Hi all, 

Newbie to the forum, as my 2011 Legacy has been problem free for a decade!!!  (Until now)
 

So recently, I  started noticing what I thought was an exhaust-like smell in the cabin.  Could also be described as a burnt oil smell, I suppose. 

Notably, it's only present if I leave the car running in park for a few minutes (which I do every morning in our freezing cold Canadian winters!)  While driving, it's *almost* never present. But I've noticed it at a few red lights as well, just not as commonly as when started up for 2-3 minutes in the A.M. 

I mentioned it to my mechanic when I was getting my brakes changed, and he *immediately* groaned and mentioned this seemingly-famous head-gasket issue, which I've now read up about a little. He didn't have time to diagnose it as it was the end of the day.  

While I'm in a holding pattern, is this smell (only when idling) characteristic of the head gasket problem?    Any other easy-to-diagnose issues you pros might think it could be instead?  

Thanks in advance for any quick tips before I...gulp...head back to the mechanic

 

 

Edited December 9, 20205 yr by buriboi

8 hours ago, buriboi said:

Hi all, 

Newbie to the forum, as my 2011 Legacy has been problem free for a decade!!!  (Until now)
 

So recently, I  started noticing what I thought was an exhaust-like smell in the cabin.  Could also be described as a burnt oil smell, I suppose. 

Notably, it's only present if I leave the car running in park for a few minutes (which I do every morning in our freezing cold Canadian winters!)  While driving, it's *almost* never present. But I've noticed it at a few red lights as well, just not as commonly as when started up for 2-3 minutes in the A.M. 

I mentioned it to my mechanic when I was getting my brakes changed, and he *immediately* groaned and mentioned this seemingly-famous head-gasket issue, which I've now read up about a little. He didn't have time to diagnose it as it was the end of the day.  

While I'm in a holding pattern, is this smell (only when idling) characteristic of the head gasket problem?    Any other easy-to-diagnose issues you pros might think it could be instead?  

Thanks in advance for any quick tips before I...gulp...head back to the mechanic

 

 

No - just relax and get it properly diagnosed.  It's probably one of the oil switches leaking, valve cover, or CV boot, or something else really easy.  The mechanic is doing you a disservice by sending you on an anxiety ridden internet search of head gasket woes.  Maybe he had a bad day when you stopped by, I'd just carry on and not worry about it. 

You could look underneath or pop the hood and attach any pictures of fluid you see here and we can help. 

If it's a CV boot - reboot the axle.  The original axles will last the life of the car and are literally stupid to replace or throw away.  Many shops will want to replace the axle because it's quicker and simpler for them - the cost is roughly the same.  But aftermarket axles are terrible and almost never last the life of the vehicle. 

Edited December 9, 20205 yr by idosubaru

i thought they had the headgasket issue pretty well sorted out by 2011... most of the HG failure prone ones were in the first half of the 2000s decade (2000-2005-ish) - so yeah, i would not be too concerned about HG on that...

burnt oil smell could come from a lot of things.. most commonly a torn boot on an axle - usually right side - that slings grease at the cat converter...

but yeah... i would be looking more closely at things and get it properly diagnosed - dont jump to conclusions without evidence

 

 

Until you get a solid diagnosis, make sure the inside of the radiator is checked and the level of coolant maintained properly (full). DO NOT trust the level in the overflow to reflect coolant level.

I second likely CV boot as said above.

8 hours ago, heartless said:

i thought they had the headgasket issue pretty well sorted out by 2011...

 

They redesigned the heads for the 2011/2012 Leg/OBK to "fix" the issue. They rarely leak externally like most EJ251/253s, but they blow internally just as often.

 

 

A smell pretty much just means you have something leaking. Could be almost anything. The common failure mode of those head gaskets is to overheat.

Edited December 9, 20205 yr by Numbchux

Thanks for all the information - it's greatly appreciated.  I'll take a look with a friend of mine tomorrow - he was a mechanic until he got hurt, so perhaps he'll have some insight, and I'll share the results here!

 

 

Update:

Definitely not the CV boot - fully in tact. 

I snooped around as best I could looking for fluids, and found a decent amount of oil pooled up.   My pictures probably aren't the greatest (it's tight in there), but the first photo is the alternator, for reference.   Below it, there's a tube leading to what I think might be an oil pressure switch.  It's got a dollop of oil on it.    There's also oil spattered around and pooled in a few nooks around the area, but this seems to be the "high point".   So maybe this is a quick and easy fix.  Make sense to anybody, lol  ??

Edited December 11, 20205 yr by buriboi

when they leak, oil pressure switches can leak a lot due ti being under pressure. It can pool and shift around under acceleration/maneuvering and drip almost anywhere.

5 minutes ago, 1 Lucky Texan said:

when they leak, oil pressure switches can leak a lot due ti being under pressure. It can pool and shift around under acceleration/maneuvering and drip almost anywhere.

I suppose this is *good* news.  Seems an easier fix than what I had originally imagined when the mechanic immediately started blathering on about head gaskets

Do not damage the threads when replacing.  Overtightening is bad.  That might be the oil pressure sender rather than the switch. But either way same deal - remove part, replace, easy job. 

 

1 hour ago, idosubaru said:

Do not damage the threads when replacing.  Overtightening is bad.  That might be the oil pressure sender rather than the switch. But either way same deal - remove part, replace, easy job. 

 

Yeah, I watched a how-to video.  Although I think I could do it, I'm just gonna go to a mechanic to ensure I don't overtighten or damage anything.   I can spend a few hundred, just not a few thousand on a head gasket, lol 

Thanks for the help!

Yep, that switch is definitely leaking. Aftermarket ones are about $8, Subaru MSRP is $22.75. I've had a couple aftermarket ones leak in pretty short order and have been putting Subaru ones in. Even used an OEM Subaru one in my Celica when it began to leak (I was working at the dealership at the time, so my price on a Subaru one was cheaper than a Toyota one).

Yeah while it’s easy that also means it won’t take long for a mechanic to do so a fair one should be very reasonable.  They’re so inexpensive I always use Subaru. 

yay for the easy fix! lol

yeah, i had to do one on my old 95 Legacy some years ago.. it made a good mess, but was an easy replacement