Subaru: Smoky 97 Legacy: oil leaking onto manifold

try checking the passenger side front half shaft. The inner boot tends to dry
out & split due to the heat from the nearby exhaust, throwing grease onto the
exhaust & causing the smoke & smell. Recommend have a replacement refurbished
half shaft fitted rather than just replacing the boot & grease, as the
universal joint is almost certainly already buggered (that's a technical term
8^))

Chris

wayne wrote: 

Yes, front crank oil seal.

My car looked just the same way. Get under it and feel around
the timing belt case. If you get oil on your fingers, clean
the case and check again after a moderately long drive.

It is deceptive because you don't see much of a drip and it
doesn't always show itself after a short drive. Mine was making
the transmission skid pan and the exhausts around it covered
with oil but very little in the front where it was coming out.
After the fix everything was dry as a bone after a long drive.

To properly fix the problem, you have to remove the oil pump,
locktite the 5 backplate screws, change the o-ring and seal,
clean and reapply PVC sealer to the mating surfaces and reinstall
the oil pump.

Now the oil pump is on the very front of the crankcase and
to get to it, you have to remove the fans, the fanbelts, the
radiator, the fanbelt pulley, the timing belt covers, and the
timing belt.

Also check the small drip port along the bottom of the timing cover,
anything leaking behind the cover cam seals,crank seal, oil pump) will
escape hear and blow right onto the Y pipe. Very common and easy to fix. TG

"wayne" <com> wrote in message
news:com... 

On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 17:25:42 -0800, Jim Stewart wrote:
 

Can I tell there's a leak by taking off the side timing belt cover(s)?
Will there be a build up of oil there? How about if I take off the
cover after a moderate drive?

Thanks,
Wayne

On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 18:27:59 -0700, TG wrote:
 

Where is the drip port?

Wayne

Hi,
I'd replace PCV valve first, just in case.
Tony

Jim Stewart wrote:
 

"along the bottom of the timing cover"

That was a bit of a joke but if you look/feel along the bottom seal where
the front and rear timing covers come together there is a small
hole...usually rectangular for leaking oil to escape from before it
accumulates enough to cover the belt. TG

"wayne" <com> wrote in message
news:com... 
TG 

you might see a trail where oil has run down from the cam seal but probably
not a leak from the crank area. Get a good flashlight and give it a try. TG

"wayne" <com> wrote in message
news:com... 
I've 
oil 
the 
it. 
and I