Hello all.

 

Saturday night I was driving down I-5 in my 1998 Outback DOHC. Cruising at 70 when I watched my temp start to climb, I started to pull over and then it went back down. So I kept going...for 10 seconds or so, then it rose, faster and higher, I immediately pulled over, as I pushed the clutch in, the engine died.

 

So I'm on side of the road and a TON of smoke is coming out of the hood and I smell burnt oil, so the first thing I thought was I thrown a rod. I tried to start it (just to humor myself), it wouldn't start. So I had it towed to my work. In the daylight, I checked the oil, it was slightly below full..."That's weird." I thought. So I tried starting it, it wouldn't.

 

Today, I pulled the engine and found the oil was coming from the rear main. I pulled the flywheel and noticed it wasn't coming from the seal, it was coming from the plastic piece to the right of the seal, this:

 

I don't know why this warped and cracked, causing all the oil to spill out. But does anyone know where I can get one?

 

Then I pulled the heads and found that the #3 cylinder had some HG failure, in the typical spot: bottom of the cylinder, into the coolant passge. The #1 had some HG failure, but not as bad.

 

In the end, I'm asking what should I do? Just assume it was HG failure and reseal the engine and hope I'm right? Or does anyone know something I don't, or have any advice?

 

I'm just puzzled from the engine not even trying to start.

 

Thanks for your time.

 

Justin Johnson

That plastic piece is the oil separater cover. It is a common source of leaks. Get a new one from Subaru, it will be made of metal and will be less prone to leak.

How hot did it get? Did the plastic oil separator plate warp from the heat?

i would imagine the heat cracked the plastic separator plate. new ones are metal and not prone to that. replace with a new one (it'll be metal, the new ones are, and won't crack) and reseal it.

 

sounds like you overheated. assuming it wasn't overheated long, or often it should be okay. do you know if maybe it overheated before but you never noticed? maybe someone else uses the vehicle that woudlnt' have noticed?

 

typically replacing the headgaskets solves the issue. be sure to get new Subaru headgaskets as they have an upgraded design. have a machine shop mill and check the heads and you should be golden assuming, like i said, it wasn't run hot often or for very long.

 

be sure to replace both side headgaskets, i saw you mentioned one side - cylinder 1 and 3.

I doubt it's the case but if that was open to the atmosphere then you had unmetered air entering through the PCV system. Possible no start?

I doubt it's the case but if that was open to the atmosphere then you had unmetered air entering through the PCV system. Possible no start?

 

Dunno, it'd be a small air leak, maybe enough to make it run slightly lean but not enough for no start.

 

be sure to replace both side headgaskets, i saw you mentioned one side - cylinder 1 and 3.

 

Oh don't worry about that, I have the engine pulled and tore down to the block. I know better than to do a half job only to turn around and do it again weeks later.

 

If I straight edge the heads and block and it comes out fine, should I go with that, or have the heads pressure tested?

Be boggled by the fact that Subaru saved a few bucks by using plastic instead of metal on something that will leak and puke out oil all over your clutch.

 

The new ones are stamped steel and chrome in appearance. The gen before that were aluminum. There are also a bunch of plastic ones on the 90-94's...they started using them AGAIN at one point!

 

Definately sounds like you blew a headgasket.

OK, so this oil seperator cover. If I called the dealer and say "I need an oil seperator cover." They'll know what I'm talking about?

 

Looks like it is called a "Rear main seal retainer" HERE

Johnson']OK' date=' so this oil seperator cover. If I called the dealer and say "I need an oil seperator cover." They'll know what I'm talking about?

 

Looks like it is called a "Rear main seal retainer" HERE

 

Yeah, I just ordered one of those "rear main seal retainers" and received what I needed- an oil separator plate. At the risk of sounding like a stand up comedian- "what's up with that?" I mean, it's NOT the real main seal retainer.

BTW, I think the latest style sheet metal oil separator plate requires different screws. Others may have more info than I

 

Nathan