Juliaoutbackwagon Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 So I have had my outback wagon (1998) since 09. before that it was my grandfathers I LOVE my car and am trying to hang onto it but recently especially in the mornings or if it is hot out huge tuffs of white smoke exhale from the engine. Stupidly I went to a non Subaru special mechanic and spent 350 on a oil gasket.....long story short Puff the magic dragon lives on. Is the oil pan the problem or the serpator? if it is the oil pan does anyone have a link to a reasonable one? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnW Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Does the smoke come out the tailpipe or just inside the engine compartment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Most likely, from what you're saying, it sounds like you have an oil leak that is drip, drip, dripping onto your exhaust and burning the oil (emitting clouds of smoke).Do you *smell* burning oil?Idle your car for a little bit, wait for the smoke to start and then pop your hood and see if you can identify where the oil is dripping from. Watch out for moving bits of the motor while you're looking around (belts and so on/so forth).Your oil leak is probably one of the main seals, though it could be a few other spots, but it's hard to say from my stand-point. What I can suggest is that you post up in these forums or in the old gen forums trying to find somebody who will help you to either diagnose and/or diagnose and fix your leak.The key here is to find a reputable Subaru specialist that is familiar with the motor in your car. Not that a regular mechanic can't fix it, but it's hard to find one that's going to diagnose it properly. Best of luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Also; because it's leaking oil, make sure you are monitoring and maintaining your oil level. Don't run it low on oil! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juliaoutbackwagon Posted February 27, 2014 Author Share Posted February 27, 2014 Does the smoke come out the tailpipe or just inside the engine compartment? The engine. so not an oil pan could cause a minor leak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juliaoutbackwagon Posted February 27, 2014 Author Share Posted February 27, 2014 Most likely, from what you're saying, it sounds like you have an oil leak that is drip, drip, dripping onto your exhaust and burning the oil (emitting clouds of smoke). Do you *smell* burning oil? Idle your car for a little bit, wait for the smoke to start and then pop your hood and see if you can identify where the oil is dripping from. Watch out for moving bits of the motor while you're looking around (belts and so on/so forth). Your oil leak is probably one of the main seals, though it could be a few other spots, but it's hard to say from my stand-point. What I can suggest is that you post up in these forums or in the old gen forums trying to find somebody who will help you to either diagnose and/or diagnose and fix your leak. The key here is to find a reputable Subaru specialist that is familiar with the motor in your car. Not that a regular mechanic can't fix it, but it's hard to find one that's going to diagnose it properly. Best of luck! I can deff smell burning oil...and know anyone who can diagnose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 The engine. so not an oil pan could cause a minor leak? The oil pan could leak, but then unlikely the oil would be able to leak from there onto the exhaust system. It is the heat from the exhaust that is causing the leaking oil to smoke. Much more likely that the oil is leaking from the valve covers up on the engine, or an oil seal on the motor, then dripping down onto the exhaust to become smoke. My Outback with same engine as yours leaks oil, and I can smell it, when stopped at an intersection. I add an additive to the oil, at oil change time to curb the oil leak. Several products at auto parts store are sold for this purpose. The additive swells the seals to reduce the oil leakage. I have been doing this for years as a cheap fix. As posted earlier, be sure to keep adding oil to your car, while it is leaking oil. It is easy to forget this, and then you let your motor run out of oil. If that happens, your engine will be ruined. You must be vigilant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewisd Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 my 99 2.2 has slow leak around valve covers and leaks onto exhaust. one of these days I'll get to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Things on a subaru that leak: Crank seal Cam Seals Valve Cover Gaskets Oil Pan Rear seperator plate. So, you've done the oil pan....hopefully it was done well and not leaking...... I would recommend getting the first 3 replaced with a new timing belt and water pump soon. It's a 2.5 so you want to make sure the T-belt doesn't break. Then if there is still a lot of leaks and oil smell/smoke.......you will need to have the engine removed to service the seprator plate......But stopping all the other leaks may fix 95% of the smoke.....so I'd do all that first and then decide on the seperator plate. Of course.....you might save some labor money having all that done at once....pull the engine, reseal the seperator, and do the T-belt and seals on the rest of engine and drop it back in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderhound Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 350 for an oil pan gasket!?? Umm I would never return there and possibly consider legal action. Gloyale nailed it. It's either leaking out the front seals or the rear main and or seperator plate. When my front seals went it didn't drip onto the exhaust. My current oil leak is in the rear and drips onto the exhaust. If the leak is at the rear it requires engine removal to fix so I would wait until something else requiring engine removal needs fixing. Assuming it's a drip and not spewing out, taking a torch to the accumulated oil on the exhaust will take care of the excessive smoking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 It's either leaking out the front seals or the rear main and or seperator plate. When my front seals went it didn't drip onto the exhaust. Front seals don't drip onto the exhaust directly.......but wind from driving blows it back along the engine, onto the crossmember, and from there it funnels down and onto the exhaust. Any oil leak anywhere on a Subaru will eventually lead to the smoking at stops the OP speaks of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderhound Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Fair enough. My fronts went from no leak to catastrophic failure so I guess it didn't have time to build up on the exhaust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewisd Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 one other thing could be like my wife experienced a while back is broken cv axle boot. passenger side ripped open and threw nasty axle grease on exhaust. lots of white smoke and stank something aweful. nothing like oil does. definately had distinct different smell. with my oil leak it just smells of burnt oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juliaoutbackwagon Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 So we are now 1200 dollars in and Puff the Magic dragon still laughs in my face. My timing belts and water pump needed to be replaced as well as a tune up and new spark plugs. The smoke is now being caused by the rear main transmission seal which is slightly leaking but costs to much to fix at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 The rear trans seal is pretty cheap and easy to change is you are talking about the rear drive shaft seal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Proabbly means the "rear main" of the engine, between the engine and transmission. And more likely it's actually the seperator plate.....not the rerar main itself.......either way it's an engine pull. I fix these and reseal the oil pan for $350 labor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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