Subaru FA/FB Series Engine Oil Leaks - Forester/Impreza/Outback/XV/BRZ
Вставка
- Опубліковано 9 жов 2018
- With Subaru's newer generation FA and FB engines now starting to get a few years under their belt (or chain rather), we're developing a better understanding of some of their long term strengths and weakness'.
In this video Brett explains a few of the differences between the FA/FB series engines compared with the older EJ series engines, and what to look for when diagnosing leaks.
FOR MORE INFO ON THIS CAR VISIT:
tinyurl.com/MRT-powerkit
tinyurl.com/MRT-brake-kits
tinyurl.com/MRT-suspension-kits
tinyurl.com/MRT-engine-data - Авто та транспорт
I never did mention how great I think this video is for explaining exactly where to look for oil leaks on the FB's. Thanks so much!
RTV sealants are generally not designed to function as a "seam" sealant which is exactly how Subaru applies it to that inside "groove" that is formed once the casing goes back together. I am experiencing this same issue in my 2012 Impreza with 97K miles. RTV is designed to be applied between the machined metal-to-metal surfaces under load so that the material is retained as a blocking boundary preventing any micro sized open paths for the oil to migrate across. The method which is applied here offers zero surface compression to the fully polymerized sealant. Once the chemical bond of the RTV stops adhering to the inner "seam" surfaces, it will separate from the surface from a combination of thermal cycling stresses and chemical attack from the engine oil additives over time. To make matters even worse, there is so much porosity in my particular casing cover casting, it allows oil to migrate both thru the walls and surely under and behind the polymer sealant. This promotes further weakening any RTV surface bonding. Once the oil pressure is higher than the bond holding the seal element, it leaks. High temperature cycles (perhaps from low oil volume levels reducing the overall cooling system heat efficiency) will accelerate this type of problem. And so its only a matter of time until the leak become severe enough to be noticed.
Don't even get me going on the poor o-ring material choices that most manufacturer's use. The complex chemistry in today's engine oils along with thermal cycling can attack your basic 15 cent o-ring to a point where it loses all compressibility and thus leaks. Maintaining gasket compression critical regardless if it is molded like an o-ring or formed-in-place like RTV. Ever seen an o-ring that looks like an oval cross-section or maybe flat on a side or two? That type of failure mode is called compression setting and is typical of elastomers exposed to high temperature and certain chemicals over time. That's a subject for another thread though as modern engine oil chemistry become more complex to protect wearing parts but sometimes at the expense of elastomer life. Using a higher quality chemically resistant o-ring should provide you service beyond the life of the car. That costs a few dollars more, and would seem to be where the bean counters make their impact over the recommendations of sealing professionals and engineers.
Is there a type of sealant that can be used instead of rtv that is supposed to function like a seam sealant?
Permatex black gasket maker is . Yes?
@@SynchroFPSI've used Loctite 518 anaerobic sealant. It's easier to work with and cleaner. However, tolerances are tighter and an activator is needed when gaps are large or mating material are different.
@@SynchroFPS Right Stuff works well.
2011 model fb20 forester and 300 000km and still running. only clutch has been replaced. using 5w-30 castrol oil and 6000km oil change. I live in finland so we have winter time here as well.
Your videos are so informative and cool! I've been working on EJ and FB subie engines for years for friends and family as a DIY at home "mechanic" and have learned so much from your videos - thanks!
thanks, can i ask a favor and you give us feedback here as well?
www.google.com.au/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=qvzuWJWwL4Xr8wfl65KACQ#q=mrt+performance&lrd=0x6b12a4fda1446c67:0xd977a8763eea40f2,1,
what is the valve clearance at the outlet and inlet? FB20B
The toyota dealer I got my 2011 Forester FB25 (114k miles in Feb 2019) sold it to me with a leaking front timing cover. They told me it wasnt leaking twice. until I forced them to check exactly where I saw it was leaking from, the exact same spot but on the opposite side (driver side) so it wasnt creating bad smell from the oil leaking on the exhaust. It just leaked over a ground cable at the bottom. Forced the dealer to fix the leak and another subaru dealer resealed it. I have done all maintenance and tune up on this Forester, including sparkplugs, coolant flush, calipers and rotors (changed both front), brake flush, transmission and diffs fluids, control arm upgrade, tie rod ends and ball joints. All with original parts. Now at 153k miles, the only issue I have is the valve covers or rocker covers leaking and A/C clutch goin out. But for a 10 year old car (first purchased in 2010) it has been very reliable for me, even for independent contracting work as a Business IT Installer and Tech, hauling a couple Anthennas and dozen bricks around all day with my climbing equipment. I would get another newer Subaru with FB/FA engine for sure and I already now much of the maintenance work which is so easy to do especially oil changes (any oil). Good Luck out there dont get ripped off by dealers or people. 👍 👍
Great Video! Recently test drove a 2017 Subaru WRX with an FA20DIT engine. Had a horrible oil burnt smell after my drive. Noticed the skid plate was not installed and some oil near the oil pan. I couldn't get a better look but from the looks of the FB engine you have there it wouldn't be too far off that some seals might be leaking on the exhaust manifold. Engine only had 47k mile on it. Shame I had to walk away here in the US. Thanks again for your video.
Bought a 2002 WRX a few years back that had 3 oil leaks, thankfully they were pretty easy.
Did valve cover gaskets, oil cooler gasket, and oil pressure sensor.
It seems Subaru engine oil leaks begin mostly when the PCV is maintenance neglected / restricted/ plugged and the crankcase pressure forces the leaks .
I have a 2015 Outback with the non turbo 2.5 and this thing leaks oil. We had a short block installed at 20K due to oil consumption, and then at 60K the cam seals were leaking. After having those two oil leaks fixed under warranty, the cam seals are leaking again at 150K. This time not under warranty and they want $4K to fix. Subaru you dissapoint me because in this day and age you can’t build a motor to hold oil in it?
You got it fixed twice under warranty quit complaining
@@anthonyr5869 if he already fix it twice why does he need to do it a third time? That’s his point
I own a 15 outback 130 K no leaks absolutely no problems at all
What are the symptoms of cam cover leaks
@@fredharvey27201. You'll be losing oil depending on the severity of the leak. 2. You should be able to trace the leak from black caked oil near the seal.
The problem with the fix is, the engine needs to be taken out and timing chain cover removed, timing chain removed. Basically, more can go wrong during the fix than the problem itself. Unless you see clear oil streaming from the seals, leave it until the engine can be overhauled or resealed in its entirety. Check your PCV and related hoses to make sure your crankcase isn't overpressurizing.
Thanks for the video mate! Keep up your generous work. Cheers!
Thanks, I've had one of those long term leaks for an old model, I'll check the rocker covers, although when oil is every where it's a bit of a detective work LOL.
then clean it dear liza dear liza dear liza, then clean it dear liza dear liza clean yo shit
I second that 🤣
Great video! Now I know where I got the oil leak from on my 2012 Forester... :((( . Is it possible to reseal the timing cover without taking the engine off the car? Thanks!
My freaking car has 60k miles and already has a leak right by the fuel injector. Freaking bull shit for a 4 year old car that us serviced on time
If it's the valve cover (outer side of fuel injector), consider yourself lucky; the engine can be lifted and cover resealed. If it's the cam carrier (inner side of fuel injector), that requires taking the engine out.
Nice videos great work! Love your channel! Thanks!
Your close enough now to replace the short block. The FB 25 in NA burns tons of oil! Highly recommend a block replacement or new piston rings with more tension. Also that's an old FB like Gen 1 it only has intake avcs not intake and exhaust.
Thainks for the info Bret :)
My 2011 Forester (FB25) at 107,000 miles is leaking oil like crazy out of the driver's side lower portion. I'm about to just throw some stop leak in it, clean it up and trade it off to a dealership.
Does that stop leak stuff help at all? Also have a 2011 forester that’s leaks oil.
@@FrilledProductionsI've tried a stop leak but the problem should be addressed at the source, the overpressurizing of the crankcase. Check PCV and related hoses. The old leaky piston rings compound to the issues.
Thanks, great engine show
I've redone the valve covers on these before and what and awkward beotch that was, but never the timing chain cover on a FB25 which ive come across one where I do have to reseal the timing cover, I think these motors are just built like crap. I hate working on Subaru's, I've even rebuilt the entire front end body and engine of a BRZ what a crap shoot. I hate it but I'll still do it lol. Love my basic SBC's lol! Great video btw 😁
Crap shoot is the right phrase. You never know if the seals are good until you start the engine.
All you have to do with these engines is put permatex black oil proof silicon sealant on all gasket surfaces and it will never leak again 😎
Interested in seeing more of that GC8 in the back
Lots of oil sealing issues with these engines. The first lot of F series engines had massive problems with the robots assembling them at the plant. Incorrect torque specified and numerours leaks. Have even heard reports of engines with bolts missing and not torqued when pulled down for re-seal.
The subaru and toyota dealerships were doing hundreds of upper engine and front cover re-seals when they first came out, and it wasnt until they figured out to use more torque than what the manual stated, that they got them sorted out.
The engines also have problems with the oil pump. The oil pump is in the front of the cover. And there is O-rings that seal the oil passages to the pump when the front cover is installed on the motor. If the seal goes bad there, oil pressure is in-consistent. And that is no good for the lubricated parts of an engine...
Do you know about when they fixed this?
I better check the o-ring while I have the cover off. Thx.
My wife was zeroing in on buying a used Forester, as she had a good experience with her used 2004 until she failed to notice it was overheating, at which point the head gasket blew. But she had gotten 250K miles out of it anyway, so whatever. However, thanks to the internet, I learned that these newer Subie engines leak oil as bad or worse than the old ones, maybe even worse than the BMW 3 series we had. My Lexus had 165K miles on it when I sold it, and it never a leaked a drop from anywhere. It seems to me that sealing an engine against oil leaks ought to be old technology by now, and indeed it is for several manufacturers. But seeing how common this issue is with Subarus made in the last ten years has persuaded me that another Forester is probably not the best choice for our next car.
Very informative, thanks
perfect. thanks for explaining.
Gee, I had heard that leaks with that giant timing cover were fairly common. I didn't realize it might be easier to deal with by removing the engine to diagnose and fix a cover gasket problem.
I would certainly like to work with MRT Team. How does it take to drop down the engine?
Ez36d had that same problem too. Curious if they fixed this in the last 5 years
As I pulled the crank pulley out the 2014 Scion FR-S, the Oil Pump Collar Crank Pulley Hub Seat came out with it and now I’m having a hard time putting it back in. I align it but still won’t go in all the way. Would I have to take off the cover?
Great video as usual Brett. Question what coolant is best for MY99 GC8 Sedan subaru wrx brand and colour mainly for booking because we don't really get freezing temperatures here but also I see different colours and rust in people's radiators and reservoirs and different colours. I bought mine from Subaru and it's red is this correct ?
Idk if they will answer but honestly Subaru warranties these cars for thousands and thousands and thousands of miles and they use all their own fluids so it's very safe to say you can't go wrong using the OEM recommended fluids in your car. The OEs are usually very very intelligent with massive budgets for R&D.
Use the long life super coolant, the blue coolant Subaru has been using from 2008 and up
thainks great engine show. mrt performance.)
Yep, My brand (less than 1000 Km) new Forester XT had an oil leak from the same area on the timing cover what you pointed at. Right on the joint between the timing cover and the cam carrier/ cylinder head joint.
Probably not enough sealing was added during assembly. Simple mistake but you have a warranty
subaru should use proper gaskets... sealant seems really cheap
@@oldfashionedwrx3574 bruh the diesels i work on all use silicon like subaru on the gear covers its not the cheap way lol
@@oldfashionedwrx3574 theres different types as well. Black one is like unremovable if really want no leaks lol. Pain in the ass to remove
Oh okay, cool.
Good video
So was this engine being torn down to reseal the cam tower or cam box or just leaking from the timing cover? I have the same leak on my brz. Just wanted to knock this out in one go.
What is the recomended torque for the engine cover
Thanks mate!
There is soooo many sealing matting surfaces. How long does it takes just to remove the engine from the vehicle?
Tell me what gap in the valves should be on the engine fb20?
Looks less user friendly and much more complex than the EJ engine
It is. They are a major pain to deal with.
Bro this engine is already a bitch at 60k on my outback. Flipping leaking already and its not even turbocharged or high powered. No reason a underpowered 4 cylinder NA engine should be leaking at 60k miles. My 2006 toyota matrix at 200k miles doesnt leak/burn a drop of oil. And my 2011 legacy 3.6r leaks from the timing cover. I love subaru for their versatility but just for their powertrain build quality i may look elsewhere for my next car.
a trick : watch movies at Flixzone. I've been using them for watching a lot of movies these days.
@Benedict Samir yup, have been using Flixzone} for since december myself :)
@Benedict Samir yup, I've been watching on flixzone} for since november myself =)
I have this exact problem smelling burning oil through the vents on my Na gx Impreza and ye I was wondering how much that would set me back, mines the 93 gx sedan
How many miles on this engine?
So complicated engine design the flat engines are. I think that in 2018 an engine with leaking oil is unacceptable we are not in 1970-1980-1990 years. You won’t run out of business with Subaru engines. :D I bought my first Subaru I’m so worry about the flat 4 and cvt in my 2018 Crosstrek.
Don’t worry man the majority of Subies have no issues at all! Don’t listen to all the propaganda
@@darylhill9400 They are ok/passable definitely not great engine like L4 from Toyota.
@@clou1969 I also own a O9 Tacoma, with a 2.7 four-cylinder. That I bought brand new the Subaru motor is more performance revs much faster! 2.7 Toyota it’s like a tractor motor. I actually like them both a lot, I love boxer motors I have owned BMW, motorcycles and Porsches in the past ! I’m actually impressed by the build quality of my 2015 outback. It’s a very solid automobile it does everything well for me. Thanks for your reply.
How about Levorg? I heard my mechanic told me the oil leak from Subaru engine is quite norm on those FA/FB engine. Those Subaru XV as well
Can you do a fa20 timing chain video
My 2011 Forester started having this problem at around 65k miles.
The exact same spot shown in this video. I’ve decided not to fix it and trade it off with another brand. Never coming back.
bought an old forester SH series with the FB20 engine, at just 68T km, the valve cover gaskets are leaking. When i fixed this, leaks were still present, this time it was the timing chain cover needs resealing…. Curious why this engine leaks so early at 68T km?
How much does it cost to reseal cam carriers assemblies, gaskets and deals replaced on a2015 Subaru Forester XT? Thanks.
Can you do a video on water pump replacement on an FB25?
Is the slack on the RH timing chain tensioner that he was showing normal?? So cold start of rattle is normal until oil pressure builds up? Or should the chain tensioners be able to hold pressure?
It won't blow the engine but it isn't normal from the factory. The tensioner loses tension and will let the chain slack. I recently changed a tensioner and noticed the difference.
Have newer FB20 and FB25 cars. No problems yet but I just had 30K mile service on the FB20 car: intake cleaning for $250, differential oil changes for $180 each! I won't buy another Subaru - they are high maintenance.
Perfect explanation! I’ve resealed countless EJ25 Subarus, but my independent shop is just starting to see this generation engine regularly.
So the usual engine pull for oil leak reseal on these doesn’t include head gaskets? Just trying to know what to quote customers when we do these. I’ve looked a few now and haven’t been sure what to recommend.
No head gasket replacement because the cam carrier lies independently on top of the head. I've seen quotes around 35k USD here in SoCal, but I've also seen 7k USD for head gasket from dealerships. At these prices, the entire engine should the overhauled if the engine has 100k plus miles.
Hey! can someone help me, I have some leak in the air intake at the two sides of the engine, the oil filter side has more leak. I dont even know if this is an oil leak or something else.
At least i have look the oil level and its okey, and the color its normal, not like a capuccino.
What could be?
By "air intake" do you mean the mating surface between the engine and the intake manifold? If so, it could be gasket or mistorqued bolts. Take it apart and isolate.
My 2014 XV Crosstrek has had the cam carrier resealed as it was leaking. They also replaced a cam sprocket under warranty as well.
How much did it cost you? I just got diagnosed with the same issue
@@TangoNevada uhh well mine was under warranty so I only paid my warranty deductible. I imagine a few thousand as the engine has to be pulled.
@@theshinobi01 Crap! Yeah. I got a quote for like $2,400.00. Equal to my stimulus check (Yay). How many years/miles was your warranty? I feel like mine should be covered, it's a 2015, but they want to bill me. Thanks for replying a year later.
@@TangoNevada I bought the Subaru extended warranty when I got the car new and rolled it into my car loan. It's basically an extension of the 3 year, 36k bumper to bumper warranty to 7 years 100k miles. Idk if the 5 year, 60k powertrain warranty covers it, try writing to SOA HQ to see if they'll discount the work, it's a well documented issue with the FB20/FB25 series engines. Unfortunately mine happened right at like 80k miles, so beyond the 60k miles powertrain warranty. After that my car kept burning oil and kept having a myriad of other issues before I finally traded it in last April.
Do you happened to know when they do the Valve Spring Recall on FRS/BRZ would this area be taken apart, and new gaskets & sealant?
My dealership told that they only need to remove the valve covers because they have a special tool to replace the valve springs without removing the cams. On the other hand, they do have to remove the motor from the car, so if you wanted them to reseal anything else, then it's really just the labour to remove whatever parts based on where the leak is coming from.
To do the spring, they have to remove the engine, all the covers, all except remove the head. This includes removing the cam carrier because springs are below the cams. I'd be very weary of this because it involves resealing the entire engine except the oil pan upper. Resealing Subaru engines are always a crapshoot. If this were my car, I'd consider selling it and get a newer model if the prices are good as they are now.
How do you prevent further leaking, since there is no gasket? Is it just a reseal with silicone, if so how long does that last?
No way to reseal without taking the engine out. This is one of the main problems with Subaru. Adding oil holds over the issues until the leak becomes insurmountable, e.g. 1qt per week. Then, one has to take the engine out and overhaul the engine, 5k+ USD affair.
@@hyojoonus That's how I've been dealing with it since my car was diagnosed with it like two years ago. 5K is a LOT of money so it'll have to wait
Those silicon seals are a curse
Thanks for this review! I just bought an SH Forester with the FB25... and it is leaking! Replaced the Valve Cover gasket... and it keeps leaking. You have just confirmed to me what I suspected... It is leaking through the seal associated to the camshafts (the one between the valve cover and the head gasket). Please do more videos on these FB/FA engines!!! Thanks!!!
I have the same exact issue. I thought it was the valve cover gasket leaking on drivers side 2011 Forester (FB25B engine). Looks like it is the camshaft cap that is leaking. Can’t seem to find any useful videos on how to repair. I have a good idea on how it needs to be fixed, but a how-to video would help tremendously!
Weird tensionners. I just bought a brz so im looking at what i coukd expect in the long term
How’s the brz, looking to buy one but concerned over reliability
@@Kevin-gq2kj I've beaten the fuck out of it for the past 2.5 years, I just change oil and filters often to compensate.
Even floored it for 3 hours straight down the road in the mountains. 40 000km right now. No problems on anything except ice build up around the intake box
I have exactly the same problem on my 2015 Subaru Forester, will this affect the functionality of the car if I leave it? It's been leaking since 80k miles and now I am at 120k. No noticeable increase in the leak still 1/3 to 1/2 quart between oil changes. It's more like a seep and not leak. The smell is not nice though, but I just turn on internal circulation and is fine.
Did you get a quote? I just got diagnosed with the same issue. It only came up because the oil leaked on an O2 Sensor, which failed and triggered the Engine Light. Otherwise, I wouldn't have even know.
@@TangoNevada You can replace O2 sensor yourself cost about 200 dollars max. The cam carrier seal dealer quoted me $3000+ and told me they don't recommend doing it since it's not worth it. I am gonna keep running it, and if the leak gets back I'll remove the timing cover and reseal myself.
I want to know what's the difference between my fb20 and the brz 2.0l motor. Mine is in a 2017 Impreza 5sp manual. And can you tune theses yet?
The brz has a unique head assembly with a FA20. Not FB.
The compression ratio on the brz is also ridiculously high. 12.5:1, which not many people realise you dpnt need to add alot of boost to an engine that already has a super high cylinder pressure. Youd get about the same results from 6psi on a high CP than 20 on a low turbo car CP like 6.5
BRZ is a dual injector, it has direct and port injection. Which explains the high CP. Generally port injection is used on low load low RPM range, the rest are done with direct injector.
The brz is closed deck and the other 2.0 like in the impreza is open deck
@@gtkshdow I heard the fa20 block is more semi-closed. In any case its much more solid than an FB, and the fb shouldnt be modified. Not worth it
How much would a fix to this leak cost in Australian dollaroos?
So performance varients aside what do you prefer. EJ or FB? Just curious.
Owning both and going by what we often hear, the FA/FB is a big improvement
We have had both. I have had a wrx, sti and baja turbo and my wife had a 2015 wrx. The 15 wrx was the most advanced, we sold it with 102,000 miles and issues and no oil leaks. Lots of power and 27mpg average daily driving and we got 32-34 on long road trips.
I got a 2013 impreza with a fb20 at 27k and now it's at 29k and already got a got the low oil pressure light turned on😂😂 guess it's common but still. Other than that nothing so far but only 2k miles..🥴
Whats the book time to do this job per side or will be required to remove the engine like in this vid?
43 seconds
Any idea what sort of gasket sealant Subaru uses from the factory? Seems weird to see brand new cars with oil leaks that early.
Would it be advisable to change the gasket sealant on mine when i go for the servicing?
Mine is the Subaru Crosstrek/XV 1.6L.
Idk about the 1.6l motors but if it’s a 2.5l you don’t want it, sure it makes more power but it also has known issues. Fb20 motors don’t have this issue they pretty much have no issues. I’m only 4k miles on my 5speed hatchback manual 2018 Impreza and there’s not even a slight issue with my motor.
@@imoffendedthatyouareoffended 4k miles obviously no issues. '15 impreza with 70k and they had to reseal chain cover and the cam carriers at 50k and its back at it much worse at 70k. FB20s certainly have this issue.
@@Eric80427 Yup, wait til you get to 300,000 kms. My 2012 Impreza has so many leaks I can't even tell where they're coming from anymore. At least nothing drops on the driveway, but because it drips on the exhaust and burns up, it stinks inside the car with HVAC on fresh air, as well as outside, obviously, which is pretty embarrassing. Luckily (or unluckily) I have the valve spring recall to do, so when they remove the motor, we should have a good idea where the leaks are and what needs to be resealed.
@@998RC I hope that solves it. I have an oil leak on my 100 000 km 2013 Crosstrek FB20 in the spot pointed out in the video, even after the valve springs were replaced (about two years ago). I'm not certain exactly where as there are so many RTV sealed seams in the area. There's no oil spot on the ground yet, but I'm getting get the burnt oil smell. I was quoted CAD$2600 for the fix. I'm hoping to get 3-4 years more out of the car, so Ii'll likely not get it fixed. By then, the car will probably only have about 150 000 km.
@@MikeDS49 To replace the springs only requires them to reseal one area, whereas if you ask them to reseal the other areas while the engine is out, there are at least 3 other places, including the timing chain cover (I need my tensioners replaced anyways), as well as the cam "box" as I believe it's called. My biggest challenge now is to figure out which of my local dealers can do it without screwing it up.
Can you do this without taking out the engine?
Horrible design. Mine eventually had a leak from the cam carrier, then a tensioner failure led to a catastrophic engine failure after that had been repaired.
Most auto technicians call the Subaru boxer engine a wet diaper.
point ?
Good one. Mine was a caked mess when I took it out.
Timing belts are SO much better if you actually take care of your car. Oil leaks are so annoying on these new subarus. The H6 leaks at the timing covers regularly, the fb25 leaks at the cam carrier regularly as well as the timing cover. Im sure the fa24 will have leaks as well here soon once they get older. Its extremely expensive fixing these leaks
I did the valve spring recall. The car has less than 20 000 miles since the recall & already leaking.
The problem is how difficult it is to reseal the engine once it's out of the factory. There's a lot to seal. Surfaces have to be squeaky clean; this is really difficult when the engine is dripping with oil all over the place. Any mistake, and there's another leak. Sometimes, it's better just to leave small leaks.
@@hyojoonus Maybe I should have left the spring as it is.
@@MrDeapGamingMedia As long as you're under warranty, get it resealed. And when it comes back, check all the hoses and plugs to see they put the engine back in properly. I had a PCV hose unplugged when mine came back and that could have caused the leak further down the line. Reseals are such crap shots on these engines. It's pretty bad they had problems with the valve springs because the heads have to be removed. That's pretty much the end of disassembly short of disassembling the short block. Good luck.
@@hyojoonus I've past the warranty for awhile. It's a 2012.
@@MrDeapGamingMedia in that case, I suppose you have a similar choices as I did when he head gasket on a 2011 FB25 on Forrester was leaking due to overheated engine. Dealerships quoted 7k USD for the repair. Too.much and they f'ed up last time the warranty repair was done. An Indie shop quoted 4.5k to start. Would probably end up close to 6k or.more if a new short block is involved. But the resealing is really a crap shot. So, in the end, I decided to do the work myself. The sealing is a real crap shot because it leaked the first time I did it because a spot on a mating surface dripped oil and the sealant did not stick. The second time, I'll have to see. On a positive note, if you do decide to do it yourself, consider installing a new short block especially if your rings are worn. They're about 2k brand new and that's a great price. Also, look into anaerobic sealants for a reseal, like the Loctite 518. Good luck.
Can this repair be done without removing the engine?
There's a UA-cam video of a father and son doing this on a BRZ or FRS FA engine in their garage without removing the engine, just for the timing cover sealant. They pulled the radiator out to make more room, and might have loosened some of the front grill assembly, too.
No way, the engine needs to come out. Resealing would be nearly impossible because surfaces would not be able to be cleaned thoroughly especially the timing cover. Then, you'd be doing it again, and again, until you take out the engine.
Here it is. You can see how they managed to clean both surfaces. Not that I'm recommending this approach, but it seems plausible from how they made room to access everything. The hard part is aligning the cover properly in a short time after applying the RTV given the cramped space.
ua-cam.com/video/hHYfQQsKu3w/v-deo.html
@@SRHMusic012I see two problems. First, with the limited space, it's hard to see all the mating surface of the timing cover, especially the bottom portions. If one misses even a small segment, say it's slick with a drip of oil, that will become a leak. It's so easy to mess up the operation. Second, the timing cover is heavy enough that it's hard to maneuver even when the engine is out. Given the tight space between the engine and the AC condenser, assuming the radiator has been pulled, it'd be hard to maneuver the cover without the RTV'ed surface touching anything during the fitting. And then there are the o-ring that might fall out during the fitting which would result in strange engine behavior necessitating having to pull it. Besides, if you're going to work on a Subaru, learning how to pull the engine should be a must.
Oil in coolant. Any ideas?
no ideas mate.
Head gasket leak. Exhaust gases are getting into the coolant system. Use a block tester to verify. Your engine probably overheated and warped the head just enough to cause a leak. It probably only shows up when you push the engine.
that’s some expensive oil leaks
Perhaps a video on this subject should be done
Oil leaks on subaru’s are the one thing that would put me off buying another . The complexity of fixing leaks on the 2.5 chain driven engines now is silly . Even the fact you have the engine out to fix an oil leak is ridiculous, it shouldn’t be that hard or expensive to fix an oil leak unless it’s a head leaking oil.
I wouldn’t buy subaru in future i think
As the mechanic said, every brand (and in turn, their engines) have certain pros and cons over others. While you might find removing the engine to fix an oil leak to be ridiculous, this isn't something most people regularly do. Meanwhile, things you are more likely to work on (like oil changes or stuff operated by the drive belt) are far easier to do on a Subaru configuration than the average car.
As far as I'm concerned, no engine setup is the best. So if you find this issue to be enough of a problem, no car is worth your interest.
Peter Schmidt Well i have no interest in engines ( or cars) that are inherently over complicated to work on. If you own a subaru you’ll know oil leaks have been common place since the early 90’s especially ones dripping on the bloody exhaust.
If subaru after 30 years can’t get the basics right of making an engine that doesn’t piss oil everywhere then maybe i have no interest in working on them.
Except, they're not inherently over-complicated to work on... they're just complicated for problems like this. Otherwise, they're known for being overall easier to work on than most. Typically (but not always), when you properly take care of them, they don't have problems like this.
As for "getting the basics right", what a load of crap. Pick any brand at all and within the past 10 years they'll have a "basic" thing that they royally screwed up that affects the vehicle's safety, emissions, and/or reliability. Even Toyota. No brand has a perfect track record.
Anyway Subaru may have been known for gasket issues for decades, but their modern cars aren't known for that. Modern Subarus are known for burning oil inside the engine (due to piston rings) and even then, only a minority of them do that.
Peter Schmidt Lol oil burning issues being just one recent issue. More like cracked ring lands,blown head gaskets,cracked heads clutch selector shaft issue which wears away part of the casing of the gearbox rendering it scrap, or 5 speed gearboxes that break easily even when running modest power.
Even the diesel range subaru did were junk and engines blew at relatively low 50-60k mileages.
On the whole subaru’s after 2000 + onwards have been shite. It shows in they’re sales and in they’re re-sell values.
I can think of many marques better built and less workshop hours to work on
@@IOWPCV Look how long it took them to fix the head gasket problem.....No excuse in my book.
my legacy has a leak (facing the car) right side lower portion of the cover... Dealership is like nope, not gonna fix it....
AnhYeuEmMaiMai69 they would be happy to sell you a new one though.
@@francismartinez6049 of course and I am up for a newer car to replace my 2003 Legacy so when I go into the dealer to look I am goona be like i bought my last car here and you did not stand behind it, what makes you think i am gonna buy another one from you? The car that is leaking is a 2014 Legacy with 66K on it when the leak was discovered and now has 68K on it. 66K miles = roughly 106K kilometers
@austoncar actually SOA came through, I they were helping me register my 201 outback on My Subaru and I asked them about it and they stated they would put $750 towards repair so I am going to do it here soon.
new subaru f* turbo will be 2.4
i cant wait to buy an electric car, my 2012 impreza with 86k miles already has this leak, car is still worth 8900 with todays insane prices, might be time to ditch it.
my fa20dit does this sadly
Mine does the same thing. Just need to keep all windows shut and the A/C on all the time. Hv u got it fixed?
2015 turbo XT
Ooohhhh
i will stick with Vertical engines :-)
Here in the US a used engine goes for $800. Its easier and cheaper just to get a used engine
Subaru's weakness is the entire engine hahaha I haven't seen one past 120k miles without an oil leak LoL my 99 CRV is 230k miles ABSOLUTELY no oil leaks ever. My old 93 civic was at 190k no oils leaks before I sold it. Subaru's are JUNK...My 08 impreza 2.5i leaks EVERYTHING LMFAO
Tens of thousands of Subarus have no problems and no leaks at all
Sad but true. Subaru needs to do better with sealing or crankcase pressure management.
Q se able en español
So if your head cracks you can just replace a piece lol
Looks like more leaks waiting around the corner.. smh
Literally "around the corner" look at how squirrelly that edge is on the front cover. Do design engineers actually think that's OK?
raises hand fb20 impreza 2012 65,xxx and I got this. boo.
Did you get a quote?
@@TangoNevada nope. comes down to needing the gasket replaced. was quoted around 500-700 in parts and then around 1,000 in labor.
@@schizobipolarjoe I was quoted $2,400.00 USD for the same repair at a Dealer. !!!!!!!!!!!!! This sounds like Bullshit. If this is a known issue with all cars in this era, how is it not a recall?
@@TangoNevada more or likely Subaru doesn't give a shit. I've seen people get it fixed, and then have there warranty extended . then it happened again. I'm only at 66xxx miles. I'm to the point of wanting to sell mine for just a little over it's pay off, and switching to a mazda, or toyota, or honda.
Very expensive leak!
class action lawsuit
bennynutts16 ej not fa
Did you really just say:
"And being a forester, it is a four-wheel drive car."?
Umm...NO! All-wheel drive is NOT 4-wheel drive. What a fundamental misunderstanding from someone who's supposed to know what they're talking about.🤦🏻♂️