Head gasket external oil leak?

[reklipz]

Hi folks. I'm doing the timing and balance belts and other goods on my engine, and while I'm at it I hope to fix an oil leak. I think this is the camshaft seal leaking, but I want to get a second opinion. Is it common for the head gasket to leak oil externally?



I'm going to bank on this being the camshaft seal, because I've never replaced a head gasket before. If I need to do that, I'm going to pick up a spare head and try my hand at head porting and port matching before I replace it.

[oyajicool]

There's oil gallery between #3 and #4 cylinder and could be a source of oil leak there if head gasket is passing oil.

[reklipz]

There's oil gallery between #3 and #4 cylinder and could be a source of oil leak there if head gasket is passing oil.

Good to know, thanks. I'm pretty sure it was/is the camshaft seal, which I've replaced. The old one just kind of fell apart after I took it out. If there's still oil down the right side of the block (side toward the back of the engine bay), then I'll be looking at the head gasket. The valve cover looked good when I took it off, no oil or signs of leakage.

[GhostAccord]

In the image posted you can see that the oil is coming from above the head gasket. Any time you see oil above a component. It's suffice to say that it is not that component that is leaking. Unless it has a pressurized leak. That would be even easier to diagnose.

Best thing to do would be to clean the dirty old oil off now and see if there may be another source of the oil pooling on the block. Is there any oil on the back side of the head, or on the intake manifold?

The cam seal in the pic was definitely leaking. Good that you noticed that and replaced it.

[jewelproject]

are your belts soaked in oil?

today i found an oil leak right around the same area.

cant tell where its coming from, im sure its not VC gasket. no sign of oil on IM.

from the bottom of the head (driver side) towards the rear of the engine, oil everywhere.

dont want to thread jack but im scared to start my car beacuse it looks like my timing belt is slowly walking off the cam gear because nearly everything on the driver side is soaked in oil!

i too would like to know if this is a cause of head gasket failure?

[wed3k]

the headgasket itself...

very common on subarus, machine the head, install a good head gasket and torque properly.

[jewelproject]

the headgasket itself...

very common on subarus, machine the head, install a good head gasket and torque properly.

is this directed to me?

if i get the head machined, wouldnt that require breaking down the head?

[wed3k]

just take the cam and rocker assembly off.

[jewelproject]

just take the cam and rocker assembly off.

word.

[PR CB7]

thats your cam seal dude, no need to make it anymore difficult

[reklipz]

This one was definitely my can seal. The oil was running down the drivers side of the engine ay the back of the engine bay, just like yours. However, I was lucky in that it wasn't really getting on the belts.

[jewelproject]

This one was definitely my can seal. The oil was running down the drivers side of the engine ay the back of the engine bay, just like yours. However, I was lucky in that it wasn't really getting on the belts.

its freaking 105 outside and i think my brown ass got sunburnt!

but anyways i checked my leak more thoroughly today. cleaned up the area before i did anything...i was sweating biggie balls afterwards.

i worked from top to bottom. first inspecting the VC. and bingo was his name!

i take back what i said before. it was my VC gasket!

thanks to my gf who probably did what i told her not to do. over torque the VC bolts!

it some how pinched the little flap that sticks out towards the cam gear and split open a hole.

replaced it with a spare one, the new/old one is still under warranty so i can get another spare.

me soo lucky!

i plan to change the belts also. since they where soaked in oil.

thanks for letting me thread jack! atleast i kept it on topic.