tobytigger

Need help with a 1999 4 cyl vtec that has 210k miles with oil leaking from somewhere just below the valve cover on drivers side. I replaced the valve cover gasket and its all dry. The oil is collecting on a small horizontal surface a few inches below the valve cover driver side rear corner. Just above where the oil is collecting I found a bolt that has oil on it which I think is part of the intake manifold but I'm not sure?

If it's the manifold gasket leaking is it difficult to remove the manifold? Are there any posts with instructions?

1991EX

I am not real sure, but I do not think it is possible for your intake gasket to leak oil. I have not taken a honda motor apart, but have built several other engines. A chevy V8 etc. can leak from an intake gasket due to the design. Now if you have an intake bolt that goes into the oiled portion of the head, then maybe, but I am sure someone with more 4 cyl engine knowledge will chime in.

The common items beside the valve cover gasket are oil sending unit, VTEC solonoid, dizzy seal etc.

holmesnmanny

You're gonna have to remove the valve cover and upper timing cover to see where it's leaking from. It's not leaking from the intake manifold gasket.

tobytigger

I removed both covers to look for the leak but didn't see any. If it's not the intake manifold gasket then based on where the oil is collecting I'm now thinking it's the head gasket. Does that sound like a reasonable explanation? The oil is seeping on to a small 2 inch by 3/4 inch wide flat surface that appears to be aluminum and part of the head below the far right rear corner of the valve cover. If you follow it back to the engine block there's a horizontal bolt that looks like it's part of the intake manifold. It looks like oil is seeping from this bolt.

holmesnmanny

take a picture

jdmcertified909

i know exactly where its pooling up i had this problem. my cam shaft seal was leaking and thats where it was coming from. could be different for yours tho. get some uv dye and put it in the oil clean up the area or the whole engine and wait for a noticeable pool of oil and track it down with black light

tobytigger

Took a picture below. Can the cam seal be replaced without removing the cam?

tobytigger

https://honda-tech.com/attachment.ph...1&d=1339712689

djkurious

$100 buxs on the Cam seal is leaking.
There is a passage that leads to that area and collects oil. I been there...
The neat thing is how Honda designed it to allow you to spot a leak and made the passage to that horizontal area.

tobytigger

Anyone know if the cam seal can be replaced without removing the cam?

djkurious

The cam has to be removed to replace that seal.

jdmcertified909

no it does not. these are the steps i take. 1. Remove cam pulley. 2 just loosen the cam cap bolts till the cam lifts up a lil. 3 remove old cam seal. 4 lube up new seal with good clean oil. 5 GENTLY slide the cam seal on. 6 tighten cam cap bolts back down to SPEC!!!! 7. put cam pulley back on. 8. put timing belt back on. 9 put timing covers back on. ok i forget some MAJOR steps. you have to put the car at tdc TOP DEAD CENTER before you do anything!!!!! after car is tdc remove timing covers remove timing belt

tobytigger

Looks like I'll be replacing the crank shaft pulley, crank seal which I believe is leaking, belts, water pump. Think I can handle all this as long as I can get the pulley bolt off. I wasn't ready to tackle the cam seal if I had to remove the cam, so your instruction sounds great to a weekend mechanic. But need help identifying the cam cap bolts? Are you referring to the 14 bolts that go through the rocker assembly? Thanks!

jdmcertified909

the blue circles those are the ones i LOOSEN but not remove

djkurious

Sorry, I meant to say the cam pulley has to be removed to replace the seal, not removed.

djkurious

Don't forget the 2 small 10mm bolts also hidden from the picture by the cam sprocket.

jdmcertified909

wow yeah im sorry. when i wrote all this i was so tired from work.

tobytigger

Thanks to all for the help. This may be a stupid question but is it possible to remove just the cam sprocket to get to the seal while leaving everything below intact?

djkurious

I have done it before, but after having done it several times.
It is doable, just make sure all your timing marks are on correctly.
Also, before removing the belt, mark its location on the cam gear.