oil leak from exhaust manifold gasket
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Tucson, AZ, USA
oil leak from exhaust manifold gasket
Hi, ( I posted in the Accord section but not to many replies, maybe this area is more appropriate)
I hope someone can help me. I just installed a Gude head package (ported-head,intake manifold, throttle body, anc cam). I used all new gaskets for all assemblies including the ex. manifold. The leak appears only when the engine is running, the higher the rpm the more it leaks. It is percolating up from the top-center of the ex. manifold gasket. It is a slow leak but you can see a bubble now and then if you watch the engine run at idle. There is no smoke anywhere, not even first start-up in the morning. I don't think it is gas becuase it does not evaporate. My guess is that I have bad exhaust valve stem seals because this would explain the lack of smoke in the exhaust (ie: the oil leaks during the exhaust valve opening so it is immediately sent out to the manifold with the hot gases) but this is only a guess. I don't see any oil leaks from the valve cover gasket and I don't see any steam in the exhaust (coolant entering the combustion chamber via a bad head gasket). The car seems to run fine but the oil is coming from a place that I have never seen oil leak from before! Any and all suggestions are welcome.
I hope someone can help me. I just installed a Gude head package (ported-head,intake manifold, throttle body, anc cam). I used all new gaskets for all assemblies including the ex. manifold. The leak appears only when the engine is running, the higher the rpm the more it leaks. It is percolating up from the top-center of the ex. manifold gasket. It is a slow leak but you can see a bubble now and then if you watch the engine run at idle. There is no smoke anywhere, not even first start-up in the morning. I don't think it is gas becuase it does not evaporate. My guess is that I have bad exhaust valve stem seals because this would explain the lack of smoke in the exhaust (ie: the oil leaks during the exhaust valve opening so it is immediately sent out to the manifold with the hot gases) but this is only a guess. I don't see any oil leaks from the valve cover gasket and I don't see any steam in the exhaust (coolant entering the combustion chamber via a bad head gasket). The car seems to run fine but the oil is coming from a place that I have never seen oil leak from before! Any and all suggestions are welcome.
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 0
From: VA
Re: oil leak from exhaust manifold gasket (rustyeleio)
i think you answered your own question. valve stem seal. take of the exhaust manifold and check out that exhaust port, if there is oil in the port...time for new valve seals 
Honda-Tech Member
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,828
Likes: 1
From: Woodbridge, NJ, Middlesex
Re: oil leak from exhaust manifold gasket (rustyeleio)
yeah could be exh side seals, but triple check VC gasket around that area, it prolly just happens to leak then lodge near the EXH gasket ...
greg
greg
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 4,518
Likes: 1
From: 909 all motor mafia,, CA, USA
Re: oil leak from exhaust manifold gasket (rustyeleio)
BACK TO TOP!! lol
Strange but I am having the same problem! This is on a D15B in an 88 civic. The car had a bad oil leak and the whole front of the block was covered with oil - at first I thought the leak was coming from the valve cover gasket so I cleaned the whole front of the block thoroughly and redid the VC gasket with some Hondabond. I drove the car a little and it doesn't seem like the oil is leaking from the VC gasket, it seems to be bubbling up directly from around the exhaust gasket...
I went back out to take a picture and there was a lot less oil in there than was there just after driving the car. Still, in the pic you can see the puddle of oil filling the space between the front of the head and the protruding edge of the exhaust gasket. Note that the front of the head above the oil puddle is clean, which makes me think that this oil didn't drip down from the valve cover gasket:
Modified by revolt_allmotor at 10:03 AM 11/13/2005
Strange but I am having the same problem! This is on a D15B in an 88 civic. The car had a bad oil leak and the whole front of the block was covered with oil - at first I thought the leak was coming from the valve cover gasket so I cleaned the whole front of the block thoroughly and redid the VC gasket with some Hondabond. I drove the car a little and it doesn't seem like the oil is leaking from the VC gasket, it seems to be bubbling up directly from around the exhaust gasket...
I went back out to take a picture and there was a lot less oil in there than was there just after driving the car. Still, in the pic you can see the puddle of oil filling the space between the front of the head and the protruding edge of the exhaust gasket. Note that the front of the head above the oil puddle is clean, which makes me think that this oil didn't drip down from the valve cover gasket:
Modified by revolt_allmotor at 10:03 AM 11/13/2005
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,237
Likes: 0
From: USA
Re: oil leak from exhaust manifold gasket (revolt_allmotor)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by revolt_allmotor »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">BACK TO TOP!! lol
Strange but I am having the same problem! This is on a D15B in an 88 civic. The car had a bad oil leak and the whole front of the block was covered with oil - at first I thought the leak was coming from the valve cover gasket so I cleaned the whole front of the block thoroughly and redid the VC gasket with some Hondabond. I drove the car a little and it doesn't seem like the oil is leaking from the VC gasket, it seems to be bubbling up directly from around the exhaust gasket...
I went back out to take a picture and there was a lot less oil in there than was there just after driving the car. Still, in the pic you can see the puddle of oil filling the space between the front of the head and the protruding edge of the exhaust gasket. Note that the front of the head above the oil puddle is clean, which makes me think that this oil didn't drip down from the valve cover gasket:
Modified by revolt_allmotor at 10:03 AM 11/13/2005</TD></TR></TABLE>
Back from the dead, having the same issue with a d15 motor in an EG, and it's definately not the VC gasket that's leaking. Did you confirm it was the exhaust valve seals. Makes sense, just wanted to confirm before I go and buy a cylinder head.
Strange but I am having the same problem! This is on a D15B in an 88 civic. The car had a bad oil leak and the whole front of the block was covered with oil - at first I thought the leak was coming from the valve cover gasket so I cleaned the whole front of the block thoroughly and redid the VC gasket with some Hondabond. I drove the car a little and it doesn't seem like the oil is leaking from the VC gasket, it seems to be bubbling up directly from around the exhaust gasket...
I went back out to take a picture and there was a lot less oil in there than was there just after driving the car. Still, in the pic you can see the puddle of oil filling the space between the front of the head and the protruding edge of the exhaust gasket. Note that the front of the head above the oil puddle is clean, which makes me think that this oil didn't drip down from the valve cover gasket:
Modified by revolt_allmotor at 10:03 AM 11/13/2005</TD></TR></TABLE>
Back from the dead, having the same issue with a d15 motor in an EG, and it's definately not the VC gasket that's leaking. Did you confirm it was the exhaust valve seals. Makes sense, just wanted to confirm before I go and buy a cylinder head.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
tgordenDELSOL
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
2
Sep 21, 2014 01:51 PM
hybrid1990crx
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
10
Aug 3, 2005 10:38 PM
