I currently have 123k miles on my 03wrx.

power mods: full cobb stg2 since 60k miles, cobb up-pipe and egt probe installed 117k miles, also a replacement td04 at about the same time. (stock one had leaking oil past seals and seized up)


Two problems popped up at about the same time. Although the car continues to run as if there is no problem. Not sure if the 2 are connected or not.

A noise tick-tick-tick, which has been possibly diagnoised as a valve timing needs adjusted.

And my biggest concern is loss of oil. I can smell it burning, after I shut off the car. It is showing up on my back bumper. Little spots evenly dispursed over the bumper. I'm not sure if it is circulating from under the car, or coming through the exhaust. I have no clue. I can see there is wet oil on the passenger side, on the control arm, and behind but not from, where it is coming from. Oil loss is roughly 3~3.5qts every 3000 miles, I've been checking frequently and topping it off.


I have an appointment setup friday, but quite frankly I need to save money right now. I've been audited and the irs is raping me. And a slew of other expenses right now. I'd really like to figure out what's wrong myself.

Front main seal? Mine is leaking..... is there oil on your oil filter? Thats the location I originally found my oil leak.... I followed it from the oil filter

Ok crawled under there as best I could.

The oil is coming from behind the oil pan. There is nothing leaking from the filter or plug. (really hoped it was just the plug leaking)

So the question is what is there behind and/or above the oil pan that could be leaking??

Behind the oil pan as in near the transmission? Could be the rear main seal. Check to see if your transmission oil dip stick is on good, maybe it came loose and you are spewing oil out of the tube. Does anything look wet or oil covered while under the car?

yeah basically everything behind the oil pan is covered in oil. At least thats the source "area" and it's just kinda been sprayed onto everything else behind that point.


So is the main seal about the only explination??
Cost to repair??

It couldn't be the turbo feed line or oil drain?

Could be, thats right there..... just a BITCH to find and look at

Aren't there a couple of those half circle shaped cam seals back there near the up pipe too? Perhaps when you did the up pipe you knocked one loose. A broken or damaged cam seal would definitely cause you to leak oil in that area. From what I've read it will cause a pretty substantial leak as well. When you are under the car again look at your passenger side head near your uppipe and see if you can't see if one of those cam seals are pushed in or missing.

http://www.msmracing.com/images/STI_VII_LH_HEAD.jpg

For visual reference the seals can be seen on the right side of the head. They are little rubber half circles along the edge where the valve cover mates up to.

Knowing that he did the up-pipe. I'd be looking at the turbo oil lines closer since you have to take the turbo off to swap up-pipes. I just did this myself and am worried about oil leaks.

You don't have to take the turbo off to take out and put in an Up Pipe. Do some searching on Up Pipe install procedures if you don't believe me. You are making far too much work for yourself if you choose to remove the turbo. Although the OP didn't describe his UP install method so oil lines could indeed be the culprit.

Yeah, I followed the procedure in the shop manual. I'll take a look at this other procedure (though it's already too late).

if you guess'ed turbo oil lines.....go get a cookie

it was the oil drain line coming off the turbo, the little rubber coupling piece was slightly bent out of shape causing the oil to squirt out. All fixed and running great. Yeah and there is no way in hell to diagnoise that unless the car is on a lift, so you can really get under there.

It is actually getting a tune as we speak

The turbo drain line's pretty weak. It's hard to get too and doesn't seem to seal very well on a good day.