Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

Ongoing leaking problems with my 93 Loyale


Recommended Posts

As stated in another thread I bought a 93 Loyale 4x4 with 33,000 original miles on it. I devolped a severe leak from the front of the motor. I put the car in the shop and had the cam seals replaced. The shop thought thats were the leak was from. I go the car back and as soon as I hit the highway and the rpms went up (auto trans 3 speed, which means high rpms on highway) it began leaking again. when it leaks it dumps oil onto the exaust causing a large cloud of smoke behind me on the highway. So I bring the car back and they replace the front crank seal and oil pump seal? the shop tells me they leave the car run on the lot after the job is done and no leak. i pick the car up and get on the same highway as before to go home and again it POURS oil out. Can anyone at all give me advice? i called the shop and they are somewhat stumped but are more than willing to look at it again. Could it be building pressure some how and blowing the gaskets out? The mechanic said he is going to do a compression test this time and again look over the car. HELP ME PLEASE SOMEONE, Im close to dumping out of this car, but dont want to, I love this thing. I bought the car for 1400 with the 33k on it and have spent 600 dollars so far chasing this leak.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you SEEN where the oil is leaking onto the exhaust? Are you sure that the smoke that you see is from extrernally leaking oil? Are you sure that it is engine oil?

 

A couple of possibilities is that it is ATF, either externally leaking or being sucked into the intake sysetem from a ruptured vacuum modulator valve, OR it might be oil being sucked through the PCV system into the intake.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also had replaced my PCV valve with a purolator brand one and it did rattle and seem normal. When I first bought the car it was overfilled with oil and I had driven it that way for a little while before realizing it. I only realized it was overfilled when I drove it on the highway and it belched massive amounts of smoke out the TAILPIPE. The smoke now is coming from under the hood off of the hot exaust components like the cat. The raw oil is actually leaking so bad on the highway it sprays it on the windsheilds of cars behind me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got me, then. Maybe a bad gasket or other leak near the oil filter that only shows up under high pressure? The shop guys say they let it run and saw no leaks, did they rev it up and keep it at high RPMs for a bit in order to see if/where it was leaking?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Subaru PCV valves tend to dump all kinds of oil into the intake when they clog up, causing a huge cloud of blue smoke.

 

This oil collects in the intake manifold and vacuum lines until you make a long, hard turn... most of the time a hard right. Your typical interstate on-ramp will do this. I'm referring to the usual cloverleaf type interchange- make a right to exit the road you're on, make a long, round turn, almost a complete circle, and merge onto the right lane of the interstate. If your PCV is gummed up, that'll have you burning oil almost every time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember reading something about someone installing a front main seal backwards once, causing all kinds of oil leaks. But, it's been so long that I don't remember what message board it was on or even what brand of car it was.

 

May be worth checking into, to make sure the mechanic did everything right. Many mechanics are clueless as to what to do with "one of dem thar Japanese cars" and end up screwing things up, and bad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME

 

 

 

I just picked this car up for the third time for this oil leak. They stated that the crank seal they put in was defective or something and leaking again. they again replaced it. No charge. I pick it up and its STILL leaking. Not as bad, but still bad. It soaks the underside of the car and the windshield of cars behind me on the highway. The oil leaks from the front timing belt cover. How much would it cost to just replace this whole goddamn engine?? I have replaced the crank seal, the cam seals, the oil pump seal, and they tightened my oil pan bolts and it still leaks. Im seriously considering replacing the engine or bailing out of this car entirely.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

RELAXX!!!

 

No you do not want to replace your engine *YET*

 

I have had a similar (though it did not become as severe) a problem.

There is an oil seal on the SHAFT of the oil pump - if THAT goes bad, it generates many of the problems that you describe. It WOULD release oil UNDER PRESSURE because it is one of the components that is directly exposed to oil pressure - it is VERY easy to overlook, and most shops WILL miss it. (I know if you have to order the gasket seperately)

 

IF they did not properly install/torque it, that could cause a problem too. A BIG ISSUE is whether they were using genuine Subaru parts - they should, cheap knock-offs that many aftermarket stores sell use inferior quality components. I have had to replace many gaskets twice as a result.

 

A faulty PCV valve is also a likely candidate, but for reasons other than what I saw in the aforementioned posts - if one gets plugged or is not relieving pressure at a proper rate, it will cause a buildup of crancase pressure, and shoot oil out of ANY part of the engine it can, namely the camshaft seals.

 

There is an issue on SPFI cars of dumping oil into the intake on inclined right hand turns, but that does not apply here.

 

TAKE IT TO A DIFFERENT SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION

 

competent mechanics are hard enough to find - and Subarus, while reliable and very serviceable cars (take that ford, chrystler, GM, and volvo), do tend to have several mechanical quirks, that only a mechanic that has Subaru expierence can solve - this does not always mean the dealership - usually oil leaks are easy to spot and fix for a mechanic expierenced with Subarus

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I had my 87 GL, I had good luck with Perky's in Warminster. They are right on County Line Road, so if you run across the street, you're in Hatboro. The owner, Danny, was pretty adept at fixing much of the goofy things that I had wrong with it. They are not specifically Subaru oriented, but I've never had a problem with them. They have worked on my Subaru, Pontiac, Isuzu and Volkswagon, always with good results and a fair price.

 

Which part of Montco are you in? I used to live in Hatboro (southeast montgomery county) but now I'm in East Greenville (northwest Montgomery County).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...