? Heads are leaking lightly and passenger side (cam?) leaks out of timing belt cover. May be chasing leaks for ever!! Can anyone recommend a gasket set?

did you use sealant on the oil separator plate?

Yes, RTV gray. I laid a bead around the holes and along the proper surface. They gave me used screws for mounting..including the black one which he said was different because it left more clearance. I picked up on that screw being black cause it has locktite on it so I put some loctite on that screw only cause it had been in and out of something already. How long does that rtv take to set up? It had 6hrs.

I would of used anaerobic sealant

 

did you see the plate and the arrow? the one screen that is different should go in that position.

Which engine do you have? On the 2.2 there is a seal on the rear of the passenger side head that leaks like a sieve.

 

But all the leaks on subaru's tend to end up dripping down to the jack plate. Can't rule out a bad oil pan seal, but those are sealed with Threebond RTV at the factory and are rarely the actual source of a leak. People see oil around the pan sealing surface and just assume it must be leaking. But it could be a front crankshaft seal, front cam seal, or oil pump seal.

It's the 2.5. Ok, there's hope.

What's the mileage on the engine?

Go buy a gallon of purple power and spray down the whole bottom of the engine and car and transmission really well, let it soak in, spray it some more, spray it all off with a regular water hose (helps to have the front end up on jack stands or ramps, or on a lift if you have access).

Spray it all down multiple times if you have to and get it as clean as you can.

 

Let it dry, park the car on a level surface and just let it idle for a few minutes and watch for drips under the car. Try to track down where the oil trail(s) originate.

160,000 on the engine. I did put the black screw where the arrow was pointing. Purple power better than engine brite?

$6-8 for a gallon of PP concentrate vs $5 for a 16oz spray can of Engine Brite.

YES! A consistant coat of RTV on the engine block side surface like 1/8" thick at the most.

 

Locktite the screw with the arrow. Im not sure why but thats the manual recommendation.

Locktite the screw with the arrow. Im not sure why but thats the manual recommendation.

 

I assumed it was because there is a possibility that the hole pointed out by the arrow is not blind and may be open to the crankcase or an oil gallery. The loctite is to keep engine oil from causing issues with, or leaking out of, the threads.

 

GD