The engine in question was compression tested and measured 200 psi across all cylinders for one gauge, and 180 for another. I previously thought i was burning coolant. This smoking and the lack of fouled or oiled plugs leads me to believe it's in the top end. 120k on engine.

 

Do I need to send my heads to a machine shop to have this work done, or could I handle it??

 

Should I replace the said exhaust valves and all valve guides?

 

Also, can anyone recommend a shop in or near ohio?

 

Thanks in advance

How much is it smoking?

Is the smoke white or blueish white color?

Quite a lot, gets worse with acceleration. Smokes enough that I can see it in the rear hatch (even after a 40 minute drive daily.)

 

As far as the color, I'd be tempted to say blueish.

I recommend replacing your PCV valve first.  Use a Subaru Genuine, NOT an aftermarket. 

Also, clean out the PCV hoses. 

It may really be as simple as that.

 

Emily

I did replace the PCV valve (hoping it would stop the smoking) with a subaru one. Still had the OEM, wasn't terribly gummed up either.

 

I'll clean the hoses when I get a chance. Thanks for the suggestion.

The smoke is coming out of the tail pipe right? Most of the time when I see one of these smoking its leaking oil onto the exhaust and burning off.

Pull your plugs and look for gray build up on the plugs that should tell you a lot right there.

If it's an automatic, it could be the vacuum modulator? On my loyales, those can leak, and make quite a smokescreen until the transmission gets low on fluid...

It's a five speed. I actually took pictures of the plugs during the compression test.

 

It's all coming out of the tailpipe. The spark plugs in Cylinders 3 and 4 had a but of that build up on them. Not terrible, but it was definitely present.

 

If it's an automatic, it could be the vacuum modulator? On my loyales, those can leak, and make quite a smokescreen until the transmission gets low on fluid...

97 has a 4eat, no vaccumm modulator.

It's a five speed. I actually took pictures of the plugs during the compression test.

 

It's all coming out of the tailpipe. The spark plugs in Cylinders 3 and 4 had a but of that build up on them. Not terrible, but it was definitely present.

That sounds like a pcv issue to me, clean up your pcv piping really good and male sure your valve is clean.

EJ22 heads are super easy - just pull it off and install a used resurfaced head and never think about it again for 100,000+ miles.  

i wouldnt even bother wasting my time to pull the engine.  could probably swap a head faster than pulling the engine those EJ22's are so easy.  

remove tbelt, intake, exhaust and unbolt the super easy 6 head botls for the head - done.  super cake. 

Where would one get a resurfaced head from?? What about the head internals if going used??

EJ22 heads are super easy - just pull it off and install a used resurfaced head and never think about it again for 100,000+ miles.

i wouldnt even bother wasting my time to pull the engine. could probably swap a head faster than pulling the engine those EJ22's are so easy.

remove tbelt, intake, exhaust and unbolt the super easy 6 head botls for the head - done. super cake.

With the amount of miles on the engine the likelyhood of the heads being bad is fairly unlikely IMHO

TypeOpositive

Did the car sit for a long time before this problem started?

No, and I've put around 10 miles on it, smoked the whole time.

 

If oil isn't coming from the bottom end, but is being burned, isn't the head the only logical place?

No, and I've put around 10 miles on it, smoked the whole time.

 

If oil isn't coming from the bottom end, but is being burned, isn't the head the only logical place?

First Have you toughly checked your pcv system?

 

If the motor has 120k miles on it being

Almost 20 years old its likely the motor has sat for a while at some point in its life. If it had been sitting before this problem started it could be as simple as needing to be driven to seat everything back in place.

 

I find it strange to have damaged valve guides at 120k miles, the valve guides may be leaking oil, but then again why? I've seen ej22s with 320k miles that didn't smoke at all. It could be that you may need to drive it a bit and see what happens, like you said its not fouling the plugs, see if the problem disapates.

Sorry, that should have said 10 thousand miles.

 

I've had to replace several quarts of oil and would like to avoid replacing my catalytic converters if possible.

 

You're likely much more familiar with this than I am, but isn't the problem usually a valve stem seal? I think that's'd what I read.

 

At any rate, I'll thoroughly clean the pcv hoses this weekend.

 

Sorry, that should have said 10 thousand miles.

Okay, ya it sounds like you might have more of a problem than I thought, I'd still try the simple stuff first.

 

You're likely much more familiar with this than I am, but isn't the problem usually a valve stem seal? I think that's'd what I read.

 

That would make sense, I've never had to pull an ej22 apart that far so I'm not real familiar with the heads, but if it is this could be repaired without pulling the head *I think, I may be wrong.

So the plugs are not fouled?

If there's any ash buildup on the plugs I would suspect a ring issue.

I've cropped and attached the pictures of the plugs I took with my cellphone (sorry) during the compression test. Electrodes on all the plugs seem fine to me.

 

The suspect plugs are from cylinders 3 and 4, and had a bit of gunky crap on the bottom of the threads nearer the electrode. Does the rear pair of cylinders cool less effectively than the front two?

 

Doesn't seem to me that any plugs have an oil deposit. That's why i suspect exhaust valve stem seals. Assuming that is the only other place oil can get out the exhaust but avoid the combustion chamber.

 

 

It's also just as likely I have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about. Hence why I'm here asking questions!

 

I'll thoroughly look at the PCV hoses this weekend. Should I just replace the hoses and call it a day since I've already replaced the valves?

 

I know these things hardly ever have valve guide seal issues but thats worth a thought. If your exhaust guides are leaking it would not foul your plugs it would just drain down to the cat where it would get burned. Maybe undo your exhaust and look up into the ports to see if there is oil there

Just replaced those exhaust gaskets when I replaced the front O2.

 

PO had to replace the CAT, and the rear O2 was seized (even with a torch.)

 

But, I'm sure it can't hurt to verify. Would a leak down test be conclusive one way or the other?

Drop the Y pipe off the heads and look up the exhaust ports with a flashlight. If you see oil running down from the valve guides, you have your answer. 

 

Not common for the guides to wear on these. Also not common for the stem seals to fail. I would suspect someone has had them replaced with a non-subaru stem seal. 

Looking at the receipts from work the PO did, we have a Timken camshaft seal, a Fel-pro (and/or) a beck/arnley crankshaft seal as well as a DNJ engine components lifter.

 

Interesting...

 

Edit: Forgot to write seal after camshaft

Edited February 5, 201610 yr by TypeOPositive