Hello everybody! Just a little background on my situation. I stumbled across a 1990 legacy for 600 bucks. Guy said he put in new tranny and had the engine out to replace seals and gaskets. Well 380 miles into my trip I stop and find I've lost 3 quarts of oil. Holy cow! Get home and see the oil pan and passenger side of engine has a thick coat of oil along withe a few drips of oIL on the underside of the timing belt cover. What are your thoughts on what might be my issue?

 

M valve cover gaskets are clean and I can see that they are new.

First thing I would do is change PVC valve with real subaru part

Maybe others will chime in here,also maybe a leak down test.

I never thought about it. I just got caught up in all the cam and crank seal talk. But reading about what a clogged pvc valve does I hope that's it. I feel like the compression is good. I have good consistent power while driving but when at idle it runs rough and even stalls out once. On my trip every time would let off gas to slow down to speed limit the CEL would come on till I pushed the gas.

Get the code out of the computer.

Clean the oil and then watch where it's coming from 

 

- Valve Cover Gaskets is easy

 

There is also a rear cam cover that has an o-ring and is easy to change.

If its fresh oil, that much oil runnin down from the timing cover area is going to be from a cam seal or the oil pump or front crank seal.

 

Like LM said, need to get it cleaned up and watch where the oil is coming from. Pull the timing covers off so you can see the front seals.

After looking at the engine a few more time. I think the majority of the oil is coming from the passenger side behind the engine. It's covered in so much oil.

Yeah that definitely sounds like rear cam seal o-ring.

Damn that sucks. I just went out and cleaned it all up to see if I can find fresh oil tomorrow after I drive it.

That's a 10 minute fix. O-ring is about $3 from a dealer.

Would it be leaking that badly? I just relied that he said rear cam seal o ring! I thought he said the rear main seal. But I had an idea the cam o-ring might be leaking to but idk how much it can leak. It was covered in oil and dirt though.

It's under pressure so when the o-ring splits it will puke oil.

(which is what happens after they get old and dry)

 

Valve cover gaskets also leak at the lower corners. The oil tends to run towards the back of the engine.

 

Rear mains don't leak on these unless someone has tried to replace it before. An oil leak from the center at the back is usually the separator plate or the access cover in the bellhousing.

 

Pics and write-up here

http://beergarage.com/Subaru.aspx

Edited March 10, 201610 yr by Fairtax4me

That's good to know. Does anybody know what the part # is for that cam seal o-ring. I can't seem to find it for sale anywhere.

806946030

 

Its a dealer only o-ring. Parts stores don't list it, don't carry it, can't match it.

That sucks. I don't think I have a Subaru dealership close to me. But I think I found it online. Part #806946030 Rear Camshaft O-ring is how it was listed.

Yeah 300 mile round trip to the closest dealership.

Order 2, 1990lego.  They're exactly the same--passenger side rear and driver' side front.

Not a bad idea.