rear main seal leak?

[AFBeefcake]

Would a leaking rear main seal leak a lot of oil?

I just got my 5 speed swap done and now the motor is leak oil a lot of it. It only leaves a small spot on the floor, I starting it up and could not see any oil coming out, but a lot came out when driving.

There is oil on the oil pan, motor cross member, and back. The car has 110,000. anyone have any info that would help me figure it out

[redlightningsvx]

my car leaks on all of that stuff but not a lot. Mine is leaking on the corners of the valve covers then dripping on everythiing else as you mentioned. try checking that to see if it answers your problem

[AFBeefcake]

Its not that. It lost like 3 qts in a 2 hour drive

[Hocrest]

If it is coating the engine oil pan, it is probably not the rear main. My first guess without seeing it would be one to three of the front seals. If you take off the side timing covers, you can check the cam seals.

[Hocrest]

Originally Posted by AFBeefcake

Its not that. It lost like 3 qts in a 2 hour drive

OK, I saw this after my first post, check you oil filter. It may be loose or too tight.

[svxpert]

<<Would a leaking rear main seal leak a lot of oil?>>

yes, but:

only if someone put a new rear main and tapped it to far in (poor installation)

or

you put an engine into your car that has been sitting a while and the seal has dried out.

other than that, my money is on the separator plate to the top right of the rear main seal.

[AFBeefcake]

The filter does not look like its leaking. tomarrow I' ll take off the two end timing belt cover and look.

separator plate how is that sealed to the motor?

[AFBeefcake]

should i repace the separator plate or just reseal it?

[AFBeefcake]

Anyone else know about the separator plate?

[NiftySVX]

the seperator plate is on the back near the rear main. It seperates liquid oil from the vapors. I don't know how badly it could possibly leak. Lots of people misdiagnose it as a leaking rear main. It's worth a check.

[svxpert]

<<should i repace the separator plate or just reseal it?>>

i believe the older style ones that leak often are made of a white colored plastic. the newer ones are make of metal and dont leak as often. just use permatex ultra seal gasket maker to seal on a clean surface to re/seal.

[AFBeefcake]

I just removed the timeing belt cover and there was a little oil, but not much. I am going to replace the oil pump seal anyway. So were is the oil comeing from that it would get on the oil pan and back?

[svxpert]

<< So were is the oil comeing from that it would get on the oil pan and back?>>


are you talking about the oil pan near the rear of the engine where it meets the tranny? that would most likely be the separator plate.

[AFBeefcake]

Yes,the back of the oil pan, but there is oil all over the oil pan. the only part of the oil pan that does not have oil on it is the front up nere the block and about haft way down the sides.

[subarufamily]

sounds like you just found out about subaru's passive rustproofing system seriously though is it toward the middle of the pan back and on sides or just the back of the pan area ? my valve cover seals leak and when i drive it they leak -blow back covers the bottom of the pan this is why i ask