The AUSubaru.com.au Forums

CAR: 1997 Subaru Impreza GX EJ16 FWD Automatic Wagon

In the last 6-12 months I've noticed a burning oil smell, after taking it for a drive I discovered that I have oil leaking onto my exhaunst causing the smell, after a couple of cans of degreaser im 99% sure its a head gasket that I need to replace. I've decided to do the replacement myself and save some money because I have a second car to use.

I have worked on cars and replaced gaskets in the past but never on an EJ engine so I thought the best thing to do is get hold of a 1997-1998 workshop manual and do some reading before I do anything, but before buying a workshop manual I want to be sure that its for the right year model, engine, etc. I went online, done a few VIN checks & found out that some parts of my VIN dont seem to be correct & not one VIN check website has given me an accurate reading when I type in my VIN.

MY VIN NUMBER - JF1GF3KR9VG020079

First 3 Digits
JF1 - Passenger car Manufactured by FHI in Japan

4th Digit
G - Impreza

5th Digit
F - First Generation Wagon

6th Digit
3 - 1996+ 2.2 Litre FWD (incorrect, 1.6 litre fwd)

7th Digit
K - ????????? (cant find any information for K, every website/vin check tells me it should be a number)

8th Digit
R - ????????? (cant find any information for R, every website/vin check tells me it should either be a number or a letter that is not R)

9th Digit
9 - Apparently this means nothing

10th Digit
V - Year Model 1997

11th Digit
G - ????????? (every website/vin check tells me its a 5 speed AWD, incorrect)

Digits 12-17
020079 - Serial Number

any help is appreciated, also if anybody knows where I can get hold of a pdf 1997-1998 workshop manual online, that would be fantastic.

http://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subaru/

lots of FSM's

I would say you have a leaking rocker cover gasket not a leaking head gasket.

TOONGA

checked both rocker cover gaskets, they look fantastic, no signs of any damage.

thanks for the website, much appreciated.

That FSM legend would be for american subarus.

EDIT: I meant to say "VIN" legend

i found the 97-98 service manual doesn't get as far into detail as i hoped, the older impreza manual goes over everything with detailed pictures but that doesn't help me.

oil coming from behind timing belt cover, suggestions?

Would say one of the or more of the timing shaft seals has gone or the crank seal has gone.

A bit of fun to replace as you need to get the crank pulley off, as well as the timing pulleys and the timing belt.

TOONGA

today I removed the whole timing assembly, front/back timing covers, both cam seals, crank seal, oil pump & water pump.

it is impossible to tell exactly where the leak is coming from, all the seals looked good visually but there was a lot of oil surrounding them, the oil pump had no gasket but there was no signs of leaking there. I decided I'm going to replace the cam seals, crank seal, oil pump gasket, the small rubber o ring inside the oil pump & the entire water pump assembly (which I already have) & timing belt (which I also have)

now for the bad (but hopefully not too serious) part, I have located a 3ish cm hairline crack behind the crank pulley on the front of the engine that looks like it runs into a hex nut, it also doesn't seem like any leakage is coming from there but I want opinions about this, is it serious?

one last thing, the 2 cam pulleys were a real pain to get off, are there any good/easy ways to torque them up when I go to put them back on? same question for the crank nut?