1994 Subaru Legacy Oil leak - where?

1994 Subaru Legacy, 180,000 miles. Slow oil leak. 2-3 drops a day on the driveway. I replaced a valve cover gasket because it appeared to be seeping. Maybe the other one is also, maybe some seepage from the oil pan gasket. But while there is sludge over the back and bottom of the engine, and oil slowly drips down and off of the cross member behind the engine and onto the ground, I cannot identify a specific place where it is leaking.

 

Any old Subaru mechanics here have experience with this engine to guess where the most likely places are for oil leaks to develop in these engines when they get up there in miles? I hate to just replace this or that gasket in the hopes of getting it, but I can't find a specific place that is leaking.

Here are some likely candidates. Numbered in order of likelyhood.

http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj605/Idahorec/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-02/79F8726D-72C8-465E-BFEB-C625ADE662FF_zpsra0lo54c.jpg

 

#3 is an issue of much debate, some are addiment that you shouldn't change it, some are addiment that you should. It's a judgment call for the person doing the work.

x2 on separator plate.. Yours is plastic, Subaru has updated the part to a metal plate, the kit is about $40 at Subaru.

X3 on the oil sep plate.

too bad you have to pull the engine to fix it.

 

#3 is an issue of much debate, some are addiment that you shouldn't change it, some are addiment that you should. It's a judgment call for the person doing the work.

 

on the ej22 engine 90 - 98, passenger side,

there isn't a cam seal there like the ones on the front of the engine.

there is an o-ring that seals the metal ''cap'' (or cover) to the head.

imho, there is no reason not to change it.

(the driver side has a plastic plug, but i have not heard of them leaking.)

 

the heads on the ej25 have a different set up.

the cam shafts are bolted to the head,

they do not ride in a hole bored through the head.

Ouch. That would explain why I don't see any actual gaskets seeping. With that many miles, if I'm going to pull the engine, I'm going to overhaul it or replace it <sigh>. I'm going to get back into it this weekend and see if I can identify where the oil is seeping from...

With that many miles, if I'm going to pull the engine, I'm going to overhaul it or replace it <sigh>.

no offense, but this shows your lack of experience and knowledge regarding the ej22 engine.

 

180k is middle age,

250k - 350k is not uncommon.

you probably will not drive the car that long.

 

when the leak gets bad enough to act,

pull the engine, replace the oil sep plate and screws = $35

replace all the front seals, (not the rear main) = $30

install new timing belt, idlers, water pump, = $135

reseal the oil pump, = $5

replace the valve cover gaskets = $30

replace the plugs and wires = $50

oil and coolant = $40

 

now thew engine will run 60k miles until the timing belt is due,

and probably another 60k after that.

 

or keep adding oil,

and park over a piece of cardboard on an old metal cooking tray.

 

at some point it will start stinking as the oil burns off of the exhaust.

that may force your hand faster than the oil stain in the drive way.

 

PS: a few drips a day when parked is not much.

but the engine is not running when parked.

my guess is it leaks more when running.

X2 ^^^^

 

That picture is of a 2.2 with 240,000 miles. Resealed it put it back in, going strong!

 

Also yes, sorry #2 in my pic is not a seal, it's an o-ring, there is another just like it on the drivers side, on the front of the head. Add 2 of those to the list.

 

If you remove the intake to pull the motor, add 2 intake gaskets, and 2 coolant crossover pipe o-rings.

no offense, but this shows your lack of experience and knowledge regarding the ej22 engine....

 

Guilty as charged :-) . I worked as a mechanic, but I retired my tools in 1984 (30 years ago, where does the time go?). Back in my day, an engine was only good for 100,000 miles. I had an old Plymouth that made it to 150,000 or so, but it smoked and knocked. I made a living overhauling carburetors and alternators. I was certified back when it was NIASE, not NASE, or what is it today, ASE? Kids today have never even heard of NIASE and don't know a carburetor from a set of points, but I digress....

 

250k to 350k from this engine? Seriously?

 

Any comments on the expected life of the automatic transmission? I change the fluid once a year, and it runs, but I had someone tell me 150,000 miles was about it.

 

The water pump seized at about 100,000 miles or so and I replaced it with the timing belts at that time. Should I be thinking of another timing belt soon, as this one has maybe 80,000 on it?

Hello;

I have 184k on the clock on my 1992 legacy and expect another 100k. Yes inspect the belt and rollers, the toothed idler is the one that fails. Steven.

250k to 350k from this engine? Seriously?

if you keep oil in it and don't let it over heat too often,

you can get 250k easy, 300k probably, and 350k maybe.

i just depends on how it was treated before you got it.

 

one of my ej22s over heated so badly it quit running.

i fixed the leak and refilled it and i'm still driving it.

these engine are very reliable, very forgiving, and very durable.

not to mention easy to work on.

in my opinion, it is the best engine subaru ever made.

 

 

Any comments on the expected life of the automatic transmission?

the auto trans will last the life of the car if you service it , change the fluid.

it is so durable you that a used trans is a pretty safe bet if yours fails,

and they are not too expensive.

some would say they are less trouble than the manual trans, no clutch to replace.

 

but they will wear out if you do not service them.

i bought a 95 at a repo auction with 75k miles.

i drove 90k miles and never changed the fluid, never.

the trans failed a 165k miles. DUH!!

i bought a used one with 125k for $400 and it was running great when i sold it 40k later.

 

the timing belt interval is 60k miles. (there is now a 100k belt available.)

but it is usually the toothed idler that fails, not the belt.

either way, a failure will not cause engine damage,

90 - 96 ej22s are non-interference.

but it would leave you stranded.

 

i trust when you retired from wrenching in 84 that you were not in your 60s.

 

 

if you change the fluids there is no telling how long these cars will go.

welcome to the party.

one item to note, which you must have figured out since you have already done the timing belt once,

 

the timing belt marks on the cams and crank, the hash marks, not the arrows,

do not set the #1 piston at TDC.

it sets all 4 pistons at mid stroke.

(apparently this is unique to subaru engines.)

 

for interference engines this eliminates any possibility of valve damage.

yours in non-interference so it is less of an issue,

but lots of first timers use the wrong set of marks for either the cams or the crank

and then wonder why it will not start.

I got lucky this time around. The oil leak was coming from the valve cover gasket (whew!).

 

And the next week the metal pipe that runs from the thermostat housing to the heater hose pops a pinhole leak. Greeaatt....take *everything* off of the top of the engine just to get to it....

I'd try some JB weld before I took the intake mani off, if you can get to the hole that is. If not, maybe JB weld on a stick?

I'd try some JB weld before I took the intake mani off, if you can get to the hole that is. If not, maybe JB weld on a stick?

 

It had a pinhole leak on the underside of the pipe where you can barely get a finger on it. I decided to just replace the pipe, less than $40 from the dealer for a new pipe. This thing has been slowly loosing coolant for a very long time, and I'm just happy to find out where it was coming from.