lsturbo*

I have a 2003 Type-S RSX. Have not noticed any oil leaks ever - but driving home yesterday I noticed a slight burning smell, and then when i pulled into the driveway there was a 2" strip of oil coming all the way down the street, especially everywhere I hit the breaks. I immediately killed the engine, and the leaking stopped. I looked underneath and it was coming from the flywheel inspection cover area. It is very hard to tell if it is transmission or engine oil. Engine oil was still reading on the dipstick, and I drained the trans and got less then 1 quart. So I did not run anything dry and damage anything....I hope.

So today I checked the PCV - it was fine. Refilled the trans and topped off engine oil. Started the car and nothing. Even revving the motor and nothing. So I took her around the block and at the 2nd stop sign, oil leaking - and pretty significant. Again, I looked underneath and it appears to be coming from the bell housing - bottom of the casing. I also noticed the half shaft seal is leaking pretty good too - but thats more of an ooze rather than a significant drip. I tried to snap some pix...It's very hard to tell if its is trans oil or engine oil.

I guess my thoughts were:
1 - rear main seal
2- trans input shaft seal
3 - half shaft seal
4 - oil pan gasket

I really just don't want to drop the trannny if it turns out to be option 3 or 4 above. This is a very significant leak that appears to only happen under load.

DCFIVER

Looks like the half shaft seal to me. Mine just started leaking too at 135k. Replacing it does not require removal of the trans. Do your self a favor and buy an OE Honda seal. Its only about 10 bucks.

paqman

If you only drained less than a quart of oil out of the transmission I would suspect you're losing transmission oil for sure. If that's the case, that fluid usually leaks out of the following places:

1 - front transmission seal (between the engine and the transmission)
2 - axle seals (one on each side of the transmission)
3 - a crack in the case causing a leak

From the sounds of it I would guess that it's the axle seal that's giving you a hard time.

lsturbo*

Ok - I think this is a 6 speed RSX trans. Not sure what year, but for sake of this conversation it should do. I would guess it is either the axle seal or the input shaft seal. My question is do you think the axle seal could leak into the bell housing case easily and then drip out the bottom of the flywheel inspection area? I would HATE to drop the tranny only to find out it was the axle seal. I guess I could just change that out first and try it.

lazlong

Looks like the axle seal. I would change that first in case you don't need to drop the tranny.

paqman

inside the clutch housing should be dry. It might be full of black clutch material but dry. If there's any oil in there it's a transmission input seal leaking. If it's dry I'd be changing the axle seals.

lsturbo*

Could this possibly be a bearing that has failed, and then wipes out the seal? I am struggling to find the bearing on a honda diagram. Also - what is involved in changing the bearing, can it be done externally? Or drop the tranny, split the case, etc...?

Type-Spaz

it wouldn't be a failed bearing.


I would start with the axle seal and just spray you car down with brake/engine cleaner and watch for leaking.

lsturbo*

Update - I replaced the driveshaft seal on the transmission and that fixed that leak, but as i suspected, that was only a very minor leak and not the source of the main leak.

So i still have a bad leak as soon as i start to drive the car, nothing at idle. I am 90% sure it is engine oil. As soon as I start to drive it comes pouring out of the flywheel inspection area. I also notice oil bubbling out of what i'll call the main cap for the crank (joint on the engine above the oil pan).

And I also noticed I can hear my throw out bearing pretty decent now - well in my garage I really noticed it. Not sure if it is normal or not, but seems a little noisy. BTW new clutch about 12K miles ago, and i assume the shop replaced the throwout bearing, but you never know.

So - think I have to drop my tranny 100% now?

I guess only way i wouldn't have to is if it is the oil pan gasket ONLY, but that seems like a long shot now.

Also - why/or how can oil be coming out of the joint I mentioned above - and you can see it in the picture. Is there a gasket on that joint?

JDM-Junior

Looks like it's from the gearbox at the last picture, your flywheel looks wet. If that's the case it's very possible that your clutch has got oil all over it too and will need replacing.

lsturbo*

Yeah it is trans fluid for sure, I lost 3/4 of a quart driving around the block today. I'm dropping the transmission and will go from there. F...

lsturbo*

If it is the seal on the main transmission input shaft, is that replaceable without splitting the case? Dropping the tranny tomorrow, and I am hoping to find an obvious cause to the leak. I am thinking it is that seal.

10psiLsEf2

could be rear main seal or transmission input shaft seal

lsturbo*

So I found the problem with my transmission. The case is cracked. But I am wondering how this possibly could of happened? I did not find any debris in the bell housing after removing the tranny. And the crack is pushed inward toward the transmission, so i dont see how an internal failure could have caused it?

10psiLsEf2

this happened to my buddy.

i dont know the culprit but once everything was fixed he hit it in and put jb weld.


2 years later no leaks.
since its not under pressure or much heat

Type-Spaz

damn that sucks!

lsturbo*

I know you said you didnt find the culprit, but did he split the the case and check for debris or damaged parts? Or just JB welded it and put the tranny back on?

I am thinking since I came this far, might as well split the case, try and find the culprit, and clean out any debris. What I dont understand is how the crack is pushed into the transmission....? You would think it would get pushed out. Any idea what is in that area of the transmission?

kingteg

iTrader: (1)

Have you inspected your clutch components? However unlikey it may seem, debris might have dislodged from the one of the spinning parts and caused this crack; that seems more plausable considering the case is indented inward. Just a thought. Sucks tho

sleepinonacreeper

did the spring fall out of your old or new clutch?

lsturbo*

I removed the clutch and flywheel and found no missing pieces. I agree....I thought it was from a loose part in the bell housing

Only thing I can think of is if there is a boss on the inside of the case right there that got sheared somehow and then pulled the case in with it

But the tranny is fine and there were no issues before tearing in off except the leak.

I really think I have to separate the case to investigate.....and try to find the culprit. Then weld her up. Maybe there is a loose bolt inside the case?

10psiLsEf2

I think it was either a clutch plate spring came off or the pilot or throw out bearing.

it was something external of the gears.


ill hit him up. ill post when i find out buddy

lsturbo*

Thanks - either way I am going to separate the case to investigate. Since I didn't find any debris in the bell housing, or any missing parts from the clutch assy, I need to do it for peace of mind.

I does not look too bad to just separate the case and investigate. Working on the actual gear assemblies looks a lot more involved, but hopefully it does not come down to that.

Thanks guys....

10psiLsEf2

Invest in a tsx 6th gear while in there.
Lsd if not equiped
lightweight flywheel
clutch

prelude_h22vtec

same thing happened to me on my Saturn. started making all kinds of noise and 5th gear wouldn't stay in, so I check the fluid. Its low as hell, so I topped it off. It all came out the bottom immediately. So went and bought a new trans immediately, luckily a Saturn manual trans only ran me $250 at my local salvage yard.

When I pulled off the Saturn tranmission, I found a giant hole in the same spot as yours! But I have no idea what cause that hole. I left the old clutch in there, didn't even bother removing it to see if pieces fell off. I didn't have the money to replace the clutch too. So I just sprayed off the old clutch with brake parts cleaner, and put it back together. I expected the worst, but its been 2 years, runs great.

I never even tried to find the cause of my mystery hole, just needed to fix my only car at the time. Didn't have the time to inspect further.
thats just my coolstorybro

lsturbo*

So took the tranny apart and found no issues with with anything inside...I am completely at a loss as to why this case cracked like this. Kinda wish I would have found the smoking gun.....but gonna weld her up and back to the fun...