Head gaskets leaking oil

[Perkul8r]

So. a few weeks ago I did an oil change on my 04 Legacy. When i had it up on our lift I noticed it was leaking oil. Bad. So i cleaned it up to try and see where it was coming from. After driving a little longer I noticed some oil coming from the back of the engine, and some from the front.

I started working on the car expecting to find a bad cam seal or crank seal. But thats not the case. Upon removing the timing belt and tensioner bracket, i can clearly see that the head gasket is leaking oil. It leaks on the front and back of the head.

Is this something common? I have heard and seen many issues with leaking coolant, but haven't seen many about oil. The leak is pretty bad. But sadly I do not have the money to fix it. Nor the time. This was my familys only car. So i gotta bear with it and drive it for a bit.

Is it gonna completely ruin this motor driving as is? I hate to but we need the car. Thats my main question.

Thanks.

[harrymaneuvers]

How many miles on the engine?


Have the head gaskets ever been replaced? What about other work on the motor/tranny?

[Perkul8r]

Car has around 115,000 miles on it. Alot of highway miles.

Only major work I have done or heard of being done is change the timing belt. I did that last July. Other than that I have only done regular oil, trans, diff fluid changes and regular tune ups.

[Perkul8r]

I took some pics of the leak. Maybe someone will see something I'm not.

This is the overall leak area. This is what I found after pulling the timing cover off.
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv14/Perkul8r/Subaru%20Stuff/IMG_0207_zps238eedfc.jpg

This is the oil leak on the back of the head. The tube in the pic is the EGR tube that runs down. As you can see its been leaking for a while.
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv14/Perkul8r/Subaru%20Stuff/IMG_0204_zps2dfee902.jpg

This is the front head gasket area where I think the oil has been coming from. You can see in the pic that the oil looks like it runs under the cam gear. But the cam gear seal is clean.
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv14/Perkul8r/Subaru%20Stuff/IMG_0203_zpse902599c.jpg

These are the front cam gear on the same side as the oil leak.
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv14/Perkul8r/Subaru%20Stuff/IMG_0205_zpsc91113e5.jpg
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv14/Perkul8r/Subaru%20Stuff/IMG_0206_zps9ba08241.jpg

So the way it looks. It must be the head gasket leaking. Thats all I can think of.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

You sure its not the valve cover gasket? Mine leak oil all over.... keeps my front end from getting rusty lol

If you have never done your headgaskets it wouldn't be bad to replace them.

[ouch1011]

Oil leaking from the head gaskets on the 2.5 SOHC is incredibly common.

[subarunut]

And as for the back of the engine oil leak that is most likely those service plates behind the flex plate or flywheel. Just use black permatex right stuff on that it will last a long long time

[Dead91silvia]

Pretty common. You could do a set of HG's, but as long as you keep it filled with fluids, you should be fine.

[stiburu]

i have been new to subies for about 5 months and just in the little bit ive read about the 2.5 SOHC the head gasket leak is common. but i was reading online in the last few days about some dye for your oil to make it glow under a black light. doesnt harm anything just makes it glow. it should pinpoint your leak (if you dont already know where exactly it is). so far TRACER has the best reviews for oil dye.