Last sunday I changed the timing and balance belts on my 96 Accord. Its the 2.2 with No VTEC...so I think this makes it the F22?

Anyways....everything went good, I changed the belts, it runs great. Today my wife pointed out a pretty nasty oil leak I hadn't noticed. The car was about a quart low on oil and was leaking like a sieve. I'd put about 500 miles on it since sunday (we live pretty far out in the country and I have a 60 mile commute to work).

I put it up on the ramps in my garage, and I can't figure out where the oil is coming from. The majority of it looks like its coming out from between the block and the crank pulley.

Things I know:
The crank pulley bolt was an SOB to get out. took us like 2 hours to finally break it loose. When I tightened it back on, I put it on as hard as my big air ratchet would torque it. I don't have a torque wrench big enough for that application.

I used a block of wood to hold up the engine on the oil pan with a floor jack when I removed the motor mount. I thought at first maybe I'd cracked the oil pan or something, but I don't think the oil is coming from there, it looks like its coming down the side of the block from behind the crank pulley.

After putting it all back together, I had one rubber o-ring left. I THINK this was the o-ring that went around the timing belt tensioner and kept water out from the plastic cover. Or, am I sorely wrong and this went on the crank pulley bolt? I didn't use an o-ring when I put it back on...please please please tell me this is right, because I don't remember an o-ring on there when I took it off.

I took the top timing belt cover off, next to the valve cover and looked inside. I'd assume if it was a serious leak within the timing belt / balance belt area that the two belts would have been covered in oil. This wasn't the case, when I shown my shop light down in there they looked clean and still brand new, so if it is a leak in there, its sticking to oozing down the side of the block, in which case I can't believe I've lost a quart in 5 days!

Any ideas or things to check? I cleaned up the block really well with some paper towels, when I drive it to work tonight (I work thirds) I'm going to go out with a flash light and check it again to see if I see any more clues.

Could I have missed a seal or something when I did the timing belt change? Like I said, the only one I remember went between the plastic case and the tensioner adjuster.

Thanks!!!!!

 

To my novice ear, it sounds like you dislodged the crank seal or a balance shaft seal.

 

Is that bad? What do I do to check for that? How hard is it to fix?

 

Front balancer oil shaft seal, there is a kit that you could use to fix your issue.

 

What makes you think it is this?

Compared to changing those belts, how difficult is implementing the kits? I'd assume I'd have to take the balance pulley back off?

I'm fairly certain my car already had the recall, if thats what your referring to.

Could you post a link to the kit? I tried googling it and couldn't find anything.

Thanks!

 

ok, the breakdown... you've got four legitimate places that could be leaking (five but two are on top of each other), crankshaft seal, camshaft seal, front balance shaft seal and the o-ring type rear balance shaft seal (the fifth is inside the rear balance gear housing and doesn't usually get replaced unless it's damaged).

that spare o-ring you have is for the tensioner bolt and lower cover. you were right about that. it just keeps the cover from rubbing the outer belts.

the recall i think you're talking about is for the front balance seal. there's a retainer bracket that should be installed over the new seal because it has a tendancy to work itself loose over time.

describe your installation method for all the seals you put on. did you pre-grease all of the ID grooves? what did you use as a seal installer (deep-well socket, expensive honda tool, man hands...)? is it possible that the spring inside the seals could have popped loose while they were being installed?

i've had the crank seal on a V6 loose the spring while i was installing it (apparenly they are more prone to this than the four cyl.), and oil began puddling pretty quickly after first start up... i had to pull it all appart again and be careful when installing the second one.

 

I didn't install any seals. All I did was take the covers off, loosen the tensioner and replace both the belts.

I did however take it to a local shop and let them take a look. They said its either the crankshaft or balance shaft seal from where I described the oil coming from and will fix it for $100. I said SOLD!!

Its definately not the camshaft seal, like I said I took the top timing belt cover off and its dry everywhere I could see. I'd think if it was that seal, the belt would have been covered in oil.

 

I just did my 97 2.2 cl yesterday and it didn't have the front balance seal recall done yet with 188k on it, prob because it was a goodyear t belt that was on there so it didnt get its first t belt service at acura. To my surprise it wasn't leaking at all but I installed the retainer anyway. You can also do it without taking everything apart by sliding behind the lower cover. Theres a tsb on it somewhere around here. Btw I hate that f'in lower cover, what a nightmare that was.

 

I agree, the two hardest parts where getting the crankshaft bolt loose and taking that stupid cover off.

I also had a heck of a time with the timing belt until I realized the water pump pulley was shaped so it was the last one to have the belt slid onto it.

 

IMO the lower t-belt cover was 1000x worse than the crankshaft pulley bolt.

 

Hey Hondamark35

When you referred to the "o-ring type rear balance shaft seal" which part are you referring to? I have been tempted to replace part #8 in my pursuit of an annoying leak. Is that the part you are referring to?

 

That would indeed be the part he's referring to.

 

Is there something I should know before I pull part #2 to get at the o-ring? I've never done this particular part before.
I'll have the shaft locked up by the access hole in the rear but beside that are there any other things I should me mindful of?

 

There's a procedure to make sure the gears are aligned correctly when you pop that thing back on...I can't remember off the top of my head. I'd recommend picking up a Haynes manual; it'll have everything you need to know.

 

Just remember that the gear set inside that housing is helical, so when you are reinstalling, you'll have to twist the cog slightly to get the timing right.

 

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