EJ8_Enthusiast

So I have had a drip since I got the car about a month ago and I also burn oil from leaky valve stem seals so I am told. usually its just one drip every 12 or 24 hours, nothing to write home about.

I added just under a quart of oil yesterday (reading was between holes after adding) and after pulling in my driveway today I slide a piece of cardboard (been trying to locate the spot its leaking from) under the car which to my surprise a couple hours later, leaves the following drip.

Let me know if there is a better spot to get a picture from to help me determine where this is leaking... hopefully its just from the oil pan... I can't see anything to indicate a leak looking from above the engine.





^^ that is from only a couple hours sitting.. never been that bad before.



Modified by EJ8_Enthusiast at 3:12 PM 8/18/2008

King V

Check to see that the pan plug is tight

EJ8_Enthusiast

how tight? I didn't want to over tighten it when I did the oil change... it was very "snug" though.

would the corner of my pan be saturated like that from a loose plug?

EJ8_Enthusiast

that answers that.. went to tighten it down and it just stripped out.

time for a new oil pan.

turboteg90

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EJ8_Enthusiast &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">that answers that.. went to tighten it down and it just stripped out.

time for a new oil pan.</TD></TR></TABLE>
better safe than havin your oil leaking down the road

36Chitownrunnin

make sure its coming from the drain plug by the looks of it , it isnt coming for the drain plug, its either coming for the gasket or its up higher, best way to look is try to get on a jack and take tire off pull back plastic wheel well, look along side of motor. if you are unsure of where its coming from get a couple cans of brake cleaner and spray the hell out of engine along side of the motor and wait couple of days and look under again. if oil coming from oil pan gasket its probally that but if little higher you might want to look into other things. also if you handy with tools you can rethread plug.

Kista20

my thoughts exactly, if it was leaking at the drain bolt where it is stamped engine oil on the pan would have oil there but it is too far off to the side for that to be it and since the bolt is stripped out go ahead and replace the pan then use a new gasket that might be it.

EJ8_Enthusiast

Yeah, I will get on that tomorrow.

Tell me this... last night was the first time since I had it (about a month) that I really hit a RPM over 4000... I revved it about to 5000 - 5500 in a couple gears and it seemed fine.

could that have maybe put some pressure on something causing it to leak?

well, first things first, I am going to try and clean it up and see where its coming from for sure.

slvrcvc93

Sorry but all you guys are blind thats not the plug. The plug is all the way on the other side of the engine what the hell are you guys looking at! thats the front seal a.k.a. the seal that is on the oil pump. Thats why its leaking so bad I hope you are a decent wrench its n easy fix seal is like 15 dollars from the dealer. There always a "but" tho you need to take the crank pully off with the timing belt so you can get to it.

Either that or the oil pan gasket is leaking entirely.

batallic

check the VTEC selenoid gasket

grandtheftlunchbox

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by batallic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">check the VTEC selenoid gasket</TD></TR></TABLE>

The VTEC solenoid gasket is NOWHERE near the area that it's leaking.

Looks to me like an oil pump/front main seal.

EJ8_Enthusiast

lets say it is front main seal... How would I 100% verify this? just like was mentioned, clean it up real good and let it drip?

I got some simple green and some brake clean, I plan to give me engine a nice cleaning tomorrow so maybe I will have a better idea then...

slvrcvc93

thats the best thing you can do then just turn on the car let it sit and just look for it if its that bad you should see it right away.

EJ8_Enthusiast

Since my oil plug was leaking, I put back on this piece of rigging that a lube shop used (before I got the car) - basically a wing-nut with a silicone stopper that tighten downs gripping the inside of the pan.

I am not leaking from there anymore that I can see, but now, as usual just "dripping" in the spot where the above picture shows the decent size collection of oil.

what would cause this one time seepage? confusing... anyways, thanks for the help and direction

EkFG

timing cover gasket !!!!need to replace seal

slvrcvc93

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EkFG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">timing cover gasket !!!!need to replace seal </TD></TR></TABLE> the gasket on the timing cover is to protect the belt there should be no fluid

EJ8_Enthusiast

whatever it is.. It has stopped without me changing anything besides the oil pan plug.

There may be a drip or two, but nothing resembling a heavy leak like I got that one time..

Is it possible that maybe my car sits at a slight angle and the plug was dripping and collecting on that corner of the pan?

I just don't understand how I could have such a large seepage one day out of the 30 or so I have had it.

Still have to clean the engine and pan real good, probably have to wait until the weekend though.

edit: when I have my car on jacks in the front, the side that collection was in is lower than the other side - if that is even a possibility (oil collecting on the corner from the plug).

sageuvagony

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EkFG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">timing cover gasket !!!!need to replace seal </TD></TR></TABLE>

EL Vap133

Make sure when you replace the oil pan you also get an oil pan gasket and install it right or the gasket will leak.

Mashimaro

iTrader: (1)

you might want to go the dealership and purchase some crush washers as well. they go on the drain bolt and squash when you tighten it down after draining the oil out.

mite only run you $0.50 each at the most.

Fatchance187

iTrader: (2)

YEah I buy about three oil filters at a time from the dealership and they usually throw in some crush washers for the drain plug

EJ8_Enthusiast

Okay - I replaced the oil pan plug that I bought since the threading was stripped with this which was on the car when I bought it.. its what lube shops use when the threading strips:



After seating it pretty well - I have not yet seen a drop of oil, in well over 6 hours.

Could it be the stripped thread was leaking so much (it was leaking bad) with my car sitting lower on the side of the engine where the accumulation was (from pic in first post of thread) , and just pooling in that corner and dripping?

I am just trying to see if I should just get the pan re-threaded or look for a new pan - I just want to know where that one time massive seepage came from and my best guess is that threading was shot and just eventually pushed the plug out from vibrations enough to finally cause that pool of oil.

sageuvagony

How much did you get that for? I need one for my girlfriend's Accord since her oil pan is stripped and her next oil change is coming up next week.

EJ8_Enthusiast

heh.. it was a freebie - it came with the car who's owner neglected to tell me of the cars problems.

this is only one of a few.. I still haven't gotten pictures up for the forums with a proper introduction. I don't want people to yell at me and say I got ripped off or point out the imperfections of my new (month old) civic.

but to answer your question, call a couple lube shops and ask if they have a ghetto rigged wing nut looking silicone tipped oil plug.

edit: that was not sarcasm, it was the best definition of what the hell that thing is I could think of after a couple beers. .

I paid for my last oil change when the last place I had one done said "you got some strange looking wing-nut for an oil plug, it might leak". the next day I bought some jacks and did my own inspection and oil change. its DIY for beginners for sure, but we all have to start somewhere.

Modified by EJ8_Enthusiast at 9:04 PM 8/21/2008


Modified by EJ8_Enthusiast at 9:05 PM 8/21/2008

EJ8_Enthusiast

just a quick update.. left it overnight, not a single drip of oil =D