Hey Gang,Well my daughters 1988 gl wagon with the overhead cam 1800 started leaking from the drain bolt on the bottom of the cylinder head...hmm no biggie,right? so i took out the bolt, cleaned everything and re-installed the bolt and the aluminum washer with some sealer. nada...still leaks.so i got ahold of my subaru master and he told me i need a "crush ring" as the hole going into the head is tappered some and you need the "crush ring"to seal it.well i looked all over and couldn't find one.the local dealed said a week to order one. so i went home and tryed many different combo's and it still leaked.i'm hopeing to go to some out of town dealers and mabey find one without ording it. so has anyone had this leaking problem and is the crush ring the only fix? i may hunt down a used bolt n washer this weekend just to see if that might work. thanks,Todd:banana:

Edited April 7, 201213 yr by old sub freak
to many banana's

crush ring meaning steel washer??

i dont understand, head's bolts crush ring washer?

how much torque does on bolts?

from what i understand a crush ring crush's down as you tighten the bolt making a custom fit so to speak.once it has been used its no good to use again.but the one i removed seemed like a thick flat aluminum washer without any taper to fill the concave taper that goes into the head. now that i think about it the washer should have a domed side to it but it dosn't.mabe that is the problem. sorry don't know the tourque setting,Thanks,Todd

He's not talking about a head bolt as in 'head bolt' that holds the head to the block. He's talking about the drain plug on the bottom of the head, next to the exhaust manifold.

 

A crush washer is a soft metal or plastic washer that will compress slightly and take the shape of whatever it is pushed against. They are commonly used for oil pan drain plugs, transmission drain plugs, coolant in this case...

 

I don't use them on my heads, and haven't had a problem, but I may just be lucky. My oil pan does have one, assuming the oil change guy replaced it last time I went in.

Try the "Help" displays at a few of your local parts stores. You may find one there.

If the counterperson is any good, they could find one for you. Most have a "small parts" area with drawers full of different items. Atleast a few of the "been here forever" stores that are around me do.

Hardware store is another place to check.

 

Can't recall having any issue with that drain plug leaking on any of mine. And I have pulled/installed them many times.

Shoot your dealers parts guy for not having crush ring washers. He's an idiot.

 

And I don't recall a crush ring on those head drain plugs. Lots of people totally ignore that plug when doing intake work so they end up with coolant all over the engine.

 

Weren't the older ones Allen heads , not hex head?

 

I never noticed any concave recess , no countersink , etc. But never had any leak there either.

Copper crush washer for a brake hose might just work for this also. Could be easier to find in a "challenged" parts store:lol:

It's a mystery to me why that would leak. Just a hex head bolt with an aluminum washer. I have about a hundred of those new aluminum washers here, from a group of NOS parts I bought on ebay.

 

There could be a crack in the head but not probable. The head (where the washer seats), or aluminum washer may need to be resurfaced.

 

The supply fittings for a turbo use copper washers there on the banjo bolts. Looks like you could find a suitable replacement at any parts store.

 

/me scratches head.

 

hth

 

Doug

My best guess would be that the drain plug is stripped and it's not tightening down properly.

 

Or there is a washer on the bolt that is keeping it from tightening properly--the bolt should have no washer whatsoever, it's naked when it's stock.

 

If a thin crush washer doesn't fix the problem, I would try a tap-and-die set on the hole and the bolt, see if that does it!

 

BTW, I agree on the stupid in the parts place--a crush washer is something that should be in stock by the hundreds in all kinds of sizes. They aren't machined specific to a motor the way pumps or valves are--they are, well...they're WASHERS. Anyway, would love to hear the final word when you figure it out.

How about a rubber O ring? OR just slather some Indian head on it. That stuff seals everything.

Hmmm,well i'm going to town and see if i can find something.it looks like the block is ok,there is no cracks and the treads are good.i seem to get the wierd stuff....anyway thanks for the info and i'll let ya know what seals it.c ya,Todd

Well tried all day saterday and it still leaks.tried many different washers and sealers and even teflon tape..still leaks.i'll have to run down a crush washer and hope that does it.i cleaned the whole area and couldn't find any cracks with and with out the bolt in there....i'm still sweatin it though.don't want to deal with a cracked head.....i mean how can something so simple not seal?? and why did it start? ,she did overheat it but i'v never had anything like this...so i'll let you know..thanks

Only thing I'd like to say now is that a crush ring properly installed goes with the flat side toward the engine. So I hope it actually crushes into shape as needed , but I tend to doubt that's going to work.

 

Has to be something else going on there. Slight crack? Too badly worn plug seat - for what reason who knows??

well i will know tommorow.i called 3 different dealers in the area and they all had to order one.so i got one coming tommorow with a new bolt as well.for $10 bucks,that includes overnight shipping, so we will see.i too wonder if a small crack is doing it but i cleaned the whole area and looked very closely but couldn't see anything.i'll let you know tommorow...thanks,Todd

Someone not long ago had an oil leak through the block next to the oil pump. It was actually caused by pores in the block left over from the casting. It was an incredibly small hole, but it apparently fed into the oil pressure passage in the block.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=127446

 

Your issue might be something similar. I think you'll just have to get up close and personal with the leak to see exactly where it's occuring.

:banana:Duh!!Being the hopeless optimist that i am and the fact that there was water dripping off the drain bolt that i had a straight foward ,easy leak to repair...HAHA Well it wasn't 2 bad.....Thank God, before i installed the new crush ring i thought i would just check things over,just in case i missed something.well i fired it up and low and behold its still leaking,,,,so i got some Awsom degresser and rags and a stick and cleaned the whole area(thats what i should have done first thing...)Well, as i fallow the leak "upstream" i see its coming from the pencile size water line that goes from the thermastat housing to the intake manafold.Fixed it in 5 minutes.....It seems that the hose had rubbed through on the 12mm bolt that holds the dipstick "frame"to the top of the block, i just didn't see it under all the stuff.. ...So this is a classic example of "The hurrier i go,The behinder i get." So,Todd ....Slow down!!!....don't jump the gun,keep your engine clean and follow all leaks "Up stream" first..i will say it had me stumped.The car had been using anti freeze,not alot ,and not all the time.,but no water under the rig when you parked it,i could'nt find a leak..so i figured it had a cracked head and well see how long this subie will go.....SUPRIZE!! the leaked water would evoperate off the top off the engine.with no trace...almost like Gus Wilson,Model Garage mystery.,that was a Good fix. Ill know next time.. Thanks for the advice and the moral suport guys. Happy Trails,Todd

 

Glad you got it fixed!

Thank you. Its stuff like this that keep me on my toes(and back). just so thankfull that it didn't blow a headgasket. That is why i LOVE my subarus,they are so forgiving and they just keep on "ticking"(so to speak). so take care,till next time...Todd:banana: