jc_ripzor

I'm hoping someone on hondatech can provide some direction on where my oil leak is on my 96 honda accord, automatic. The local mechanic obviously does not.

I noticed a small puddle of oil in my driveway and discovered it was dripping off the lowest point of the tranmission, near the front...close to the passenger side axle. Mind you that this was a few days after I just had the raditior replaced - any connection?

Since its passenger side I know that its nothing to do with any of those seals near the t-belt..those were replaced during a t-belt job at 80k.

I fear and still fear that its a rear main seal leak. I took the car to the local idiot mechanic and he definately believed it was the o ring in the distributor. He replaced this and charged me 1.25 hours of labor and $20 for the seal.

1.25 hours to take off 4 bolts and switch a seal?

Anyway.. immediately after I picked it up and drove it for 5 mins I looked under the car and there was more dripping - same area...it drips off the tranny/bell housing - 1 drip about every 15 secs. I was hoping that this could just be left overs from the supposesed dis o-ring. It is hard to tell if its dripping onto of the bell housing or if its just coming from below. I did see some oil pool onto of the tranny bell housing...

I know its when oil is pressured because immediately after driving the car or while its running there is dripping. When not running and cooled down - no drips.

Just for good measure I got an oil change and the people who did the oil change noted in the 'we noticed' area. BIG OIL LEAK FOUND.

That shot down my thought that it was just left over oil from the dis o-ring.

I bought some engine degreaser and some rags - I guess I'll see if I can get it clean and take it from there... I might also try that UV additive.

Obviously my biggest fear is that it is the rear main oil seal. Can someone help me describe/show pictures where exactly the oil would be leaking if it was the rear main oil seal vs valve cover vs dis o ring vs other places on the passenger side?

I'm not a big car guy so I might post some pictures to get further direction. The local mechanics are useless around here. The only place I might feel comfortable taking it to get the rear main seal replaced is the dealer...but the car might just be a throw away at that point - I can image the bill would be really high.


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

-JC

h22 kid

it could be where the gear case meets the bell housing.. on my tranny and my friends tranny, the silicone actually burnt away and it leaks from that area. the silicone makes a gasket and helps keep oil in but since mine burnt away it leaks oil in the direct spot. way i found out was i cleaned it and drove it and waited a while and noticed it was coming from that spot only. then i saw a gap with no silcone. maybe worth a shot

jc_ripzor

engine oil would be coming out of that?

Sorry I'm not a big car guy - my guess would have been tranny fluid.

kidcool1977

That's the last place you would to take your car for service, not only they would give you the run around as you mentioned your bill would be through the roof.

Start by posting pictures for suggestions.

My questions to you, is the oil leak coming from between the oil pan and where the transmission meet, because i have the same leak (not as severe as u mentionend).
It could be your oil pan gasket.

h22 kid

sorry yeah tranny fluid... in my eyes its all oil.. lol pain in the *** to clean lol

AccordVT

There is a black metal, half moon shaped flywheel/flexplate access cover that can be removed. It is held in with a few 10mm bolts. This cover goes on the bell housing (covers the portion that extends downward beyond the oil pan, where the engine and transmission meet). If you remove it and there is oil sitting in the bottom of the bell housing, the rear main seal is likely the culprit.

kidcool1977 mentioned it could be your oil pan gasket which is a possibility. The oil pan gasket doesn't last too long on most honda's and one that is leaking on the rear of the engine could cause oil to leak down the above mentioned access cover and eventually to the very bottom of the bell housing.

Is your oil level correct? Too much oil can cause excessive pressure in the crankcase and force oil out seals, such as the rear main. The PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation System) is designed to deal with the gases and pressures that build in the crankcase, a fault in that system will cause similar things.

KWayRacing

First of all is the car VTEC equipped?

75aces

I own a 1996 Honda Accord Ex sedan with vtec. She has 215k miles with 4 cylinder engine and automatic transmission. I've been dealing with this leak for quite sometime now. I noticed that the leak only happens after the engine is cooling. I'm not sure if the leak occurs while driving. Also, I'm not sure if it's coming from the top or the transmission. It is a slow drip. Last month I had repairs done which were timing belt, water pump, oil pan gasket, valve cover gasket, dizzy o ring, cam seals, and rear main seal. It looks like engine oil, however, it's not red. I can't tell if the silicone had burned off. Thanks in advance.

t4wrench

Unfortunately your story with the current auto service market is not uncommon. At 150k+ a distributor seal leak is not uncommon. The shop you took it to saw this as an easy quick billable repair. Provided the distributor was properly resealed and the vc gasket was replaced when your timing belt was replaced (check the invoice for "vc gasket' in the parts list). The # of possibilities should be small. Engine cleaners and rags are a good way to isolate a leak. Simply a spray can of parts cleaner(brake clean) and some rags would be a good way to start. Heavy oil leaks usually will leave a lot of residue from the leak down. From underneath, clean things up as well as possible. I would guess that from your description it is most likely from one of three areas. The oil pressure switch above the oil filter, oil pan seal or the rear main. After cleaning the engine, view the likely areas from underneath w/ the engine running. the rear of the oil pan or the rear main seal could produce a leak from the rear of the pan. I believe there is a small inspection cover(dust shield) on the back of the motor. You should be able to watch it drip and narrow it down quickly. UV dye is useful for hard to locate leaks, but should not be necessary if you can a watch it "drip".

tollboothwilley

Interesting. I'm isolating a similar issue with my 94 EX and I have new VC gaskets, and will be doing the Dis O-ring at the same time. I will probably do the timing belt, water pump, and tensioners at the same time.

75aces

@T4, I just wiped the area this morning. Within 5-7 minutes it started dripping again. I'm going to clean it again this weekend. I noticed there is quite a bit of gunk build up at the transmission cooler lines. I went ahead and changed the vtec solenoid gasket under the switch. Before I replaced it, I noticed gunk under the housing. I purchased all of the parts and gave it to the shop to install it. I also noticed that it's not shifting smoothly as before. Will post updates.

holmesnmanny

When you remove the torque converter cover and start the car, you can tell if it's rear main seal because it will leak above the oil pan gasket. When I did my girlfriends auto 94 accord, I didn't bother redoing the oil pan gasket and it did leak from that after replacing the seal so I had to to take the oil pan back off and redo it and it sealed. What happens is the oil could leak more from the plate that surrounds the rear main seal and then it'll get shot around by the torque converter that acts more like a fan at that point, but you can tell it's the seal or the seal plate because the oil will be higher than the oil pan gasket.

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...RQUE+CONVERTER

The cover is number two here.

TheAft3rmath777

I think I am having the same issue. I see alot of replies about it possibly being the oil pan gasket but if I'm not mistaken he said that the leak is coming from the passenger side which is the opposite side of the oil pan. Here is a picture of where mine is coming from which I beleve is the same spot as the original posters issue.
http://files.me.com/jondcarey/3n90up

Nicefeet

Are you sure it’s engine oil?


Check the hoses going to the power steering speed sensor on the trans.

holmesnmanny

He didn't say passenger side, he said "lowest point of the tranmission, near the front...close to the passenger side "axle" ". This is still the oil pan area, just on the passenger side of it.

Nicefeet

Well my hoses leaked there and guess were the fluid ended up with the help of gravity?

The lowest point on the tranmission.

Steve Z

Well the original poster mentioned he'd had a new radiator installed also, so the cooling lines could certainly be the culprit if it was tranny fluid. That said, T4 and Accord VT have posted the best response for finding out if it' the dreaded rear main seal. I would remove the inspection plate and check that first. If it's full of oil when you remove it it's almost guarenteed to be the RMS.

chikin pickle

Pull off your distributor cap and look for oil inside the distributor cap/housing. If there is oil inside then you are leaking oil from the oil seal on the distributor shaft. It leaks down the side of the transmission and ends up there. If your mechanic had to replace the O-ring then chance are that seal is leaking as well.

jgibb

Same problem 91 Accord EX. Left the car running and noticed oil dripping from drain hole on distributor, down onto starter, pooling on-top of tranny then dripping down to ground. Pulled dis cap off found oil inside. Pulled dis off engine and changed o-ring with new from dealer. Put new o-ring on, still dripping. When 2nd o-ring was pulled off, noticed 2 small "chips" or holes (not machined) on either side of where o-ring sits. Put a thicker o-ring on in hopes to seal both holes, no dice. I have a new dis on order from ebay. Will update once new dis is installed.

jgibb

Distributor installed, no longer leaking oil. Checked under passenger side tire, found oil leaking down the visible part of the transmission. Appears to be coming from above the black cover. When air box & batt tray were removed, only engine mount was visible.

enriquez2000

If its engine oil, check the vtec solenoid. Mine was drpping in the same spot. Turns out my whole spool assembly had gone bad. So look where that mounts to your head. I replaced mine and i now have no oil leaks.

exb18c1

after reading all the answers and suggestions I honestly still don't ge tis it a transmission oil or engine oil that leaks! The way you have described the leak(dripping )it shouldn't take you long time to see which oil level is going down engine or tranny! Forget about the valve cover gasket leak and distributor o-ring leak! There is not enough oil pressure in those areas to drip oil.If you are not sure which oil is going down -put a dye in engine oil.You will narrow down your search a lot.

jgibb

"enriquez2000" - My car is not equipped with VTECH. "exb18c1" - The "oil" is definitely engine oil. At this point I think there is 2 leaks. Since the distributor was replaced there is no oil dripping onto the starter and the oil patch that used to form on the drive way is now a drip. Here is a pic of the leak.

Photo from behind front passenger side tire of oil leak

MK1MICAH

I have a similar leak but this car (1999 4cil auto Accord) also has developed a noise when at operating tempature. At first I beleived it was in the exhaust manifold heat shield but couldnt isolate the noise, raised the car up and used a steth to search for the noise. It is comming from the inspection cover scatter shield (where the leak is). Has any one has an issue with the flex plate cracking or coming our of balance and causing the rear main to leak?

holmesnmanny

the seal is probably just really worn