Front end oil leak..Again 98 Outback

[cocoon]

My 98 Outback began leaking oil from the front end at around 86K
miles. I took it to my Sub dealer and had him replace the timing belt,
cam seals, crank seal, oil pump seal, water pump and thermostat. This
was in July 2004. Now I'm getting the same symptoms again, heavy
burning smell after freeway driving, heavy oil coating the skid plate
while the oil pan is completely clean. I drive this car very little it
is now at 99K. Do I have this to look forward to every 10K miles. Did
the dealer do something wrong? I thought maybe I should change to a
heavier oil 10W30 instead of the 5W30 I've been using. I change every
3K miles or 6 months. I added a bottle of stop leak stuff to see if it
helps. The work ran close to $1000 so I don't look forward to doing it
every couple years. Any advice?

 

[Jim Stewart]

My 98 Outback began leaking oil from the front end at around 86K
miles. I took it to my Sub dealer and had him replace the timing belt,
cam seals, crank seal, oil pump seal, water pump and thermostat. This
was in July 2004. Now I'm getting the same symptoms again, heavy
burning smell after freeway driving, heavy oil coating the skid plate
while the oil pan is completely clean. I drive this car very little it
is now at 99K. Do I have this to look forward to every 10K miles. Did
the dealer do something wrong? I thought maybe I should change to a
heavier oil 10W30 instead of the 5W30 I've been using. I change every
3K miles or 6 months. I added a bottle of stop leak stuff to see if it
helps. The work ran close to $1000 so I don't look forward to doing it
every couple years. Any advice?

I have a '99 Outback and I'm starting
to see some seepage around the valve
cover gaskets. I bought a set of new
gaskets but haven't had the time or
motivation to replace them yet.

I changed the cam and crank seals back
in '03 and that problem stayed fixed.

The stop leak probably won't help and
going to a thicker oil might slow it
down some.

The bottom line is that the engine is
8 years old and the seals will fail.
I belive that the seal lifetime will
be more dependent on the age of the
engine rather than the mileage.

The flat design of the Subaru engine
tends to make it something of an oil
dripper by nature.

 

[cocoon]

I have a '99 Outback and I'm starting
to see some seepage around the valve
cover gaskets. I bought a set of new
gaskets but haven't had the time or
motivation to replace them yet.

I changed the cam and crank seals back
in '03 and that problem stayed fixed.

The stop leak probably won't help and
going to a thicker oil might slow it
down some.

The bottom line is that the engine is
8 years old and the seals will fail.
I belive that the seal lifetime will
be more dependent on the age of the
engine rather than the mileage.

The flat design of the Subaru engine
tends to make it something of an oil
dripper by nature.

My point is that my seals were changed two years ago and now they're
failing again. Are you saying that because the engine is 8 years old
the seals are going to continue to fail no matter how many times
they're replaced?

 

[Jim Stewart]

My point is that my seals were changed two years ago and now they're
failing again. Are you saying that because the engine is 8 years old
the seals are going to continue to fail no matter how many times
they're replaced?

I guess I wasn't clear...

My first thought was that it is a different
set of seals that's causing your problem.
Like maybe your valve covers. I'll bet
they weren't changed with the crank and
cam seals.

Another possibility is that when the
crank seal was replaced, the oil pump
screws and O-ring weren't checked. There
was a known problem on my year model and
quite possibly yours where the oil pump
back cover screws would loosen and allow
pressurized oil to blow past the crank
seal. The fix is to locktite the screws.
I presume you don't have any way of
knowing whether or not that was done...

And finally, no, seals last way longer
than 2 years regardless of the engine's
age.

 

[nobody >]

My point is that my seals were changed two years ago and now they're
failing again. Are you saying that because the engine is 8 years old
the seals are going to continue to fail no matter how many times
they're replaced?

I think both posters are talking about different leak sources. I
interpret "seals" as the cam seals which are different from valve cover
gaskets. Valve cover gaskets are a known issue on Subaru flat fours (and
sixes) simply because they are vertical and have residual oil sitting on
the bottom at all times. They are nowhere near as expensive or labor
consuming as cam seals. (Still a pain in the ass tho...)

Is it possible to replace the cam seals *without* changing the valve
cover gaskets?

 

[JS]

My 98 Outback began leaking oil from the front end at around 86K
miles. I took it to my Sub dealer and had him replace the timing belt,
cam seals, crank seal, oil pump seal, water pump and thermostat. This
was in July 2004. Now I'm getting the same symptoms again, heavy
burning smell after freeway driving, heavy oil coating the skid plate
while the oil pan is completely clean. I drive this car very little it
is now at 99K. Do I have this to look forward to every 10K miles. Did
the dealer do something wrong? I thought maybe I should change to a
heavier oil 10W30 instead of the 5W30 I've been using. I change every
3K miles or 6 months. I added a bottle of stop leak stuff to see if it
helps. The work ran close to $1000 so I don't look forward to doing it
every couple years. Any advice?

My '95 Legacy had an oil leak and my mechanic replaced the oil pump and
that did the trick. I did find on another message board the claim that
the return oil journal was too narrow and to drill it out with an 1/8"
drill bit. If the problem is an oil pressure problem caused by a
constricted oil journal, replacing the oil pump gasket won't solve the
problem. The back pressure on the gasket will cause the new gasket to
fail just like the old one did.

 

[cocoon]

I think both posters are talking about different leak sources. I
interpret "seals" as the cam seals which are different from valve cover
gaskets. Valve cover gaskets are a known issue on Subaru flat fours (and
sixes) simply because they are vertical and have residual oil sitting on
the bottom at all times. They are nowhere near as expensive or labor
consuming as cam seals. (Still a pain in the ass tho...)

Is it possible to replace the cam seals *without* changing the valve
cover gaskets?

I believe my leak is either the cam seals, crank seal, or oil pump
seal. The leak I get happens only when the car is freeway driven and
you can tell cause of the burnt oil smell. I don't get any oil drips
in the driveway. I am going to check the valve covers for signs of
leaking but I'd think if they were leaking I'd get drips on the
ground, right?

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

I believe my leak is either the cam seals, crank seal, or oil pump
seal. The leak I get happens only when the car is freeway driven and
you can tell cause of the burnt oil smell. I don't get any oil drips
in the driveway. I am going to check the valve covers for signs of
leaking but I'd think if they were leaking I'd get drips on the
ground, right?

If you went to the car wash and cleaned the engine, especially
underneath, then let it idel in the driverway for 20-30 minutes would
you get any drips? perhaps a CV boot has split and slung grease onto the
exhaust?

I dunno


Carl

 

[mikey]

i too have the same problem with my 2.5 engine in a 96 outback. it was
a jap engine i just installed. i took off the oil pump and resealed it
and it still leaked. have it at the garage right now and am getting
cam and crank seals to replace ( some dummy didnt change those when he
had the engine on the motor stand....lol). wonder now if i should get
a new oil pump while they are tearing it down. would hate to go
through it all over again. i was concerned it was head gaskets, but
seems to be coming more from front/center of the engine

 

[Rick Courtright]

My 98 Outback began leaking oil from the front end at around 86K
miles. I took it to my Sub dealer and had him replace the timing belt,
cam seals, crank seal, oil pump seal, water pump and thermostat.

Hi,

Assuming all the seals WERE replaced, and done PROPERLY...

Looking thru the posts, I don't see that anybody's mentioned checking
the PCV system. Excess crankcase pressure from a clogged ventilation
system can sometimes cause leaks even w/ brand new seals.

As has been mentioned before, you've gotta get things cleaned up well
enough to see where the leak's coming from before knowing what the
cure's gonna be.

Rick

 

[burdock]

The valve covers leak at the back of engine check that or you have a
problem up front again