Hi all, as the title says: I have never owned a Subaru.

 

Now I have a stock  '84 Brumby (Brat to you Stateside guys.)

 

I hate oil leaks and it has oil seeping from under the head of a bolt on the right side of the motor, the bolt goes from left to right. This bolt is fairly big and is sort of half way between the thermostat housing and the dip-stick tube if you are looking directly down from above.

 

IF I undo it and put sealer under the head and retighten it will that cause any problems! .

Edited May 28, 20178 yr by KiwiBrumby

It most likely is not coming from the head it's self but the camshaft case carrier...

 

I would say if you don't want or cannot do a reseal I would take out the bolt clean it up and clean as much oil from the hole and put some sealer around the bolt a re-torque to spec...

Edited May 29, 20178 yr by Len Dawg

Pardon my ignorance but if it's a Brat/Brumby does it even have a cams ?

 

Stateside we had OHV engines only in that vehicle.

 

Kiwi - dive into it man ! Everything you need to know is here. Take the engine out , it's easy enough.

Do it right , you have a high interest ride that is appreciating all around if you keep it healthy.

Edited May 29, 20178 yr by moosens

Whatever engine it is it needs a complete reseal, dosent get any esier than on ea81. And congrats on your new subie!

Those are drain plugs for draining the coolant out of the engine. They have crush washers on them so you could try to tighten it up some more, but most likely it's just your valve covers are leaking. A ea81 only has a cam in the block.

The bolt I'm talking about holds a steel bracket/brace dral that is bolted to the bell-housing at one end and the other (As I mentioned) is attached to the 'block'.

 

It is not a head-bolt.

 

But thanks for all the help and advice! 

The motor mount bracket holes are blind so they have nothing to do with oil. Most likely oil traveling back onto it from the pan seal.

The motor mount bracket holes are blind so they have nothing to do with oil. Most likely oil traveling back onto it from the pan seal.

 

I don't know if the bracket is called a motor mount (It only seems to go from the block to the bellhousing) and the bolt that goes through it is on the upper part of the side of the block, the other end of the bracket is bolted to the top right front of the bellhousing.. 

 

Bu t anyway, I thought "Maybe the bolt is not tight in the hole" - and sure enough using a 14mm spanner (wrench) I tightened it another 1/2 turn or more and now there's virtually no oil around the bolt head!

 

And IF it still leaks oil I will slacken this bolt and use some RTV under the head of it.

I don't know if the bracket is called a motor mount (It only seems to go from the block to the bellhousing) and the bolt that goes through it is on the upper part of the side of the block, the other end of the bracket is bolted to the top right front of the bellhousing.. 

 

Bu t anyway, I thought "Maybe the bolt is not tight in the hole" - and sure enough using a 14mm spanner (wrench) I tightened it another 1/2 turn or more and now there's virtually no oil around the bolt head!

 

And IF it still leaks oil I will slacken this bolt and use some RTV under the head of it.

Yep, the leak is fixed!!

Did first road trip and got 33mpg.

Right on man!

Right on man! Goodtimes!

I read your first post way wrong thinking it was on the under side of the engine. That is a case bolt that holds the 2 case halves together. That means it's leaking at the halves mating surface and sweeping into the bolt hole. Hopefully by you tightening it the problem will stay away.