ex99civictears

This is a 1999 EX, D16Y8. It had been sitting all winter. Just added oil and started it up, let it idle and drove it around the block. Then noticed that oil is leaking badly. Badly enough to question whether it could be driven to a repair shop.

It did leak last year, about a quart every 2-3k miles if I recall right.

Does anyone know where the leak is coming from, from these photos? I could try to take better photos. Where should I go from here?

Last year it looked like a leak where the camshaft joins the head but I wasn't sure... was really hard to tell. (see that oily bottom left camshaft nut) Now it looks to be leaking badly at that bolt that holds on the... timing belt cover? I'm not knowledgeable.

Any advice would be highly appreciated.

ex99civictears

More photos:

slomofo

iTrader: (1)

It might be a cam seal, but I doubt it. It's most likely the valve cover.

Remove all spark plug wires, loosen all the valve cover bolts, remove the upper timing cover, then tighten up all the valve cover bolts & put plug wires back in, then start the car and observe the leak. You might have to rev the engine up a little bit to get it going, but my money would be on the valve cover.

Fishbone Fan

Pics are almost too close up. Clean your entire engine and drive it to renew leak then post pics that are not so close up or at least a mix of close and further back to provide a better reference.

Off hand it looks like it might be either a leak from the valve cover or oil pump.

slomofo

iTrader: (1)

Would an oil pump emit oil that high up? The pics show oil on the timing cover outside of the water pump and at the base of the valve cover. Not trying to call you out or anything as I'm still fairly new to Hondas, just asking.

Fishbone Fan

My first guess is the valve cover. If there is oil on top there is most likely oil below (by dripping + gravity) and that's why I suggest he cleans the entire engine. I don't feel strongly he has an oil pump leak and I honestly can't say weather or not it would be up that high or not as I have only read about them and never experienced one myself. However, if it doesn't turn out to be a valve cover leak it gives him another place to look.

slomofo

iTrader: (1)

Ahhh, good idea, thanks for the clarification.

JoeSatov

Too high for oil pump; I agree with possible valve cover leak. As already suggested, pull off that upper timing cover and take a look. The cam seals I've seen fail generally leak pretty agressively and drip out of the bottom of the timing cover

TomCat39

The real PITA if it's the cam seal is oil getting on the timing belt basically means new timing belt is a must, not just a seal repair.

slomofo

iTrader: (1)

If the cam seal comes off, the belt has to come off first, so belt replacement seems like it'd probably happen with the cam seal anyway, no?

JoeSatov

Ya, cam seal leak will coat your belt in anti rust....but me thinks it's more likely valve cover. The oil is leaking through about level with the cam seal, and there is nothing below the cam to carry the oil straight over like that.

I have been wrong before...but I am sticking to the valve cover gasket