Suby oil leak

Discussion in 'Modified Shizzle' started by pgtips, Feb 22, 2019.

  1. Well this one is driving me nuts. I have a leak on one side. I thought it was my sump so again I drained it, cleaned it, washed it out and refitted with decent sealant... job done I waited a couple of days for it to dry and bugger me without any oil in it I'm getting oil build up again. !

    IMG_20190222_152203.jpg

    only on this side which happens to be the same side as my oil seperator but I've refitted a metal one and sealed.

    So where else could it be? somewhere that would hold oil after being drained.

    My rocker covers and heads on one side are also not dry but not wet enough to create the build up. (Ignore the red, its coolant but if I wiped it off the oil would be gone for the picture )
    IMG_20190222_152142.jpg IMG_20190222_152128.jpg

    On the left face of the cover/head it is also wet (see 2 bolts its on that face) but I just can't work out how.

    IMG_20190222_152118.jpg

    Taking the sump off was a right PITA as i'd sealed it so was like glue but to find I've still got a drip when empty is a bit deflating. I really don't think its the plate but if anyone has experience of this or what I should do next I'd appreciate it. The leak isn't massive but its not small either.

    PG
     
  2. Moons

    Moons Supporter

    What gaskets are you using on the rocker covers?
     
  3. I don't know, they were part of a gasket kit so possibly not the best quality.
    Worth removing and refit with some gasket sealant on it ?
     
  4. Dubs

    Dubs Sponsor supporter extraordinaire

  5. Moons

    Moons Supporter

    I used to work with someone that had Subaru drift cars, he used to put extra sealant in the rocker gaskets.
     
  6. The cam end cover plate with the 2 bolts in has an o ring that goes Square and hard. It will be leaking from there is my bet. When I'm home tonight I'll get the part number for you
     
    Dubs likes this.
  7. I'll order that later and sealant the rocker while I'm under there.

    Relief it's (hopefully) not an engine out job.
    Thanks :)
     
  8. Really easy job. There's only 1 to change.
    Fingers crossed that's solved it :)
     
  9. Was the old seal hard and square ish
     
  10. yes it was
     
  11. Ah well it wasn't that cover. Still leaking on one side so I'll have to split the engine from gearbox again.
    It's either the big seal in the middle or the cover plate on the right.

    Oil build up on the RHS rear of the oil sump so hopefully it's the plate.

    Pic before it went in.
    20170705_192856.jpg
     
  12. Hi, did you sort this in the end ? what was it as i think i have exactly the same problem. I have an oil leak which seems to drip from the sump bolts on the one side. I did think it may be the sump but had this replaced last year. I would really like to fix myself if possible, fed up of paying mechanics who miss blatant things, fuel leak being one of them.
     
  13. Hi Alex,
    thanks for bringing this thread back to my attention, I hate finding unclosed threads so I hold my hands up to that.

    I think it was the plate leaking and I think I have fixed it although not exactly as I would have hoped. I seperated the engine from the housing enough (an inch and a bit) to see it (around the bottom of the plate) was moist so it must be leaking.

    Frustratingly I tried to remove the screws. 5 freed but one (middle right in the picture) rounded off on me which made me swear. I wanted to avoid engine drop out at all costs so I cleaned up with white spirit around the edge of the plate and went overbopard with castle gasket sealant around the edges of the plate, pushing as much as i could around it.

    I wasn't especially hopeful. I also had a gear oil leak through the new cork gasket so I drained that and discarded the cork in favour of gasket sealant too.

    Few days later I drove to VolksWorld show and back (trust me I was on edge), a round trip of about 220 miles. I checked when I got home and couldn't believe it, no oil.

    So I'm either running dry or its holding ;-)

    That just leaves me one smaller leak from the gearbox selector pin (on my auto) which I will sort out later in the year.

    So you can seperate enough to get some sort of access, get as many or all the screws out. Clean up with white spirit to get rid of oil. All screws out then appy a sealant and refit. If screws out goes wrong then try sealing around the edge of the plate. Worst case you've still got to get the engine out. That plate is reknowned for leaking. Replace it if you've got the old plastic one.
     
  14. Thanks for the reply, I am a bit of a novice on these things, what is the actual oil that is leaking and what will be the damage if not sorted. ? Is it oil I can top up? I will do as you suggest but have a camping trip next weekend.only 60 miles each way. So it should be fine, I hope ! Just out of interest where’s your radiator situated ?
     
  15. the oil that was leaking from the shiny plate in the picture earlier in this thread is engine oil. So keep an eye on it, obviously not good if it runs out/low.

    Its not so much the damage (if its a small leak) as you can keep topping up but its a pain. Leaks are messy, you have to contantly watch oil levels like a hawk.

    My rad is an underbelly with the heater matrix tucked inside.
     
  16. Great thanks, mines a very early tsr conversion with the rad in the engine bay, really want to belly mount, just haven’t got the dolllar at the mo.
     
  17. If it works I'd stick with it, might not be ideal but lot of people running with rear radiator setups so it works :)
     
    alexbloorino likes this.

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