Strange Oil/Coolant Leak

Heads, valves, pistons, rods, crankshaft, etc...

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ffleggy
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Strange Oil/Coolant Leak

Post by ffleggy »

I just bought a 1990 Legacy L with just under 150xxx miles for $500 for a daily beater. Slowly getting around to all the random little issues but today after driving for about 35 minutes I got home popped the hood and noticed oil/coolant bubbling out of an unused bolt hole on the top front of the passenger-side head. I can't for the life of me figure out what the bolt/screw hole would be used for and i've yet to see used in another EJ22. I'll attach a video - my explanation is probably awful.


Couldn't figure out how to upload so here's a youtube link with a video from today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlAsCIo ... e=youtu.be
mike-tracy
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Re: Strange Oil/Coolant Leak

Post by mike-tracy »

Yeah that is a wierd one, it's not actually supposed to be a hole.. That boss is tapped but not drilled all the way through. You could put whatever size bolt it takes, along with thread sealer on it, to see if that stops the leak.
1992 Legacy SS 5mt, build in progress
Josh Colombo wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2002 10:23 am Wait....I'm confused now.
ffleggy
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Re: Strange Oil/Coolant Leak

Post by ffleggy »

mike-tracy wrote: Tue Jun 18, 2019 1:34 am Yeah that is a wierd one, it's not actually supposed to be a hole.. That boss is tapped but not drilled all the way through. You could put whatever size bolt it takes, along with thread sealer on it, to see if that stops the leak.
Any idea how this could be happening or if it's indicative of another internal issue? For now though just capping it with a bolt seems like a good idea so thanks!
Legacy777
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Re: Strange Oil/Coolant Leak

Post by Legacy777 »

If you clean that up, does the coolant oil mixture come back?
Josh

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1990 Legacy (AWD, 6MT, & EJ22T Swap)
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ffleggy
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Re: Strange Oil/Coolant Leak

Post by ffleggy »

Legacy777 wrote: Tue Jun 18, 2019 6:41 pm If you clean that up, does the coolant oil mixture come back?
So I've been noticing fresh oil right around there once every 3-4 times I drive it. Usually have to run the engine at 3k rpm to see any fresh oil but this is the first time I've seen where it's coming from. Also the first time the oil has looked milky like that so there might not have been coolant in it before.
mike-tracy
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Re: Strange Oil/Coolant Leak

Post by mike-tracy »

Do you have any oil in your coolant? Have you or would you take off that valve cover to see if the valvetrain looks like a frothy chocolate shake? Theres really no reason the oil and coolant have mixed in that location. Unless the coolant passage has somehow degraded and created a new pathway through where that head bolt is, and is mixing with the oil in the head.
1992 Legacy SS 5mt, build in progress
Josh Colombo wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2002 10:23 am Wait....I'm confused now.
ffleggy
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Re: Strange Oil/Coolant Leak

Post by ffleggy »

Okay I grabbed new gaskets and am pulling the valve cover tomorrow. Can I remove just that head bolt directly beneath the leak without having to worry about tightening it down individually/out of sequence?
mike-tracy
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Re: Strange Oil/Coolant Leak

Post by mike-tracy »

It's not a good idea to loosen just one headbolt, but from all the evidence, my gut feeling is you're gonna need a new head. So I'd say go for it!
1992 Legacy SS 5mt, build in progress
Josh Colombo wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2002 10:23 am Wait....I'm confused now.
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