Question for all you out there with the Subaru EJ22. I have one out of a 1995 Legacy installed in a 1999 Forester...yes it wasn’t easy but it worked.  My question is i have installed new head gaskets, valve stem seals and rear main seal.  The rings looked good and my cylinder walls didn’t have gouges.  The engine runs strong but I notice that it smokes blue smoke on every cold start.  After about a mile of driving it goes away.  With no external oils leaks I’m burning about a qt of oil every tank of gas.  Oil looks good.  Could this just be PCV valve?  Or do I have rings that are glazed?  Not looking at rebuilding it again.   If the PCV do you recommend a catch can oil separator?  Or better system than the stock 95 setup? 

I’d say it’s rings. If you had them out to inspect the rings you should’ve replaced them. 

I would’ve said valve stem seals, but since it’s longer in duration than just initial startup it seems like oil is allowed past the rings on shutdown. 

Have you overfilled the oil to compensate for the oil use? This could be exasibating the oil burn on start up and initial running. 

Cheers 

Bennie

a clogged/gummy PCV valve may make the problem worse so, no harm in replacing it.

On 7/29/2019 at 6:25 PM, Carnutt said:

If the PCV do you recommend a catch can oil separator?  Or better system than the stock 95 setup?  

No, none of that is necessary.

just replace the PCV valve and call it a day

 

Thanks. I’ve got a PCV valve ordered and will start there and if it continues it looks like I’ve got rings to replace then.