Burning smell after timing belt replacement!

[OutMax]

Ok, just had the 105 k timing belt and tensioner service done on my 2007 Outback h4. The local dealership did it. Have had a burning smell that is getting worse. Smells rubberish or like like burning grease. Cv boots check ok. Not loosing any fluids. Not dripping anything on the exhaust. Drive belts seem a litttle tight, but not too bad, I believe. Car runs very smooth at all speeds. Alignment is good and tires and brakes are wearing and working correctly. What is the burning smell??? It is getting progressively worse and more noticeable when at idle and stopped. Any ideas? Thanks! Ps, I am now 650 miles from home on vacation with this darn car!!

[cardoc]

The AC belt is a stretch belt and may be slipping on the AC compressor or crank pulley. The Alt and PS belt could also be too tight. Hopefully it's not the timing belt. Keep an eye in the oil and coolant.

Be aware of the noises from the engine while driving.

[OutMax]

Took it in to a subie dealership, who were very helpful. Turns out my sense of smell is a bit off. The blue OEM oil filter was leaking. Not enough to register a drop on the oil stick (yet) but enough to stink without smoking. I swear. I wish there were a good alternative to these OEM filters. I have been using them for over 100k and they seem to always leak a tiny bit around the seal, even though I bought a torque wrench just to ensure they are tightened correctly. The seals are CRAP!!!! I think I wi switch to another brand, even though I bought in bulk and have 3 OEM oil filters left. On a good note, the dealership saw I had an OEM filter and did not charge me at all to replace it. Too bad I had to smell oil burning and stress over not knowing its origin for 650+ miles!

[SE95]

I personally am a huge fan of WIX filters. I use them in both of my cars.

[plain OM]

There was a recent supply line recall of a number of Subaru filters for faults. See details at Important - Potential Leaky Oil Filters.

I've been using the Subaru filters for about 55,000 miles, with relatively frequent oil and filter changes, without any apparent sign of leaking. It should not be necessary to use a torque wrench to install an engine oil filter -- hand tightening is usually sufficient. The Subaru one suggests (on the can) turning it about 7/8 turn after the gasket first contacts the engine block. I usually get to turn it by hand between 3/4 and 7/8 turn at which time it seems to bottom out.

Perhaps the one you had was one of the defective units. Might want to check the remaining ones.

[H-D]

This was posted on here ~8-10 mos. ago; Mazda rotaries have been using a Tokyo-Roku black filter for the past 4, or 5 years. The filter is ~ 1 1/2" longer than the old Subaru black filters & have specs in line with the older black part. Yeah, they are as high as one would expect from a dealership. YMMV...of course.

[OutMax]

Yup, I have three of those recalled filters sitting right in front of me now. Bad news is that I am not totally sure if it was a recalled # I had installed on my car, and that I also did an oil change on my gf's 2001 Outback, and not sure if I installed a bad filter. Great.

Also, I have 106k on my 2007 H4 now. Only used subie OEM oil filters. They started leaking about at 80k. I know it says 7/8 turn on the filter, but got the torque wrench to double check installation is always to spec. Fellas, these P.O.S. filters have been bad and leaky for a while. Evidently Subaru just realized the issue and is doing damage control, but don't know/care about how long the filters have been bad. Going to use something else from now on. Screw psi ratings. It's not a turbo, anyways.

[mrk610]

If you dont mind me asking how much did you pay for your 105 k service .
What was replaced during the service.

Thanks Mike k

[OutMax]

About $530 out-the-door. Timing belt and tensioner replaced. Seems about par for the course around here, for both dealerships and/or independent shops.

[OutMax]

UPDATE: Upon returning home from Thanksgiving weekend, after driving for 750+ miles after the oil filter change, I crawled underneath the car and checked this recently dealer-installed oil filter for leaks. No issues.

So, a couple of weeks later, I begin to notice that burning smell again. I crawl under the car again, and what do you know, it is leaking AGAIN! %$*&^@!!!!

I replaced this OEM filter with a NAPA Gold filter. The oil has only 2500 (mostly highway) miles on it, so only the oil filter was replaced. I did top-off the oil.

The surface that the oil filter gasket touches appears 100% smooth and flawless to the eye and touch. So, I am assuming 100% of the fault lies in the OEM filter, not the installation, since I have been doing successful oil changes for decades now, with no issues up to this point, and, plus, the dealership installed the last filter, so I know it's not just happening after my installations.

Maybe the source of the oil leak is somewhere else? I checked around that area, and did not see anything else, but then again the exhaust pipe around the oil filter obscures the view pretty well. And, what else could saturate the sides and bottom of the oil filter so much that it drips onto the plastic removable plate below it? And the dealership did agree that the oil filter was the source of the leak. Just thinking out loud here.

So, what to do with the 6 new OEM filters I have left????? Oh well. Live and learn.