freekyFX4 Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I have a 98 Legacy GT wagon with the 2.5l DOHC engine. We bought it last week, and it didn't seem to have any major leaks. This morning I came out to find a huge puddle underneath the front of the car. Oil is running out of the bottom of the timing belt cover and oil seems to have sprayed all over the driver side suspension and tire. What am I looking at here? Blown oil seals? If so, how hard is this to fix? I have done a lot of my own repairs in the past, but now I tend to own newer vehicles that do not require much attention. Thanks for any information you guys can give me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bdubs Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 More than likely it is a crank seal or the oil pump itself. To get to them you'd have to remove the accessory belts, crank pulley, timing belt, oilpump. While you are in there, replacing the timing belt, cam seals, crank seal, oilpump seal, check for wear on the TB tensioners and idlers, if they seem worn time to replace those as well.. All those seals tend to seep or leak at some point in time on these cars. I suggest getting a service manual, this is something you can do yourself if you have worked on a car before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackfang Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 That sounds like either a cam or crank seal or possibly a front piston pin plug which all are behind the front timing cover. Those are known to leak often as the engine gets older. As for the fluid getting onto the wheel and suspension, that doesn't sound like it is just coming from that. I can see it getting on some of the suspension, but are you sure there isn't a busted outer axle boot as well? [SIZE=1][URL="http://public.fotki.com/blackfang/"]Pics[/URL] [B]08 KawasakiZZR 600- exhaust and other mods 98 Camaro Z/28 HT- some mods......street/strip car 07 Legacy 2.5i- SPT exhaust...daily driver[/B][/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old legacy GT Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I just had the same problem with my 94 ej20g powered legacy GT I had just put new seals in the engine when I put it in. just last week it starts smokin and stinkin then the next morning huge puddle under the engine and it was pissing out of the timing cover as you said!! the whole front suspension and the hole centre of the car like the tail pipe and tranny to the rear diff was covered in oil!!! (free semi undercoting) but yeah what had happened was that the front seal had pushed out into the crank gear and soaked everything!!! so I would say the front seal!?!?!?!? I have had gaskets go behind the oil pump in my toyota the pumps are simalar design amd it didn;t leak anything like that . do you think that maybe the previous people serviced that before you bought it??????? may be they made the same mistake I did!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCarthy69 Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 i had my cam seals blow out on me in my 99 2.5 dohc except for me it was while i was driving. did the same thing went everywhere. i replaced the cam seals front crank seal and timing belt. no problem since. if youre going in there yourself check the water pump since it is timing belt drivin and doing that while youre in there will save time/money if it goes in the future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freekyFX4 Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share Posted January 27, 2009 Thanks guys. I replaced the cam seals and front crank seal along with the timing belts and water pump and the car is running great now. How often do those oil seals just go like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackfang Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 It all depends. Subaru's are notorious for leaking seals. I have seen them go as early at 29k. However, average is around 90-100k. [SIZE=1][URL="http://public.fotki.com/blackfang/"]Pics[/URL] [B]08 KawasakiZZR 600- exhaust and other mods 98 Camaro Z/28 HT- some mods......street/strip car 07 Legacy 2.5i- SPT exhaust...daily driver[/B][/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonklein611 Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Make sure if you replace the timing belt to change the tensioner! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackfang Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 You don't have to change it, but atleast inspect it for wear. If you have the extra coin, then go ahead and replace it for that "piece of mind". [SIZE=1][URL="http://public.fotki.com/blackfang/"]Pics[/URL] [B]08 KawasakiZZR 600- exhaust and other mods 98 Camaro Z/28 HT- some mods......street/strip car 07 Legacy 2.5i- SPT exhaust...daily driver[/B][/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonklein611 Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 You don't have to change it, but atleast inspect it for wear. If you have the extra coin, then go ahead and replace it for that "piece of mind". I made that mistake too, mine tenioner went at 100k just 40k after the timing belt change. The tenionser sheared off the block and chewed the belt to crap, eventually breaking it. I'm lucky because I have the 2.2L non interference engine.... the 2.5 the OP has is not. I'd go for the piece of mind vs. possible toasted engine. Just my $0.02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freekyFX4 Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 Yeah, we replaced the tensioner too. Apparently the ticking I was hearing when the engine is cold is piston slap. What effect will this piston slap have on the longevity of the engine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackfang Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 I made that mistake too, mine tenioner went at 100k just 40k after the timing belt change. The tenionser sheared off the block and chewed the belt to crap, eventually breaking it. I'm lucky because I have the 2.2L non interference engine.... the 2.5 the OP has is not. I'd go for the piece of mind vs. possible toasted engine. Just my $0.02 I have seen the same. However,we have also seen plenty of motors make it past 200k with just belt replacements. Yeah it is a good piece of mind and I offer it to the customer for that piece of mind, but they don't need it unless we deem it bad or going. [SIZE=1][URL="http://public.fotki.com/blackfang/"]Pics[/URL] [B]08 KawasakiZZR 600- exhaust and other mods 98 Camaro Z/28 HT- some mods......street/strip car 07 Legacy 2.5i- SPT exhaust...daily driver[/B][/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonklein611 Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 I wish mine lasted to 200k.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackfang Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 My lead technicians step son's outback has over 400k. [SIZE=1][URL="http://public.fotki.com/blackfang/"]Pics[/URL] [B]08 KawasakiZZR 600- exhaust and other mods 98 Camaro Z/28 HT- some mods......street/strip car 07 Legacy 2.5i- SPT exhaust...daily driver[/B][/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonklein611 Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 My lead technicians step son's outback has over 400k. What's the trick to getting it to last that long? I swear I've replaced everything on this car at one point or another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackfang Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 What's the trick to getting it to last that long? I swear I've replaced everything on this car at one point or another. I don't think there is a trick. He definitely has replaced some parts that is for sure. He needs a trick for the body as that car looks like it has 600,000:lol: [SIZE=1][URL="http://public.fotki.com/blackfang/"]Pics[/URL] [B]08 KawasakiZZR 600- exhaust and other mods 98 Camaro Z/28 HT- some mods......street/strip car 07 Legacy 2.5i- SPT exhaust...daily driver[/B][/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonklein611 Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Ah ok... Then mine is right on pace... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freekyFX4 Posted January 30, 2009 Author Share Posted January 30, 2009 Hey jonklein611...I see you're in Moon Twp. How are things up there? I grew up in Hopewell and my dad used to own the Moon Racquetball Club. It was up on the hill behind the old Grant's store in Moon Plaza. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonklein611 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Hey jonklein611...I see you're in Moon Twp. How are things up there? I grew up in Hopewell and my dad used to own the Moon Racquetball Club. It was up on the hill behind the old Grant's store in Moon Plaza. So far so good... I live near hopewell... I think that became dorms for the RMU students, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freekyFX4 Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 Cool! I knew that they had converted it into something...possibly an old folk's home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonklein611 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Cool! I knew that they had converted it into something...possibly an old folk's home. Oh yeah, that was way back, but recently its a RMU apartment / dorm thingy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
streetlethal1000 Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 when you change the timing belt did you buy any specific tools? Did you make any tools to make the job easier? Did you just use the basic tools with some elbow grease? Im going to be doing this job next weekend and I want to be fully prepared with all the tools and parts I need. Because I need the car running back on monday again. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bdubs Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 You will definitely need a cam puller. I think you can loan one from Advance. Everything else, if you have an average amount of mechanic's tools you can get it done with some improvisation. If you have the scans (if not you can find it on http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/2.5Timing.pdf) just be sure everything is torqued correctly. You are using a new tensioner, so you can skip step 18 on there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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