WingedMan

Honda Accord antifreeze leak rear of engine near oil filter

I changed the oil and filter on my Honda Accord now I have an antifreeze leak near the oil filter

I have a 94 Honda Accord LX non vtec 4 cylinder with manual 5 speed transmission only 50K miles on it now in August 2011

I changed the oil and filter as I do every 6 months, and now have an antifreeze leak in same area as the oil filter

To perform the oil and filter change I raised the car using a hydralic jack placed under the cross beam under the engine on the drivers side. I did have to raise it high so that I could place jack stand under the jack pin on drivers side. I lowered the car onto the jack stand on drivers side jack pin.

Any other safe way to do this??? remember I will be working under the engine

Then I proceeded to remove the oil plug bolt and oil filter, drained the oil, and I put on new oil filter replaced the oil plug bolt and added 4 quarts of oil.

I again raised drivers side using hydralic jack under the cross beam (I have seen mechanics working on this car do this before, and I have done so myself with no problems before) I then removed the jack stand and lowered the hydrallic jack

Started the car and now after car running for approx 10-15 minutes, I have an antifreeze leak (green watery fluid) that drips from driveaxle boot on drivers side leak originates from the same area as the oil filter.

Leak drips for several minutes after turn off engine then stops

I know it is GREEN fluid leaking, so NOT believe this is leaking oil at oil filter.

Frustrating, I have done oil changes before and never caused such a problem. Maybe I raised drivers side of vehicle too high and broke some seal.

I know there is a drain bolt near the oil filter to drain antifreeze, but I did not touch it, so not believe that is the problem

The leak seems too far back to be from the water pump, and none of the belts have any antifreeze on them

Hoping not rear main seal, as NO temperature gauge problems and NO antifreeze seems to be in the oil dipstick

I was working in moderate temperature on summer evening approx 80 degrees outside.

Wondering, if I could just tighten down any of the bolts in that back area of the engine near the oil filter and the problem will go away or would problem get worse?


I am hoping for a less complicated fix

Are you saying this oil pump is directly in front of the oil filter and attached to it???



I did overtighten the oil filter with filter wrench could that that caused this problem???

Initially thinking it was an oil leak, I removed and replace with new 2nd oil filter only hand tightened the second oil filter, still leaking fluid then recognized the fluid leaking is GREEN in color so must be antifreeze

I do not want to remove this oil pump as do not have a lift and would be working under car with jack stands only (ramps not a good solution since this is a manual transmission)

Would have problem putting oil cooler/pump back on once I took it off

Could I just tighten down the bolts on this oil pump (remember the leak is antifreeze not oil doesnt oil go thru the oil pump) and that would stop the leak???

How about putting some GUNK in the radiator which is supposed to stop leaks in the antifreeze system???

Anyone else have similar problem and an easier solution please post reply

Please include cost of parts if I do it myself or parts and labor for repair shop to do this work if known

Thanks

holmesnmanny

The oil pump is nowhere back there. It's behind the timing belt. Are you sure the leak wasn't already there ? Obviously fluid leaks from top to bottom so you just need to look around back there and see where it's coming from. It's probably just a hose that got bumped and sprung a leak, just a guess. Keep in mind on old cars, and this is common, when you start moving around things that are old they can and will break and you will need to fix something else. Just try to be careful.

WingedMan

I have looked up "oil pump" in my Honda repair manual and I agree seems to be far away from this leak. My leak back by the oil filter I just replaced.

This is a new leak that started immediately after I did oil and filter change.

I am nervous on this leak as someone I know had a leak and overheating problem and ruined their overheating engine.

What someone told me was that I damaged the "oil cooler" which he said attaches to the same bolt that the oil filter is attached to. This makes sense to me, as I overtightened stupidly using oil wrench after hand tightened it on the first oil filter I put on. I subsequently put on a 2nd oil filter and only hand tightened it, but still leaking

Then I saw that the fluid leaking was GREEN in color so know it is antifreeze

My problem with idea I damaged "oil cooler" is that I cannot find anything in my Honda repair manual about an oil cooler, and I do not have access to any repair manual online or hard copy that would help me diagnose and fix this leak or to replace the "oil cooler"

Anyone has access to Honda repair manual shows "oil cooler" info please copy and paste send to me or provide me access to manual online.

I do not think I bumped anything back there working on oil filter, but maybe twisted the front end too much raising just one side of front end using hydrallic jack on cross beam to raise it high enough to put jack stand under the jack pin on drivers side. I do not know any other feasible and safe way to raise and secure car so I can safely work under it. Any ideas on this welcome too. Note this is manual 5 speed car so ramps no good, learned that the hard way too already years ago.

Thanks

exb18c1

Check the drain hole of the water pump.It could run down the side cover and oil pan.Check also the droplets at the bottom of timing belt cover.

holmesnmanny

I'm not so sure you have an oil cooler ? I think only vtec engines have those.

WingedMan

Thank you for your ideas

If you or anyone else has any ideas on how to find this leak and fix it please post your respone

GhostAccord

None of the 94 Accords come stock with an oil cooler. Someone may have added on though. If you have an oil cooler in place, you should be able to recognize it very easily. It is an adapter between the engine block and the oil filter that has two coolant hoses gong in and out of it. If you do happen to have an oil cooler in place. Check the coolant hoses and clamps.

Other than that it could be coming from one of the heater core hoses that are located above the oil filter.

gianinline

I'd recommend you to spray something all over this engine, something thick and foamy, to get it really clean. Get a flash light and find the source of the leak with the engine running, be careful, have the car securelly placed on jack stands.

WingedMan

Someone told me vehemently oil cooler likely problem as was the case with their Honda, but I looked online and as contributor here said no oil cooler shown on Honda.com schematic for my 94 Honda Accord LX

I do need to get a better handle on where leak originating. I could not run car today got some rain in hood yesterday few minutes of rain dried it out today.

It could be coming from the water pump, not sure exactly where leak coming from I do know GREEN in color.

I looked at getting flouresent dye and UV light, not sure since do not see inexpensive UV light online, and I might not be the one repairing this if I cannot find an easy fix, I will take it to mechanic and he would likely charge me for pressure test or other test before repairing this car.

Any more ideas please post them here

Thanks

holmesnmanny

Like Ghost already said, if you had an oil cooler there would be a big contraption behind the oil filter bolt that you already worked with. There would be two hoses attached to it that would have coolant flowing through to cool the oil. If you don't have one, as we suspect, then it should be coming from above it. It shouldn't he hard to find. Never heard of using flourescent dye in the coolant it's usually for ac leaks because those are actually hard to find.

exb18c1

If you are ready to invest in UV kit your best bet would be a radiator pressure tester.I think it will be cheaper.

WingedMan

Wondering if I tested with pressure tester that would tell me if water pump is going bad and is the problem, because please correct me if I am wrong system would not leak antifreeze when pressure tested if water pump is the problem??????

I have never used a pressure tester before so nervous about using one as I do not want to cause further damage to car. Any tips and cautions on using coolant pressure tester would be welcome. I know should not use pressure tester on hot engine to avoid getting burned by hot antifreeze when removing tester, but any cautions or ideas on what to avoid doing so not further damage Honda Accord welcome.

Thanks

GhostAccord

Apply the recommended amount of pressure (14-18 psi) then sit and wait. If/when the pressure drops you have a leak. that's when you start looking for where it is leaking from. If it is leaking from the water pump weep hole. The coolant would be coming from behind the timing cover.

slimx554

There is a steel tube from the back of the water pump that goes across the back of the engine and up to intake manifold. There are several rubber hoses that come off of this tube that could leak and the tube itself has O rings at each end. O rings on this tube are hard to find. I lost several gallons of coolant before I found out exactly where my coolant was leaking. Sounds EXACTLY like where my leak was.

94EG8

I've seen the tube itself rot through as well, if you live in an area where it snows and road salt is used take a good look at the pipe. Very rarely a block will literally start leaking from a bad/porous casting. It was actually pretty common on '06 - '08 Civic (except Si)

WingedMan

Ran this 94 Honda Accord LX in the driveway today

15 minutes later leak began again dripped down just behind oil plug

I put the car on jack stands again to get a better look under the car

Leak appears to be coming down from the oil filter drivers side of oil filter

I removed the oil filter and inspected the area above it and the area where oil filter attaches.

Did not see any hoses leaking above the oil filter.

I also removed this mystery bolt 2 inches below the oil filter that I thought was the antifreeze drain plug bolt they talk about in the manual, but that I never been able to find. Had to buy a 10 mm plug socket hex tool today to remove it. It drained oil so it not that one. I do not think I have this antifreeze drain plug in this area of the car that they talk about in manual I done many years of work under this car never found it.

It got late so I had stop working

Tommorrow plan to put oil drain plug and oil back in that I drained into 5 quart bottle I have

Someone told me could be blown head gasket, YIKES that an expensive repair. Hopefully they wrong as none of classic symptoms (no muddy oil, no temp problems, no power issues, engine runs good)

Hopefully just a leak in a hose above the oil filter that I did not see

What to do next I am not sure any ideas please let me know

Thanks

WingedMan

Dear 94EG8 and SlimX

I have a black rubber solid hose one inch diameter tube with several hoses coming off it runs accross the back of the engine above the oil filter

Is this the one you are speaking of??????????

What is the step-by-step procedure to replace it? any hints on this to look out for when replacing it?

Hopefully that is my problen and is an easy repair

GhostAccord

To remove the water pipe from under the intake manifold you need to remove the thermostat housing. However before you get into that you should get your hands on an Accord shop manual. The manual has the step by step. Sorry, I do not have the time to regurgitate what is printed in the manual. Maybe someone else will oblige. (Pg 186 PDF, 10-8 Honda shop manual)

3 Bolts & 3 O-rings

PM sent

As for the coolant drain plug, it is just to the left of the oil pressure switch. Above the ridge that runs on top of the oil filter. Page 183 of the PDF, 10-5 of the Honda shop manual.

The bung that you removed is for external oil system components not currently used on this engine.

94EG8

It should be steel, But if the black paint is still on it then obviously it hasn't rusted through.

exb18c1

Do you have any problems to find a pressure tester?You would save lots of time and mysteries that you and many people try to find !There are situations that if you don't use the correct tools you will be walking in circles.It's basics.

WingedMan

Yes, I am having trouble getting ahold of a pressure tester.

Considering buying that flourescent dye for radiator along with flourescent light to find the small coolant leak only occurs once car running 10-15 minutes.

Anyone have any experience using this technique to find coolant leak please share your experiences??

WingedMan

I read some posts about antifreeze leaks which talked about lead from weep hole of the water pump back of the engine

I took another look at my Honda and found that weep hole. I felt it, and it has antifreeze leaking from it.

Seems like I finally found the source of my leak. Must been coming out at the water pump and somehow wrapping below the engine over to the oil filter.
The problems I had with oil change made me wrongly think leak elsewhere.

Now looking at $700 water pump and the many belts in that area replaced at the dealer.

Thanks all for your ideas

94EG8

Replace the pump with a genuine Honda unit if you don't want to be replacing it again within the next couple of years.