boneskid1 Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 I have a 2009 Outback XT that I bought last fall. It has 138k miles on it and there is an oil leak or something on the passenger side of the engine. I am hoping that it is not the HG but I cannot really tell. Oil is pooling near the powersteering pump and alternator and running down the timing cover on to the oil pan/oil filter. It takes a while for it to pool up though. I cleaned it off a few weeks ago and it is slowly starting to show back up. Before I go crazy taking things off looking for the leak what are the common things to leak in that area I can try to check? It seems like it might be running down the back of the engine too, which is not entirely a good sign. I do not know if the head gaskets have ever been replaced either soooo. From some googling it looks like it could be PCV or oil pressure sending unit related or it could even be the beginnings of a bad HG, with slow seepage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apexi Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 I'd be curious to know if the fluid is more tan/brown in color, or more red in color when dabbed with a paper towel. Power steering fluid (ATF) is red, so that would help narrow it down a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boneskid1 Posted May 3, 2020 Author Share Posted May 3, 2020 I will try that tomorrow in the places I can see the leak and see what it is. I will say the power steering fluid level has gone down a little bit, but not enough for the amount of "Fluid" all over the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apexi Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 One more thing I forgot to mention/ask, I wonder if your ps pump is painted black like the reman one below. I had 2 remanufactured pumps like that leak on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boneskid1 Posted May 3, 2020 Author Share Posted May 3, 2020 (edited) ok so mine is definitely painted black and looks like it could be leaking below. I wiped fluid that I could reach with a paper towel and it was more of a light-brown. For sure it looked like oil. I tried taking some pics, but its too small of an area where you can see the leak that my cameras could not focus on it well enough to see. I did take the intercooler off and checked around. There is some seepage or something around the turbo inlet pipe and then directly below that there is something that is dirty/oily. Again my camera would not focus on it sadly. I am going to see how the pics I did take came out and try to post what I can. EDIT: If it was the power steering pump leaking could it leak back towards the turbo and in the front along the timing cover etc? Also there is something directly below where the power steering pump is mounted that had wet oil on it. I am going to look at some pics of the block/power steering pump and see what it is. There is a bolt going into it. Edited May 3, 2020 by boneskid1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Capacity Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 That could be the oil pressure sending unit below the PS pump. 305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD). CHECK your oil, these cars use it. Engine Build - Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boneskid1 Posted May 3, 2020 Author Share Posted May 3, 2020 I did some more looking a few minutes ago cause this is really bothering me and it seems that the leak is around the turbo inlet. There is oil all over the inlet where it is clamped to the turbo and there is oil on the head/block below it. I can see my PCV and it does not look like it is leaking, but if it is bad can it just blow oil by into the inlet and then it could be leaking out of the inlet where it meets the turbo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Capacity Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 The inlet tube is known to get soaked with oil and leak after time. May be a air oil separator is a good fix for that. 305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD). CHECK your oil, these cars use it. Engine Build - Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boneskid1 Posted May 3, 2020 Author Share Posted May 3, 2020 (edited) That might be the case. I am going to see if I can get a bore scope to look down in the inlet before I go further. I took the PCV valve off and it still rattles and did not really let air through when I blew through it. I do have another question though. Is there 2 PCV valves? I know there is one molded into the black tee, but from that PCV there is a small hose that goes to another PCV looking thing. EDIT: would the inlet tube being soaked cause it to drip enough on to the block and head though? Edited May 3, 2020 by boneskid1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boneskid1 Posted May 8, 2020 Author Share Posted May 8, 2020 Ok I ended up taking it to a subaru dealership just to see what they thought. I am going to pick it up today. On another note, how much oil in the PCV is too much oil? I will probably hook up the catch can leftover from my previous car, but there was quite a bit of oil in the pcv valve hoses. That cannot be good I would not think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Capacity Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 I light film of oil is normal, any oil puddles is not good, but in the overall scheme, depends how the car runs. 305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD). CHECK your oil, these cars use it. Engine Build - Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boneskid1 Posted May 10, 2020 Author Share Posted May 10, 2020 (edited) Sadly Subaru did not find anything substantial on top of the engine that was leaking. They said it looks to be the Oil Pump seal and Crankshaft seal. along with a wrist pin access plug. I finally found a picture of the oil line I think might be leaking. https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/has-anyone-replaced-their-turbo-oil-line-screen-filters-banjo-200717.html?t=200717 (It is the first pic in post #9, I tired to mark the photo, but I cannot upload it) It is circled in the red. Can I replace that with something like the IAG oil supply line? https://www.rallysportdirect.com/part/oil-feed-lines-and-fittings/iag-eng-2070-iag-stock-location-turbo-oil-feed-and-avcs-line The car runs ok. It seems a bit sluggish somedays, but not horrible. It seemed like there a alot of oil in the pcv system and quite a bit in the inlet. Edited May 10, 2020 by boneskid1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Capacity Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 You can get new cooper crush washers to replace the ones that are leaking on the metal pipe. Make sure your PCV is in good shape. It should rattle when you shake it. If it doesn't replace it. that should help the amount of oil in the inlet. 305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD). CHECK your oil, these cars use it. Engine Build - Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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