I have a 97 2.5 Outback that has had a slow leak in the valve cover gasket.  However I just checked it and the stick was barely showing much oil after adding 3 quarts.  Lhe oil warning light had gone on the dash.  Aside from the involved job of changing the gaskets is there any stop gap measure? Lucas oil leak product?

The warning light is as low pressure light. It does not indicate the level is low. If you had to add 3 quarts and it barely registers then it was completely out of oil. This usually results in irreversible damage to the engine. When you change the oil, you need to cut open the filter and check for metal, etc.

GD

I'll check the oil again this am; I had switched to 20w50, not sure if that caused the problem.  Car is running like a top.

Thicker oil should cause less leaking and more pressure. so 20w50 should have helped the pressure. How often do you check the oil?

I think it's possible a bad PCV valve can contribute to oil loss.

1 hour ago, 1 Lucky Texan said:

I think it's possible a bad PCV valve can contribute to oil loss.

It's the most common cause by far. 

The dip stick may be off; when I have checked it, it barely registers.  Adding a quart and it soars up.  There is a limit what do it yourselfers can do.  The clearances are so small with the 2.5 units, I don't see how I could change out the gaskets.  

Does mixing oil cause problems?  10-30 with 20-50 with HD30, etc.. At a lot of the oil supply places there is not a good range of supply of motor oil.  

1 hour ago, ThosL said:

Does mixing oil cause problems?

No

My brother said I needed to watch the consequences on oil leaks as some customers will freak out on oil on their driveway, it didn't occur to me, adding a quart a week is a lot cheaper than mechanical work but something I need to get done.

probably caused terminal damage if it was that low, just a matter of when, hopefully a long time from now. 

This is really simple. 

1.  Keep the oil topped off properly.  Add oil, drive, check again when the engine is cold.  

Youre probably adding 20w50 and checking it before that thick molasses gets to the pan and is coagulated all over the dipstick, confusing your readings.  Run it and get it hot, let it cool before checking. 

2. Replace PCV with Subaru 

3.  Replace valve cover gaskets. It’s not hard at all and is routinely done all the time by DIY folks with no special tools.

*borrow or buy used or “rent” a 10mm ratcheting wrench.  It’s only the lower corner 10mm valve cover bolt that’s a beast on each side.  a ratcheting wrench will make it much much simpler.  It can be done with a regular wrench just plan on it taking 1 hour for each of those two bolts and typing a ranting post about it here if you don’t listen  

Everyone without a heated garage thinks jobs are hard now that single digit temps are happening. LOL

I checked the leak, below the oil fill spout, probably the valve cover gasket on that side?  Other possibilities, cam cover a mechanic said, or damaged thread on oil filter?  My best guess is the  valve cover gasket.  

You save money when you don't guess. Get under there with a couple cans of brake clean to clean the area off. Then run it for 5 or 10 minutes and then shut it off and crawl under with a light and find the source of the leak. You can do it yourself or you can pay someone to do it.

Yep huge waste of time. Diagnose it right and don’t guess. 

Good video by a professional on this:  

 

I took some pictures after using the degreaser:

https://i.imgur.com/2aKD2it.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/J9zs0HE.jpg

 

 

 

 

Edited November 14, 20187 yr by ThosL

cam seal leak.  pull timing belt, cam sprocket, replace cam seals.

it maybe, could be the valve cover. the rear timing cover and front lower valve cover corner are so close to each other and both wet and i don't how that oil got spread around particularly if you sprayed degreaser on it.  so it could be valve covers depending how the degrease went down - but otherwise that looks far more like a cam seal than valve cover.  clean that front area of the valve cover and timing cover and see where the oil comes from. 

What are the going costs of a valve cover gasket job, or projected labor time?  Also for Cam seal leak?

That's leaking from everywhere. Need to just pull the engine and do a complete reseal. Just do everything one time and be done with it. 

Going rate on a proper head gasket job including all timing components, etc is around $2k. Varies greatly depending on region. Add in the radiator, hoses, possibly clutch if applicable... and on that engine we swap pistons for knurled 251's.... pretty easy to hit $4k. 

GD

 

Very roughly:

$300 valve cover gaskets

$500 cam seal - should really do a complete timing belt job with new belt and pulleys as that needs removed to replace the seal.  If the belt breaks/pulleys fail on that engine they bend valves and you’ll have a scrap car. 

Edited November 19, 20187 yr by idosubaru

I was able to get the valve cover, cam seal and crank shaft seals/covers done for $300 plus parts.  Labor in this area runs cheap;  I've been doing logging oriented work in the area for less than I was making 20 years ago.  

7 minutes ago, ThosL said:

I was able to get the valve cover, cam seal and crank shaft seals/covers done for $300 plus parts.  Labor in this area runs cheap;  I've been doing logging oriented work in the area for less than I was making 20 years ago.  

that's a really good price, hopefully they did it well.