Hi I'm new to the site and have just imported my first scooby from japan, it's a 2001 forester s/tb sti2 Automatic and I've had it about 3 months now. I had now problems with it but recently i gave it an oil change and checked the back pads as they were a little noisy but they were fine so just put some copper grease on them to stop the noise. After this was done and the oil changed I went to put it in D and nothing happened! I had someone take a look at it after a week of being parked up and he discovered there wasn't a drop of gearbox fluid left in the transmission and it wasn't getting any hydraulic pressure! It takes almost 9 litres so it must have been leaking since it was in japan! He resealed where it was leaking and filled it back up and while he was doing that he sad the kilometer sensor needed to be tightened which he did. It was fixed but after the test drive i noticed a small bit of blue smoke from the exhaust but he said as it was sitting up it just needed to be driven! The smoke has got worse and a cloud comes from the exhaust every time i start it up but after a minute of driving its gone even when i put the foot down! There's no warning lights on the dash and the temp is normal, there's plenty of coolant and the car's still driving normal and boosting OK! I thought it was just a bit of excess oil or fluid that needed to burn off but have been driving a week now but it's not getting better! The only difference between before and after the fluid changes is that the car is idling a slight bit lower and the exhaust is a bit noisier and has even started to backfire a bit after high revs! I know it could be anything from head gasket, piston rings, leaking turbo or fluid leak but it's just too much of a coincedince to happen after the fluid changes! It hasn't given me a problem before and only recently passed it's nct(mot), there is an unusual smell coming from the exhaust now that wasn't there before which could be a clue to the problem? When I got it from japan the coolant was low and the engine oil needed about a litre but was still very clean which is why i decided to do an oil change in the first place! If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated as i fear it might be a costly repair or even major engine damage but i hope not! Any sugestions welcome!!!!!

 

Blue smoke could be ya turbo on the way out
Sure someone else will offer different advise.