I just agreed to buy a 95 Legacy 2.2 wagon, but I'm having second thoughts.  It has an oil drip that is putting oil on the exhaust, probably the catalytic converter, and it's making smoke.  I am told that it only uses a quart of oil in 5,000 miles.  I don't want to pull the engine. 

 

Has anybody made any kind of shield that is successful to keep that oil away from the exhaust?  I would be happy if somehow the oil just got directed away and dripped on the ground.

 

Open to any ideas!

 

Thanks.

Yeah I've done it about a dozen times. You just gotta pull the engine out and replace the separator plate. Easy!

 

It actually may not be that, there are some other common leaks on those engines. Valve cover gaskets, and the cam plug on the back of the passenger side head are big leaks.

Yeah I've done it about a dozen times. You just gotta pull the engine out and replace the separator plate. Easy!

 

It actually may not be that, there are some other common leaks on those engines. Valve cover gaskets, and the cam plug on the back of the passenger side head are big leaks.

Wow, I wouldn't think pulling an engine would be considered "easy."

 

I was more looking for some kind of pan that someone may have created to go between the engine and trans and the exhaust pipes. 

Nope, not much space down there and when you are going down the road at 70 mph or so any fluid is going to blow everywhere.

 

- Clean the engine and cross member

- Find and Fix the leak

 

It will take several weeks for the old oil to burn off the exhaust.

My vote is you have a leaking valve gasket. Really pretty simple to replace, and no, the engine does not need to be pulled out.

Yes, I have made a shield[aluminum] that I attached to the 2 bolts that hold on the "lifting plate" just before the joint of the two exhaust pipes.  It directed some of the oil down before the exhaust pipes and some further back on the pipe.  It cut down the smell somewhat but obviously, there was still some smell after the car stopped but not when it was moving.  

 

The best thing is to pull the trans or engine and replace the separator plate.  It will cost you at least $500 of course.  I never had it done.

I think Fairtax4me was using sarcasm. But then if you pulled as many engines as he has.....maybe not.

 

Agree on finding the leak and just fixing it.

Sarcasm, yes. It's not what most DIYers would consider an easy job the first time around. But In the realm of removing engines, Subarus are some of the easiest there are. If you have some tools and can rent or borrow an engine hoist it's is a good weekend project.

Out one day, fix the bad seals and put it back in the next.

1996 2.2 engine.

 

Referring to the post from Fairtax about the cam plug being a possible source of an oil leak:

 

I replaced my valve cover gaskets recently (like earlier this year), and just learned of the cam plug at this year's WCSS.  If I were to order that part, what would I look for?   I looked at Rock Auto's catalog under "Camshaft seal", but doesn't seem right.  Am I looking for a gasket, O-ring, or something else completely?

You won't find that seal at rock auto. It's an o-ring seal they usually come in a pack of two from the dealer. The same o-ring is used on the front drivers side behind the front cam support housing. This thread shows removal of the front support but also has a couple pics of the rear cam cap on the passenger side. Two bolts and it pulls off with some wiggling.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/82774-driver-side-cam-sealing-22/

Pulling a Subaru engine is a cakewalk compared to most others. and I have pulled a couple... most notably - 460 big block out of a 77 Lincoln Mark V - now that one was a bear.

 

Seriously tho - you can start with the easy stuff - valve covers & cam end caps, and it is worth the effort to replace those, but there is a very high probability of the separator plate being the culprit of the oil leak and the only way to fix it is to pull either the engine or drop the tranny (engine pull is easier, btw)

 

it may only be going through a quart in 5000 now, but it will get steadily worse over time.

 

Come on - if a girl can do it, so can you!

Fairtax-thanks for the info.

 

Please excuse the hijack.