compression/clutch

[spokanesoob]

so i got a compression test done on my car and all clyinders read around 140 + or - 10 psi

is this good for a motor with 262,500? or when i take it out to put a clutch in should i do some other things also, what are the seals i should replace? thanks

spokanesoob

[nipper]

Thats very good for an engine with that many miles. Whats more important then the actual numbers is how even they are. These are very even when you add in human error.

 

If your pulling the engine to do the clutch

 

Everything becomes much easier to replace. If you are dropping the trnasmission the rear main seal, the pilot bushing, and of course the clutch parts. If your pulling the engine the timing belt, main and cam seals, maybe valve cover seals, plugs water pumpo, tensioner and idler.

Re seal the oil pump. When i had my 81 and 87 every 100,000 it got a ne would pump because they were cheap at the time. But thats just me.

 

nipper

[daeron]

wow, compression numbers like that are something to be proud of after 250K miles.

 

Just make sure you keep that radiator nice and clean, running antifreeze in it instead of water. You want to protect those headgaskets, since they are doing a bang up job and have been doing so for so long.

 

This reminds me, I need to go flush my radiator again.

[spokanesoob]

yea i guess it is kinda high for a car that old i dont know much about its history it might have been rebuilt but idk thats what the odmeter said its starting to use a quart every 2 weeks and im tired of that burning oil smell

even though thats every subaru ive seen

[nipper]

i bet your leaking it onto the exhaust pipes. When a car burns oil out the pipes you rarely smell it. With those compression numbers you should not be burning oil. And 1qtevery 2 weeks you would have blue smoke. When was the last time the timing belt and seals were done. If you dont know, guess what your doing next...

 

 

nipper

[spokanesoob]

yea i got underneath her today and oil was dripping off of the exaust pipes and was being blown backwards all over everything

[daeron]

it could be as simple as valve cover gaskets.

 

The only good way to track down an oil leak is to THOROUGHLY degrease the engine.. this can be something of a pain.

 

I could NOT get my engine clean until I did my headgaskets, and had it all torn apart... that being said, simply taking off the alternator, and unbolting the AC compressor makes accessing the actual longblock MUCH easier.. Get a couple of cans of Gunk engine brite, and an old toothbrush or two, and start working. Try to cover up the distributor and any electronic components to avoid difficulty starting it later.. but clean the engine till it shines, then watch for the leaks to start showing themselves again.

 

They show up more starkly if you clean the engine when you are already due for an oil change.. that way the old oil leaks out all black and nasty, and you can see it better.

 

Once you get the engine clean, you can post back here with where you find leaks, and we can help you trace where the oil may be leaking from based on where you see it. Just remember, it WILL all find its way to the bottom most point, eventually.. so just because you see oil dripping off your oilpan, say, does NOT mean you need a new oil pan gasket.. Trace the leak up to the HIGHEST point that gets dirty, and that is where its coming from.

 

Tracking down oil leaks is another argument in favor of running without timing belts covers, because if a cam seal or the crank seal is leaking you won't be able to tell for certain without taking the covers off, and thats alot of work to go through if you do so, and find no signs of oil leakage underneath them.

 

I have discovered that 90% of the oil on my driveway is coming from my transmission, and my power steering pump, and the other 10% is the valve cover gaskets. They are solid as a rock, and I tried using some hylomar on them when I put everything back together, but it still seeps out slowly. The oil coming from the trans may be tranny fluid, but more likely its a rear main seal.