souswookiee

Hi guys, got a slight oil leak after an engine swap - unfortunately the shop that did the swap claimed that they weren't responsible for it. I have replaced the gaskets on the VTEC solenoid. The leak still remains.







Thanks!

tj4fa

Looks pretty bad - I'd clean it/hose it all down to remove the oil and run it for a few minutes to see where it looks like it starts coming from.

A Few Possibilities:
-VTEC Solenoid (still) if o-ring is pinched or mashed down too tight
-Valve cover oil leaking on the end near the camshaft seal/tower area - may have to remove valve cover/clean it up and add some silicone gasket sealant there
-Might be oil leaking by the camshaft seal
-Distributor O ring may be leaking - pretty easy to replace - lots of youTube videos to help - just make sure you mark the distributor

tony_2018

Clean it up and investigate.

NVturbo

your problem isn't the leak...it's the INCOMPETENT shop that did the swap for you. Should have DIY the swap in that way you can backtrack on your own work, not someone else's carelessness.

souswookiee

I agree, previous engine blew a headgasket due to cooling system failing and had to get the engine replaced. Started leaking oil shortly after that. Mind you, they pulled off many of the components off the old engine (an A3), and probably including the vtech solenoid. It had a 12k mile warranty on it, so I brought it in, said it was the vtech solenoid and the oil pressure switch and claimed that it wasn't part of the engine so it wasn't covered by the warranty. They wanted to charge $900 to repair it. Yeah, no. So I swapped the gasket on the vtech solenoid myself, but still cant pinpoint the leak...I'll probably be doing that this weekend.

tony_2018

well...if you ask them to do the swap then thats all they're going to do...just the swap.

muellersfan

Disassemble the VTEC solenoid, and clean the gaskets and mating surfaces of all dirt and oil with brake cleaner.

Apply thin layer of HondaBond to gaskets and solenoid mating surfaces. Torque all bolts to spec.

Let HondaBond dry minimally overnight before running engine.

Kiss leak goodbye.

souswookiee

hmm it kind of looks like its spraying up towards the solenoid in the pic, there is heavy caking on the pressure sensor and the sensor above it.

Edit: the hose behind the pressure sensor.

NVturbo

true..but I doubt it was leaking that bad when they were done with it. Charge $900 to fix it? haha...damn, are they hiring?

BiggieBert

When I had a leak like that, it was my distributor o-ring.

tony_2018

Some shop finished an h22 swap into an accord for my cousin. As he drove home the transmission blew, guess they forgot to tell him that it needed transmission fluid.

edit: had finished an engine swap for my lil cousin and everybody around him was like 'why didn't you teach him to heel/toe, rev match or power shift'. Bitch doing an engine swap for someone doesn't constitute I also teach him something that he doesn't understand why and could potentially damage the transmission!!!