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Gringosteve

Oil Leaking into Manifold

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Hi

I have had an oil burning smell for a while but this weekend it got a lot worse. I wasn't near a dealer so called at a garage near me at the time. He has pointed out a lot of oil gunk on the manifold, still damp. It seems there may be a small amount coming from the usual crank case cover area, but more from the front.

Going to call the dealer tomorrow, but was wondering if anyone had any idea of other causes for the leak other than the crank case seal.

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Yeah it leaks from the engine and runs down and gathers on the triangular plate at the rear where it then drips onto the manifold to give that lovely burnt oil smell. Talk to Riceburner - RRG sorted mine after a botched attempt from my local Toyota dealer!

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Mine leaked from the blanking plate. Does yours smell worst when stationary in traffic Steve? That is when I noticed mine the most. Simple fix by resealing it and you should have no further drama. Mine has been fine since with no smell. 

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Mine is in today for the fix, it was worse stationary. The plate warped and seal bypassed. New plate is fitted and seal currently curing.

Rich and the RRG guys know how to look after customers. Just had a phone call to explain and sent email with photos of the culprit

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Light clusters have also been replaced. Looking forward to picking her backup tomorrow

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Seems I may have another leak elsewhere. Car and engine bay smells of burnt oil and there is a slight white "steam" off the engine when I lift the bonnet :(

It leaks further down the block from that plate too - RRG sorted mine so they know what to do.

 

The triangular plate was just where it collected on mine not what leaked so can be a bit of a red herring.

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I got the car on ramps today for a nosey to see if I could see any evidence of oil leaking. I didn't have to look far.

The heat shield :

0d501495d693f3f26ea7024f649e4664.jpg

The bolt for the earth cable under the variable timing:

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The other end of the engine at the front:

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Did some snooping with the fiber optic camera and found plenty of wet oily bits:

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Back to RRG I guess, not sure where it is all coming from :(

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Looks to me like you have a weepy joint on the front cover? Failing that it could be an o ring seal on the cam actuators or sensors?

I'd wash it all off with some brake cleaner, then go for a 20 mile drive.It should show you where it's coming from. Should be warranty, but take it to a reputable dealer, not your normal backstreet guy.

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I don't think Subaru and oil leaks are usually seen much in the same sentence?  Also, the amount of sealant used on this engine should prevent any leaks whatsoever. I'm actually quite surprised by yours.

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I have had news back from Rich. It seems the car had a variable valve timing replaced when it was new. The seal on the timing cover is the culprit, in assuming the original repair was not up to scratch.

Can't wait to get her back on the road :)

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