Smoke!!!
 

Sometimes when I stop after driving on the highway some smoke comes out from under the car. It appears to come from the left more than the right and somwhere towards the rear of the engine compartment. It stops before I can tell where it is coming from. It is a white smoke. The PS fluid isn't disappearing, I was afraid it might be a seal but the oil level is fine, it is very hard to tell what the tranny fluid level is (all over the dip stick). I got this car recently and I don't really know what the ATF fluid status is. Is it possible that this is occuring just because there is too much tranny fluid?

Thanks, Mike.

Mine did that when my rear main engine seal was bad. Watch the garage floor (or driveway) for small oil drops under your car.

Mike

thought I might be clear on the seals....
how much did that cost you? or did you do it youself?

Mine did that bringing it home when I bought it. The best guess we made at the time was this:
The CV boots we torn and had slung grease all over the inside of the rim. Some of it may have gotten on the brakes. There is no other excess fluid and it has never happened since.

Does this sound likely?

CJ

That could be it actually! Cause it really doesn't smell like oil, I'll have to check that out in the morning.

thanks
-mike

The smoke was kind of embarrassing a couple days ago. So I finally jacked up the svx and cleaned the bottom of everything... it IS oil :( . It appears to be coming out of the plastic covering for the timing belt. When I tried to take it off, the plastic started to break! The check engine light came on too. I thought at first it was from the o2's getting oil on them??? but now that I have seen where it is coming from is it because it is throwing the timing?? I am used to that light just being associated with emission controls but I don't know what else triggers it (except low octane). Any ideas on how hard it might be to fix the source of the leak, I am assuming this is a job for the garage... or is it just as simple as tightening something... (I still don't know what is hidden behind that plastic other than the belt) I think I might go have the codes checked anyway for the light, and I’ll try the cover again soon. But ideas would be great. Thanks

Leak info
 

It sounds like you have leaking cam and/or crank seals. Is the oil coming from the side or from the center of the engine area? I would recommend having a shop do the work if you aren't too familliar with engines (especially Subaru engines) I did my cam and crank seals but the engine was out of the car at the time. You also kind of have to do valve cover gaskets at the same time which can be a real pain with the engine in the car if you don't have a lift. I'll keep this short for now but if you want more info, let me know.
Good Luck,
Jay

Where along the timging belt covers is the oil coming from? I know what you mean about breaking the plastic covers - they're very easy to crack.

I replaced my front crank seal myself, but equally likely in your case is one of the cam seals. Either one is a bit of work to do.

As for the check engine light - maybe the oil is getting on the crank sensors...

It appears to be coming more from the sides, but i think it could just be depositing there at the lowest points. Thanks for the info.

I have a guy that i take my imports to. He is pretty good, he used to have a lotus team and i've only been there once without seeing at least one lamborghini or lotus in the corner. He does ALOT of SAAB/VW work now. You think I should take it to this guy I know who works with complicated cars and have a relationship with or go to a dealer?? This is the first "big" prob with the car and I want it done right without having new problems show up. I have never had to deal with a subaru dealer before but I gather that even alot of suby dealers mess them up... or was that just on the bearings? There is a dealer about 25 min away that I know sells alot of the newer ones equiped with an H-6... is it still the same engine??? if so i might want to go there. Thanks again for the info guys.

Speed
Under each SIDE plastic cover there is a front oil seal on the cam shaft. I just had my cover off '92 and it had a trace leak on camshaft. I suspect you have a larger leak. I did not scope out how dificullt to change but sounds like a SVX Tech job.
Ken

Hello. I just recently bought a 92 LS L and my car just did almost exactly the same thing he described... I'm curious if it was ever resolved?

I tried to check tranny fluid when I got to work, but the tranny fluid was all over the stick just as he described...
It does however look as if I am leaking some oil (near the center of the engine) but I'm not sure if the drips under my car now (I haven't driven it since I got to work) are from me or from whoever was there before me... (oh, and the oil level was fine)
[EDIT: I didn't notice any smoke on the highway, but I wasn't paying attention to look for it]
Thanks for your time!

Dave

Me too
 

I had the leak/smoking as well it was real bad as well as being unpredicatable. I know about the embarrassment of smoke as well.
It probably is the crank and cam seal.

i have this exact problem, cept from the right side. i also have plenty of oil leaks. small ones. i recently tried cleaning the underside but its really not effective without powerful grease cuttersand a scraping device.
seems to me that at high engine speed the oil leaks a little faster and is pushed along the underside of the tranny exhaust and everything, and upon hitting bare metal it burns.
until you can fix all your seals dont clean it.
this way the older oil and dirt will slow the leakage, and whatever does come out wont burn right away.
also check if bolts are coming loose. i have to tighten them from time o time.

So to people who have had it fixed, how much did it run?
(Roughly, or how much for parts, and how many hours of labor?)

Please check this first!!
 

Everyone with oil around the front cam covers, PLEASE check or replace the two hoses in and out of your tranny cooler (in / out of the radiator). I thought my '94 had a rear main seal leak. It was those hoses. I went to the trouble of replacing my '92's crank seal, it was the hoses.

A small oil leak goes a LONG way. Unless you absolutely clean everything and then drive 1-2 miles at a time and check underside you may all be running up big bills for nothing.

Besides new hoses use GOOD hose clamps. I use ones that are rated for fuel injection. The are nice and smooth and tighten real snug.
Ken
'94 Bordeaux
'92 Pearl
'69 Lotus Elan +2 with Cosworth BDR