Saw a ton of oil on the ground near the passenger side leaking off the auto transmission. Opened up the hood and oil is on the front portior of the valve cover, oil has settled in the grooves of the motor behind the exhaust manifold, right below where the VC gasket is.

The VC gasket was replaced maybe 5-6K miles ago. I have noticed the transmission casing has been saturated with oil over the past year or so and I have not addressed it.

What seals on the front of the motor may have failed me? I am wondering if it is all because of that little O ring where the distributor makes contact with the head.

Any thoughts?? Car has 232K on it

 

Pic's are always good....thoughts, dist o-ring, dist seal or the VC gasket isn't sealed all the way. Does it seem like it is under the dist and dripping down and around that area?

 

oh man becareful, oil near the exhaust is dangerous, could ignite!...could be valve cover gasket or dist ring seal! good luck!

 

The VCG was leaking, small crack/tear in it near the passenger side front. I replaced it, cleaned off the motor yesterday, and checked today, and the problem is fixed. BUT... the transmission casing is again saturated with oil.

The distributor is a re-man unit that I purchased maybe 3 years ago. I took the dizzy off today, and it looks like there is just one O ring that connects to the end of the camshaft? There is a larger one that looks like it should seal the housing, this doesn't look dried or cracked or anything, but I assume this is the problem. Can I get one at Advance or do I need to go to Honda tomorrow?

Anything else that could leak on the transmission?

 

It's called a distributor o-ring. I normally can't get that at Kragen or Autozone, but some performance stores will stock it. Obviously you can get it from the dealer. Those things go bad often as they dry up which makes them smaller allowing oil to get by. When you put the new one on just roll it over the distibutor shaft.

 

And a light coat of fesh oil on the new one will help it as well. Assumed but wanted to be sure.

 

There is also an internal seal on the shaft that can go bad. Check that one as well.