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Gear Oil Leak, '92 Legacy

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It's my sons car, '92 Leggy with manual tranny and probably 210k+ on it. Anyone know of common places for gear oil to leak?

 

We recently re-sealed the front end then took the car on a 3500-mile test drive (http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=116794)! Looks like we got all the motor oil leaks--3 screws were loose on the oil pump backing plate and, amazingly, the right (passenger side) cam seal was the old black one, probably original to the car!

 

But now after a drive a drop or two of fresh clean gear oil drips onto the driveway. He's checking it regularly to see if he can pinpoint the source.

 

I'm wondering (hoping) it could be as simple as the crush washer on the drain plug. Yeah, I didn't think to get a new one.

 

Any suggestions/input appreciated. Mahalo!

oil pan

rear main

the plate on the back of the motor next to the rear main (sry don't remember the actual name for the plate thing)

drain plug like you suggested.

valve covers

  • Author

Appreciate the suggestions subie/legacy, but I'm looking specifically for gear oil leaks in the front diff/tranny!

oh ok my bad some how I missed the "GEAR Oil" part.

I should probably go back to sleep. lol

Have to find out where it's dripping from, but the drain plug washer is the easiest to change. If it's wet in that area that could be a possibility. A leaky input shaft seal will trail down to the same area around the drain plug. Everything else that might leak, besides the seem between the case halves, is towards the back of the transmission.

Time to break out the purple power for a good degreasing.

  • Author

Sorry Fairtax, that's not what I wanted to hear.

 

J/k. The input shaft seal is internal to the tranny case, correct? As shown in Gloyale's great writeup: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=90182&highlight=input+seal

 

In that case I vote for the new washer. Seems like it would be a lot easier. :rolleyes:

 

Hey, thanks for the input my friend.

what makes you think it's gear oil?

 

how about axle / cv boot grease on the exhaust?

 

also check the the axle seals on the trans.

  • Author

Great questions, johnc!

 

what makes you think it's gear oil?

 

We just changed the gear oil before a 3500-mile round trip to Colorado. What's dripping is clean, honey colored and stinks like gear oil!

 

 

how about axle / cv boot grease on the exhaust?

 

Nope. Installed new axles in Colorado and power washed pretty much all the old "flung" grease off. (Thanks again, Larry!)

 

 

also check the axle seals on the trans.

 

Good suggestion. I'll ask my son to inspect around the axle seals.

 

Big mahalos for the input.

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