I was standing behind my Civic today putting on a bike rack, and it felt like there were a few raindrops hitting my legs. I looked down at my exhaust, since that was the only thing blowing on me at the time. I put my hand in front of it and noticed that these small black specs started accumulating on my hand. I'm assuming that it's oil. Engine is not smoking at all. My engine is not losing oil at any significant rate..I add about a cup or two worth every few fuel fill-ups..and go through about a quart or so between oil changes.

I had recently replaced my radiator and thought maybe this could be the beginning stages of a head gasket leak. I never let the vehicle overheat, and the radiator had just had a small pin-hole leak at one of the seams. I never let the fluid get low or anything like that. I checked the radiator fluid, and that is fine. No loss of power on acceleration or while driving normally. I do not think it is the head gasket at this point, but I guess a wet/dry compression test could rule that out completely.

I just wanted to know if this is a symptom of my engine burning a small bit of oil, or if this could be the calm before the storm, so-to-speak. I never noticed it until now, so it could have been happening for quite some time and I wouldn't have known.

Car is a '97 Civic LX with a D16Y7 motor, if that makes any difference.

 

Leakdown test is your next step. Since it's oil, it's either a head gasket, valve seals, or oil rings. A leakdown will help you pinpoint it.

 

I trust there's a CAT on the car ? and it's not running rich ? my gsr does that except it's just the normal little bit of water in the exhaust mixing with the excessive ash from not having a cat on. is your back bumper all "sooty" ?

 

It does have a cat on it - I replaced it a year ago when I got the car (151k) and now it has around 187k. I do not believe it's running rich - no CEL on or anything like that. I'll investigate this leakdown test and see if it's something I think I can do myself. I don't want to tear into my engine unless this is a problem that actually needs fixing - like it is, it's driving fine and not giving me other troubles, so as long as I keep the oil topped I should be okay, right? The rear bumper is not sooty at all, actually. There is a nice layer of carbon built up around the exhaust tip, though.

 

It sounds like carbon build up just coming out in the condensation of the exhaust. Most of my older cars have done or still do that every time its cold enough outside for the condensation to collect into water drops. If it's for sure oil do the leak down test and you'll probably be in for some new rings or a gasket of sorts.

 

If it was in fact oil being shot out of your exhaust, the rate of consumption would be MUCH greater than a quart every oil change. It would be more like a quart every 500 miles. Sounds like carbon/condensation mix. you will survive.