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Old 02-24-2016, 06:14 PM   #1
lupindub
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Finally fixed the oil leak - Warning for those still using OEM drain plug/gasket.

So after about a month of trying different things to stop the oil leak coming from the oil pan, I finally found the culprit. It was a combination of the paint from the OEM drain plug creating an uneven surface for the gasket to properly seal the oil AND the fact that the gasket Subaru/Toyota supplies does not sit flush with the plug like some aftermarket drain plugs. For whatever reason Subaru decided to put the gasket + drain plug on the drain pan BEFORE painting it which caused this uneven surface.

Here are the pics showing the problem:

Without the gasket - Notice how the edges are un-evenly painted


With the gasket - definitely not flush


Compared to Fumoto Valve (Notice how the gasket sits flush WITH the plug)


Solution: Switch to an aftermarket plug (Fumoto Valve).

One thing I should mention is that it is such a small oil leak that you will only lose a couple of drops a day. One way you can tell is if you have little oil droplets under the area you park. If you park outside you will probably not notice even if you do park in the same spot due to rain/nature washing away any evidence before collecting too much (mind you it took me 6 months to finally notice and I park in a garage).

So overall if you don't care about the tiny mess this will cause, I say leave it as it is since this won't cause any major issues if you are properly changing your oil every 7.5 months/7500 miles. Even whilst my car was leaking oil, I never had to top it off even once. YMMV.

Last edited by lupindub; 02-24-2016 at 09:10 PM.
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