My Suby is marking its Spot

[JGromada]

I saw this on a Harley Davidson T-shirt once: My Harley doesn't leak oil, its just marking its spot!

 

Ok then my 98 OBW (AT 170K mi) is marking its spot! (OIL)

 

Any advice on where these 2.5 L engines tend to leak from, any easy fixes or is everything a major job?

 

Thanks in advance.

[johnceggleston]

I saw this on a Harley Davidson T-shirt once: My Harley doesn't leak oil, its just marking its spot!

 

Ok then my 98 OBW (AT 170K mi) is marking its spot! (OIL)

 

Any advice on where these 2.5 L engines tend to leak from, any easy fixes or is everything a major job?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

valve cover gaskets and spark plug grommets, this is pretty easy to do.

cam shaft seals, crank shaft seal, and cam cap o-rings aren't hard, but you have to remove the timing belt to get to them so you do all of them together.

the oli pump seal/o-ring and backing plate screws, if these are leaking there would probably be a puddle under your car, do this with the t-belt as above.

oil seperator plate on the back of the engine behind the fly wheel / flex plate, you have to pull the engine to do this one and you buy a new metal plate and NEW screws and replace the old plastic plate.

 

where is your oil coming from, the front, the bach, up high, down low?

[nipper]

Short answer is everywhere (what he said).

 

At that mileage those small leaks can turn to huge leaks. When was the last time the timing belt was changed? Usually all the front seals get replaced with the timing belt.

 

Valve cover gaskets are easy, rear seperating plate is tough.

[JGromada]

Short answer is everywhere (what he said).

 

At that mileage those small leaks can turn to huge leaks. When was the last time the timing belt was changed? Usually all the front seals get replaced with the timing belt.

 

Valve cover gaskets are easy, rear separating plate is tough.

 

I had the original head gasket go up on me at 120K, the car now has 170K. I had a real good mechanic do this for me so I am sure what ever made sense he did.

 

I really need to get the car up on jack stands and take a close look which i will do shortly as it has a code requiring a new Oxygen sensor.

 

Thanks for the great advice. I would like to see this car continuing to be used because despite its mileage, the body and paint are in great shape and the interior leather is great as well.

 

If i can just resolve these series of small problems: oil leaks, tailgate jamming, occasional hard start it is a great car to own. I don't owe anything on it, its never nickel and dimed me to death and come winter it is always superb.

 

I have really come to appreciate Subaru for building a fine auto. It seems funny that there is always a large contingent of people that love the quirky 80s cars while I am really liking the new stuff they are doing, but can't necessarily afford that. This board is great and has helped me immensely without any pompous personalities that I see on other boards. (I belong to a couple of BMW boards as well)

[nipper]

Before you get under the engine, wash the engine. Go to a self serve car wash and clean it good. then give it a few days then look.

 

 

 

 

nipper

[JGromada]

ok got you, i was thinking the same thing

[nipper]

ok got you, i was thinking the same thing

 

 

Just be careful, you hit the right spot and the left rear tire may start shaking.

 

[ericem]

hard starting is usually just the ecu temp sensor or you need to run some seafoam via a vacuum hose. Tailegate jamming can probably be fixed with some lube on the handle,hinge, and lock.

 

To help control oil leaks possibly try a new pcv valve and stick with oem. Same goes with the temp sensor.

[idosubaru]

Replacing the PCV valve may slow the leaks, good thing to replace anyway. One wrench and a couple bucks, use Subaru part here.

 

If yours has the rear cam cap, replace the oring under it, it only requires removing 2 bolts to replace. Valve cover gaskets are easy and often leak as well.

 

Should be fairly simple - valve covers are on the side, all the hard stuff is right up front and will be seeping out from under the plastic timing covers up front. Should be obvious - is it leaking from the side or up front?

 

You might want to think about one more major maintenance, particularly if the front seals are leaking. If you want another 100,000 miles out of this car, replace everything timing belt related now.

 

Timing belt is a 100,000 mile item. Thing is all of your timing pulleys and tensioner are 10+ years old now, so a new belt is pointless. I always replace everything - timing belt, all the pulleys, tensioner, water pump, cam seals & orings, crank seal, and reseal the oil pump.

 

That's a complete job, if you keep the engine from running out of oil or overheating you're *almost* guaranteed another 100,000 miles or close to it.

 

You have an interference engine, if the timing belt breaks your motor is toast. That's why many of us replace everything on higher mileage or 10+ year old engines.

[JGromada]

hard starting is usually just the ecu temp sensor or you need to run some seafoam via a vacuum hose. Tailegate jamming can probably be fixed with some lube on the handle,hinge, and lock.

 

To help control oil leaks possibly try a new pcv valve and stick with oem. Same goes with the temp sensor.

 

That's an interesting suggestion about the ECU Temp Sensor. On my other thread no one has suggested that. Now where is that located and do you know how much that runs? Are there any definitive checks on that sensor?

 

On my other thread on the tailgate someone had suggested pushing on the center of the handle rather than pulling up and that worked! I will lube the handle/hinge/lock/etc.

 

I will do the PCV as well as my Oxygen Sensor.

 

Thanks everyone!