OK, I've got this oil leak coming from the left side of the engine. Drove the car for about 5-6 months after going turbo before the oil streak started to show. Started of relatively slow at first then after i drove the car to work there'd be a lot, but it only showed after i turned the car off and it sat for about 10 minutes. So I bought a new head gasket and ARP head studs and had that put on. Still doing it. A week after getting a re-tune and driving it, we re-torqued the head studs back to 80ft/lbs this past Saturday. Sunday I sprayed the block down with brake cleaner and proceeded to put the engine through its paces. Hit triple mph digits, redline, etc and when i popped the hood, dry as a bone. Didn't drive the car no more than about 15 miles from home and every time over the weekend i popped the hood, still dry as a bone. Problem fixed? Nope. Drove to work this morning, which is about 30 miles or 40 minutes, and popped the hood when i got to work, still dry as a bone. Went inside for about 30 minutes, came back out and I see this...again



doesn't look like it's coming from the vtec solenoid, but i was advised that I do need to replace it and the cam seal, or the distributor. every time i have removed the distributor, it's been dry as a bone. So i'm at a loss here. Should i just replace the vtec solenoid gasket and cam seal to see if that fixes it? Could it still be the head gasket?

 

I would replace vtec and cam seal and hope that fixes the issue. If it doesn't I really do hole it's not the main seal.

 

When you replaced the HG, did you check to see if the head was warped, or if the deck was???

That leak sure looks like a HG leak, no oil on the head above the HG, so I can't see it being the distributor seal, vtec/cam seals. 94

 

I just posted a thread about my accord having a leak there too, different passage though:

https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-accord-1990-2002-2/91-accord-head-gasket-oil-leak-3100022/

 

don't think the head or block is warped b/c it was fine when i bought it. started to leak months after i went turbo. so i don't that would be the problem

 

Not thinking so does not make it so. 94

 

correct.
once your head was off you should of had the head checked.

i doubt your block would warp it's highly unlikly.

 

$5 says its your vtec solenoid gasket.

Why didn't you check that easy fix before a head gasket change??

Iv seen leaks worse than that and it was coming from the vtec solenoid!

Installing them can even get tricky, iv seen a brand new one put on and still leak cause they pinched the gasket when they installed the vtec solenoid. Just check that, if the oil is clean enough it wont even look like its leaking under the vtec solenoid.

 

WOULDNT the tranny be wet if it was the vtec solenoid?

I say its leaking from the head and block mating surface.
As stated above.


OP show us pics of under the dizzy

 

i had oil pooling up in this same exact spot. it turned out the be the cam seal. it would drip down and run into the webbing of the head, between the cam seal and the distributor, then collect between the head and the block seam, and drip on down to that same exact corner, making it look like a headgasket leak. Replace your cam seal first, thats a cheap first step, and its good to replace it anyways since the OEM seals are crap. by yourself a good 2-3 o-ring seal.

I'd replace the o-ring on the distributor also, as well as the solenoid gasket. Cheap attempts and dont hurt to replace them.

if these dont fix your problem, get your head and block checked for any warping.

good luck!

 

ok, lets say the head "is" warped. Wouldn't the oil leak be constant instead of 10-15 minutes after i shut the car off. and i can the the car back and forth to the store, beat on it, have my friends beat on it, and not a single drop appear until i drive about 30 or so miles. started off as just a couple drops and over the months became what i have pictured in the first post

someone on another forum said that spot is notorious for oil leaks and to add hondabond . either way i'd have to get a new headgasket and might as well check the head while i'm at it. but first i'll be trying the florescent dye to see if i can pinpoint exactly before i start spending money

 

It could be from the distributor assembly, it may be leaking where the bolt is and running straight back under the head and on to the "lip" of the HG and then towards to front along the HG "lip".

As mentioned, replace the distributor seal, [O ring] even if it is not the problem, it can't hurt.

Would not hurt to do the vtec solenoid seal also.

The UV dye is a very good idea. 94

 

thanks for all the help. the culprit was the vtec solenoid gasket

 

Good info for future Reference

 

A BEER TO YOU SIR

 

I also like the florescent dye idea. Not something I've ever thought of before, but I like it.