Hello all. My trusty 93 Accord has developed an oil leak from "somewhere" It's not coming from the engine seals. My mechanic put it on the hoist and checked it out. It's coming from somewhere around or behind where the air con compressor is, as well the alternator is there as well and very difficult to see around all the hoses and pipes and brackets. The oil is leaking from somewhere in that area and running down the engine and blowing back along the sump then dripping on the exhaust, hence an oil burning smell. Anyone know where this could be coming from? Thanks

 

If you don't see it from the valve cover, you might have to tear it down a little to get a closer look and inspect each section. In that area, you could possibly have head leak, a power steering leak (like under the reservoir or the hoses), oil pan, steering rack maybe, torn boots. If it's a disaster with fluid everywhere you might have to clean it all and then watch for where it starts from.

 

without pictures, best guess is front balance shaft seal and/or dipstick tube o-ring.

what's the mileage and when was the timing belt last changed? is this the only or most notable leak? what's the monthly oil usage (how much does the level go down on the dipstick)?

 

Thanks for the tips. I put the car up on a ramp and got underneath wit a strong torch. I couldn't see any new oil drips coming down from the upper part of the engine, say from around the oil switch, but it seems to have wet oil around the sump to engine join. I tightened up the 10ml bolts as best I could and they all seemed fairly tight. I took the manifold shroud off and I could see around the power steering pump and alternator a bit clearer, there is dried up oil and caked on grease though in that area but no new oil drips or runs that I could see. Apart from my post I don't know. I guess I need to steam clean the bottom of the engine to see properly

 

As annoying as some of the teardown can be, removing the alternator and pulling the power steering out of the way is really not too hard and might open up the area for further inspection. The comment about the dipstick tube is also a good area to look. Often, when I am cleaning up an old car, I just end up buying a lot of the common trouble areas of leaks (oil pan, manifold, dipstick, distributor ring, spark plug holes, etc) and just changing them because usually this takes me to the area that is leaking since I am getting all over the place under the car and the actual trouble spot appears.
Update as you work on it and lets see what the issue turns out to be. On a side note, it's always cool to me to see people working on their almost 30 year old car and that these are such survivors.

 

Yes it's a good old accord, drives smooth. I moved the power steering pump out of the way and took the alternator out. There is dried up oil and little bit of grease behind there but no obvious oil runs. It seems a bit oily and greasy around the bottom of the dipstick which is close to the oil pan join. Without proper cleaning I can't tell. The exhaust pipe comes down as 2 pipes and right at the back of the oil pan it goes to 1 pipe. Right at that section is where the oil is dripping down and giving me a burning smell inside

 

Sounds like oil pan or dipstick as said above by some else. I would just do some due diligence. At least not a power steering leak. Some gaskets and hopefully you are on your way.

 

Hello again. Still trying to identify the oil leak. Doesn't appear to be coming from the dipstick area. I just did a 600klm round trip and put it up on ramps. It didn't appear to bad, so I noticed oil on the side of the transmission next to the right wheel. So I pulled the battery out and the air filter box and the right engine mount. I could see a fair bit of oil on top of the transmission and coming from somewhere under the starter motor. Can anyone narrow this down? I'm including a photo.

 

If there is a leak on that side, it sounds like you have two oil leaks, because aren't we now talkign about the other side of the engine from the dipstick?

If it's on that side, valve cover leak check first, then distributor o ring leak next.

But what I also see in the picture is the trannsmission vent tube, could the transmission be overheating and burping up fluid through the vent tube?

When was the last time the transmission was serviced?

I would also look around down under there to see if the steering rack is leaking.

 

I removed the alternator and pushed the hydraulic pump out of the way and I cleaned the area. After a 300klm trip there was no oil around the dipstick. I did change the distributor oil ring about a year ago as it was leaking so the oil shown in the photo may left over from the distributor leak. In all the years I've had the car I have never cleaned the area in the photo, however, on the side of the transmission closest to the right wheel there appears to be oil coming from somewhere. Please see photo

 

Probably from the distributor. Nothing else in that area.

 

Since removing the engine mount and cleaning the area around the transmission tube. I checked again today and there was new oil in that area and I haven't driven the car since I cleaned it so I'm thinking how can this be? There is no leaks from the distributor or valve cover, so I may have to remove the starter to check again. Any ideas? Thanks.

 

A lot of oil can take some time to drip down when sitting. As a car cools, deals that might have been tight while hot open up when cold. And a very small weeping leak can take forver to appear.

 

You could be right when the car sits for awhile. So I decided to remove the starter motor because the leak is coming from somewhere under there. I removed the black air filter box for access and the top 14mm bolt but I cannot get onto the bottom one. A short extension is no good, I tried a 6 inch extension but can't get the ratchet on the end because the engine mount stud is in the way. I tried a 9 inch extension and no good either as it almost contacts the body, and short of puling the engine out to remove the starter does anyone have any ideas how to remove the bottom 14mm bolt? Thanks

 

It's been a long time, but I recall I took out the battery and what it sits on, and maybe some other stuff. But even after all that, I ended up borrowing a breaker bar and using a long extension because I couldn't break that bolt loose with usual toolbox stuff.

 

Thanks brakedrum. I've got a 3 inch extension but obviously too short and a 6 inch extension but I can't get the ratchet tool on the end because of the engine mount stud and then a 9 or 10 inch extension which is too long as it almost contacts the body work past the engine mount. I have a breaker bar but my big half inch drive ratchets are good enough if I can just get the extensions on the bolt head. Ididn't need to take the battery out but I removed the air filter components

 

Here is an update about the oil leak. I bought a 5 inch extension wobble bar and was able to remove the bottom 14mm bolt and removed the starter. If you can view the photo you can clearly see old hard oil and new oil. It's the new oil that concerns me as I don't know where it's coming from. I don't think there is oil in the starter hole. The old oil is maybe from the distributor but I changed the seal over a year ago and the valve cover is ok. You can see also new oil on the bottom lip of the starter hole. Where the bottom 14mm bolt hole is, is it possible that oil is running from around the corner from the bolt hole and running down to the bottom of the starter hole.

 

I'd check inside the distributor and see if it's leaking from the inside .

See here for pictures of the internal part to replace.
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-...-leak-2214402/

 

ok. Thanks for the link. It looks a bit different from my distributor. Is it the same as a 93 Accord? If it is leaking internally is it a visible leak if I take the cap off? Also how would it leak oil to the outside of the unit?

 

If it leaking internally, when you take the cap off there will be visible residue on the bottom inside of the cap. Honda, thankfully, made a provision in the cap for the oil to drain out, otherwise it would simply fill up. It shows up on the motor/trans about where the leak from the outside seal appears so it is hard to tell the difference from just looking at the leak.

 

while I had the starter out I checked the distributor cap and there was no oil inside it. So it's a mystery leak

 

Distributor has a drain slot in it, not the cap.
Oil can leak into the cap if the oil drain gets plugged or the internal seal completely fails and just dumps oil.
If you put your hand on the bottom of the distributor you will know real quick if it is leaking oil.
It will also only leak with the engine on, as the pump fills the galleries and the oil squirts out from the rockers, it fills the head up with a bath of oil. When the engine is off the oil will drain down.
On the AT starter it is easier to use really long extensions and have the ratchet behind the starter. I know you can see the bolts 'right there' but it is easier to have a long extension sneak in from the back.

 

hello. I checked the distributor cap and it's dry. I haven't driven it since I cleaned up the transmission. it's a mystery leak, I'll just have to check it once in awhile

 

Hello. I think all you guys may be right with your helpful tips regarding my mystery oil leak. I haven't driven the car for a few days and I decided to check inside the distributor cap and sure enough there was some oil in it, about where the bottom 8mm screw is. I know there is no hole in the cap so where does it actually leak from? There is also a seal inside somewhere. Is it difficult to change?

 

not really. Just make sure to mark the distributor so ti goes back correclty.

Not the same year, but here is someone who took it all apart so you get an idea.