Calling all experienced Outback owners - I need your help!
I have a '97 Outback that just won't stop blowing the crank seal.
It all started (cue sound effect and fade-away visual effect.....) at the beginning of the year, with 78k miles on it. I had noticed the classic burning oil smell after long highway drives. The verdict: leaking cam and crank seals. Fair enough, had 'em replaced, along with the timing belt, etc.
I came back 2k miles and two weeks (after hitting the highway in a serious way) later, still having a bit of the burning-oli smell. They checked it out, said it was residual oil in the crannies of the block that had to burn off. I wasn't completely sold, but at least had done due diligence.
Fast forward to the end of June, and 96k miles: The crank seal totally lets go, big puddle of oil and a tow-truck ride to my shop, now in a city 400 miles away from the first shop. They replace a popped-out crank seal, and I get the first shop to refund most of my money. But it still costs me a fair chunk. Everything looked good though, over the next few thousand miles: no dropping oil level, no oli smells. I thought I was all set.
Now, last weekend, I had the SECOND crank seal blow out with attendant puking of oil all over. Took it back to the same shop. Now they tell me that the reason seals keep popping is that it's "an older, well-worn engine, and probably has clogged oil galleys, causing build up of crankcase pressure." They want to drop the pan and wire brush clean the oil galleys.
Has anyone ever heard of this? I've looked at the group archives and know all about the seal issues of the 2.5 engine and the '97 OB in particular. But I would think that clogged galleys will just contribute to valve noise, not crankcase pressure.
I want to trust these guys, but it's not making sense to me. BTW, they won't guarantee this is the cure and say they got the info from some dealer info-database.
Please post for general education, but also e-mail to the address below that's really more "hot" than "not". Many thanks in advance. PZ
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