Ionlyhave3suubs Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 My brother's 2000 Outback 5spd has a significant oil leak from the rear of the engine. I have verified this is not "blowback" from a leak in the front of the engine, and have degreased the underside of the engine, crossmember, etc. and have nice fresh clean oil running down from the back of the engine, down the motor mount then down the crossmember. My assumption is rear main seal and/or oil separator plate leak. I believe the clutch is possibly oil contaminated due to clutch chatter, not real bad but noticeable. My experience working on EJ series engine removal and re-install has been exclusively with AT cars, specifically 2.5d equipped cars. Have done clutches on domestics and my old "88 GL hatchback. Here is my question(s) after giving a little history: How big of a job is this? Besides the clutch and pressure plate, and the obvious leaky seals is there anything else I should be looking at fixing /replacing at the same time? Is it best to pull the engine or trans to the job? (I assume the engine, but we all know about rump roast-u-me) How long should this job take for a semi-experienced mechanic? What would be a fair price for the job? (going rate around here is about $700 for a clutch job) Anything else I am missing? I have a good tool assortment, engine crane, garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 It's most likely the Oil separator plate that is leaking. Don't change the main seal unless it is truly bad as the new one may leak. Plan on spending 2 days as you will want to get the flywheel ground. If the engine is due for the Timing belt, pull the engine and do it all at once. It sounds like you can see the oil coming down the enegine, if so were is it coming from. If you do the T=belt, do the cam and crank seals and the oil pump oring and lock-tite the oil pump backing plate seals. Grip-force on Ebay has great clutch kits. I've purchased many from them and have always been happy. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ionlyhave3suubs Posted April 9, 2011 Author Share Posted April 9, 2011 Thanks for the info. I already did t-belt and idlers, cam seals, crank seal, v.c. gaskets and tube seals, as well as the oil pump work. I cleaned the bottom of the motor and crossmember after doing those things. I cannot see the exact source of the leak, only that it is coming from behind the oil pan from somewhere obscured by the crossmember. It seems the last time I had one of these out (keeping in mind mthat it was a 2.5d I had out), the oil separator was on the passenger side of the engine(unless I just remember wrong). That is one reason I am a bit baffled. It seems the oil is coming down from the driver's side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logic23 Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Check to make sure its not the head gasket.... thats where they start leaking. You will most definitely want to resurface the flywheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ionlyhave3suubs Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 Oil from the headgasket? Haven't seen that before, but my experience is mostly with 2.5d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logic23 Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 the oil leak is the main issue with the phase 2 2.5 and 2.2. They start leaking on the drivers side. crawl under the car and inspect the mating surface between block and head. valve cover gasket will do it too. They leak and run down the cradle. The rear baffle plate on this model doesn't leak as often. They switched them to metal and they don't have a warpage issue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94Loyale Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 As already stated, the rear baffle plate on this motor is already metal, so your chances that it leaking bad are lower. The head gaskets will often start on the back corners of the heads. If you decide to pull the motor out, and your only experience is with AT's. Then your in for an even easier job. No tranny lines, no torque converter bolts, and since the trans is much thinner, it's even easier to get all your bellhousing bolts. The only things different to do you an MT car is replace your pilot and throwout bearings while you have it apart, and obviously the clutch (which you already said you were doing) Time wise, with a lift and air tools, I usually average about an hour and fifteen minutes to yank a MT motor, and about an hour and a half on autos. That's not busting my rump roast, just working smoothly. This is at work, in a well equipped shop though, so your times may vary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Make sure it's not headgaskets before you pull it as they've already hinted at. Unlike the EJ25D, this Phase II EJ25 will leak externally and that area is the most likely. And yes they leak oil externally, that will be the only symptom. Remember these are different than EJ25D's if yo'ure familiar with those. You are correct - the separator plate is on the Passengers side just like the EJ25D. Bare minimum - definitely adjust the valves while it's out if you didn't before. Really easy, all you need are gauges and a 10mm wrench and a few minutes. 8 bolts in the bellhousing instead of 4. Remember to get them all out first, the trans bellhousing will crack off if you don't before you try to separate them. I was going to suggest replacing the headgasket while it's out. It's only $70 for the gaskets and these SOHC are easy as pie compared to the EJ25D's once the engine is out. Remove the valve cover, remove head (easy), clean up, then bolt it back on with new gaskets. None of the cam junk to mess with like the EJ25D's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logic23 Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Since its a 5 speed there will mos likely be 4 studs instead of 2. I usually remove the top studs and replace with bolts while the engine is out....makes it easier to put it back in. 5 speeds are way easier to get out: no transmission cooler lines at the radiator and no torque converter bolts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ionlyhave3suubs Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 Allrighty, I'll check best I can to see if I can see the back of the head where it joins the block. Best I recall it is fairly obscured by the crossmember though. Short of taking out the pitch stop and unbolting the exhaust and motor mounts, lifting the engine some, is there another trick to being able to get a good look at this to determine if it is actually the head gasket? I know he wants to get the problem fixed as cheaply as possible. Is it a bad idea to just do the one side? How much of a PITA is it do do it still in the car? I have always pulled engines to do the headgaskets, but then again that was on the big head 2.5d engines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94Loyale Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 You can do them in the car, it does suck though compared to pulling the motor. Your surfaces are harder to clean off, and the headbolts are lots of fun considering you they won't all pull out. So you have to move them with the head. It takes maneuvering to get the head out, and maneuvering to get it back in. I would pull the motor, I don't agree with doing only one headgasket. Others may not agree, but I don't like doing half a job and putting it back together. You don't need to lift the motor or anything to see if the HG's are leaking. You'll be able to see the back corner from under the car, it's obvious when they are leaking. You will def save yourself time, and a headache by pulling the motor out to do them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Does the SOHC 2.5 have the rear cam plug on the drivers side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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