harry 2

hi guys i bought a 95 wrx ra and i was driving it it felt fine but i could smell gearbox fluid so then i took it to a mechanic to check out but he looked everywhere and he said he could not find the leak so we topped it up and drove for about 5 mins and checked the level and its all gone but it did not leak on the ramp when we topped it up and also sometimes at hi revs the clutch slips but it is a tough clutch in the car any ideas any help i would appreciate

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

possible leak out lay shaft? leaking onto clutch?

going unfortunatly have to be box out and look I am afraid.

other place could be the prop shaft at the rear of the box, or the half shafts where they pass through the casing..

I have a small leak from the top of the box but it just stains the side not as bad as this sounds

911

I had a similar 'smell'. Only occured after a bloody good thrash on country roads ()
Found out to be the box dipstick jumping off the filler tube so hot oil fumes wafted into the engine bay/interior of the car.
If it is the first time you topped the box, then I bet you filled to the max mark. If you drive the car the oil get dispersed around all the box parts, and it then checks 'low'.
Most people here overfill the box to about 1/4 lire over the max to keep a good cover over 3rd gear.

Try opening the dip stick 'spring' right under the dust cap with a screwdriver. The stick should be a firm push into the tube.

Good luck, 911.

harry 2

i would not have the clutch slipping if that was the problem i think but saying that the dipstick is loose ill have a look cheers

911

Perfectly true, but if the input shaft seal is leaking/weeping enough to oil the clutch plate so badly so quickly, then i would expect a good run/trace of oil coming through the bettom of the bell housing, though there is no drain there at all and the oil could be 'pooling' up inside!
The level of galvanic corrosion between the engine/box where they meet can be very high, good enough to seal the faces. Just wait till you come to split the box off the engine....
911

tweenierob

I am sure the flywheel cover under the engine is not sealed completely, when rear crank seals go the oil always manages to leak out.

I also reckon input shaft leak

Rob

harry 2

THANKS FOR THE HELP GUYS BUT IS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM AND WHERE DO I GET THE SEAL FROM IT IS GOING IN THE GARAGE TOMORROW TO HAVE THE BOX TAKEN OUT AND ALSO WHAT IF THE GEARBOX BELL HOUSING IS CRACKED IS THERE ANY WAY OF REPAIRING IT CHEERS

911

Leaking Impreza boxes I think are rare.
The input shaft seal is probably a simple lip seal, but a good Scooby dealer will get you one, probably the same as a UK box.
If in difficulty, Graham Goode will possibly have one.
If in dire straights, then search for 'Rally Colin' he does boxes all the time.

Let us know the outcome.

911

911

Soory, I think Rob is correct. There is a sheet steel cover on the bottom of the engine/bell housing.
Can't imagine you box is cracked.
911

harry 2

hi guys i have replaced my gearbox and the leaking has stopped but there is another problem first of all my engine is leaking engine oil while started also when i lift up my clutch i get a grinding noise but when i lift of fully it is ok its only when i lift it slightly and rev it it grinds any ideas because this car is driving me crazy cheers

911

I bet it is!
Guess you mean the engine is 'leaking oil' when you start it = smoke from the engine on start-up from the exhaust?
If so, do you park the car on a slope normaly ie at home? Sometimes the oil can gather on the rings if the engine is on a (large) slope and the smoke is the accumulated oils burning off on start up. My 911 does this, they all do, and that is a flat engine similar to the Impreza.
As to the clutch:
Did you change/disturb the clutch when you changed the box?
Are you sure you located the clutch release arm fork correctly in the thrust bearing?
Are you sure the 2 location dowls that link the bell housing and the engine are there and fully home? Wrestling the box onto the engine can dislodge one of these dowl pins.
It gave me huge trouble on mine.
Does the clutch work ok, smooth and with a good bite?

911

tweenierob

Leaking oil when started where? ie. front back left right or front left etc etc.

The noise you can hear sounds like the friction material gripping the pressure plate, more noticable on paddle/cerametallic clutches, if you sit stationary put the car in 3rd and get the clutch to just start biting is this the noise you mean? when i mean just start biting i mean before you can feel the car moving.

Rob

harry 2

hi guys the oil smoking was due to the car being topped up with tooo much oil but the nouse on puul of is still there im taking it back to the garage that done the work also the oil seems like it is coming from the bottom middle of the engind hard to find where what are the common ones to go

tweenierob

Front Crank seal if bang in the middle, or power steering res (red oil though).

Rob

harry 2

hi yes the power steering is leaking but the oil is as well how hard is it to change is it a diy job by the way i do appreciate you guys for helping me cheers

KLR16V

iTrader: (2)

Not hard to change might be worth stripping down and changing the o rings and putting sealant on the main body seal as usually this is where the pumps leak from , to change the front crank seal is cam belt off job and new cam belt back on unless you are confident i would get a garage to change the front crank seal , the seal is not much at all a few quid cam belt about £66 make sure they put thread lock on the crank pulley bolt and torque it up correctly as they can come loose and the woodruff key on the cam pulley can damage the crank pulley .


Mark

harry 2

i just went to quick fit to check the oil leak and the car was up straight and it was leaking from the gearbox it was constantly dripping its not gearbox oil is black engine oil so where the hell is it leaking from cheers

CyprusScooby

I kept finding that my gearbox oil was going down really quickly and when I put it up on a ramp, there was oil all over my exhaust. Turns out one of the oil seals gave up the ghost. Cost me £60inc. labour to get fixed .

911

Harry:
Can't help but think you need to get the car to a real independant specialist. Someone who realy knows the cars, not the 'local garage'.
Where are you roughly?
911

harry 2

east london