Slow, hard to trace oil leak

ATR84 · Post by **ATR84** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 12:43 pm

My Type S has had an oil leak since import from Torque GT last year. Torque thought it was coming from the rocker cover gasket so they changed it before I picked the car up, I thought nothing more of it. A few weeks later I noticed a few oil spots on my garage floor, so the car went to TGM Motorsport in Fleet (Torque send warranty work through TGM for people that are not too far from TGM). Torque changed the rocker cover gasket again and the cam end oil seal on the dizzy side of the block. Again, I assumed all fixed but again, a few weeks later I noticed more spots on the garage floor. So, off to TGM I went again on Saturday. They get the car up on the ramp, and there is oil under the gearbox and the engine, not loads but enough. They cleaned it all off properly and let the car run for a bit while we intently watched under the car to see where it was coming from. Nothing. I went for a drive, came back, put it back on the ramp, still nothing. They/we checked the top of the engine as well, nothing. TGM advised to keep an eye on it and run some engine stop leak stuff through it. So, I drove it the 50 miles home, parked it up in the garage and got under the car with a torch as best I could, still nothing. I checked again Sunday and still nothing. There has definitely been a leak from the rocker cover and cam end oil seal in the past as you can see where it was. I did think it was possible the old oil was not cleaned up properly after the rocker cover gasket and cam end oil seal was done, and maybe what I was seeing on my garage floor was just the remnants of that, although I think that it too much to hope for to be honest. I fully expect to find a drip on my garage floor in the coming days, as I said this is a slow leak. Has anyone got any tips or advice on how to find where this oil is coming from? I also assume running the engine stop leak stuff is not the best idea? Sounds like it expands all the seals, but this can't be a long term fix surely?! I would just take it to Performance Autoworks but the car is still under warranty and I don't want to pay out for an issue Torque GT have already agreed to shell out for via TGM. Tom at TGM has worked on Honda's all his life, if he can't find the leak not sure who will be able to

Scott560 · Post by **Scott560** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 3:14 pm

If you can get a picture that might help.

Common leak is the large o ring behind the oil cooler / coolant heat exchanger.

Also, check no one filled it up sloppily, and left a pool of oil on top of the intake manifold, sitting in between runners 1 and 2, I've seen a little pooled up here before on my old car when I didn't use a funnel.

Only other place I've seen it is the vtec solenoid, leaks in a similar place to the cam seal.

Only thing to do is keep as you are, keep cleaning it off and re-checking, eventually it will become evident where its coming from. Be aware oil could be pooling somewhere, and only drip off of a ledge when at an angle or heavy braking / accelerating...

ATR84 · Post by **ATR84** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 3:27 pm

Scott560 wrote: ↑
Mon Mar 18, 2019 3:14 pm
If you can get a picture that might help.

Common leak is the large o ring behind the oil cooler / coolant heat exchanger.

Also, check no one filled it up sloppily, and left a pool of oil on top of the intake manifold, sitting in between runners 1 and 2, I've seen a little pooled up here before on my old car when I didn't use a funnel.

Only other place I've seen it is the vtec solenoid, leaks in a similar place to the cam seal.

Only thing to do is keep as you are, keep cleaning it off and re-checking, eventually it will become evident where its coming from. Be aware oil could be pooling somewhere, and only drip off of a ledge when at an angle or heavy braking / accelerating...

Thanks Scott, I will continue to monitor. The problem is when it comes back I will drive it to TGM which is 50 miles and this just moves any oil that has leaked about and then you are unable to trace it. I will have to try and trace it myself which is hard when you don't have a ramp or a pit.

I have been all round the engine bay several times with a torch looking for a pool or trail of oil and can't find any. Beginning to think it is actually leaking out of the bottom somewhere. Gearbox? Or that housing between the gearbox and the engine?

Scott560 · Post by **Scott560** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 4:49 pm

there is of course the rear crank seal in between the gearbox and block. Normally there is a small opening at the bottom of the gearbox where it meets the block, could it be leaking from here directly to the ground, but once in motion is being blown all over the shop?

A piece of large paper with some marks drawn out where the car rests migh help.

Also, oil is mostly likely to leak out once the oil is hotter and thinner - leave it idling with the aircon/blower/heater off after a good drive can also help show leaking oil.

I was able to successfully trace an oil leak by using a weedkiller sprayer (big 5 litre one with a wand type sprayer/pump) filled with 'Gunk' , sprayed that one, washed off with mist of water from compressor attachment, engine was spotless, really helped me trace an oil leak...

Post by **vanzep** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:02 pm

Its all here in this link courtesy of Prelude Power Forum
https://www.preludepower.com/forums/sho ... p?t=337508

Max · Post by **Max** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 7:02 pm

I just replaced the o'ring behind the oil cooler on my type s but haven't had a chance to check if its still leaking anywhere, definitely the next place id look. Behind that there is a sort of bracket that re positions the oil cooler and filter up at an angle (to clear the ATTS) and behind that bracket is yet another oil seal so that could also be considered a culprit. Have a look at the diagrams on jp car parts and you'll see what i mean.

ATR84 · Post by **ATR84** » Tue Mar 19, 2019 8:46 am

Thanks all.

I am hoping it is not the rear crank seal as it will mean a lot of labour time, having said that, I am not paying for it so not the end of the world. I could just do without leaving my car with TGM again. I have been keeping an eye on that hole that you mentioned Scott as TGM also mentioned it could be coming from there, but as I said when observing under there it seemed dry. I checked the garage floor again last night, nothing, and no drips hanging down waiting to drop either.

Thanks for the link vanzep and thanks for the info Max, I think the leak is deffo coming from somewhere on the dizzy side of the block so could well be the oil cooler O ring.

ATR84 · Post by **ATR84** » Tue Mar 19, 2019 1:58 pm

vanzep wrote: ↑
Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:02 pm
Its all here in this link courtesy of Prelude Power Forum
https://www.preludepower.com/forums/sho ... p?t=337508

Do you know if these part numbers are the same in the UK?

YouTube · Post by **Sailor** » Thu Mar 21, 2019 12:38 am

Distributor seal?

ATR84 · Post by **ATR84** » Thu Mar 21, 2019 8:40 am

Sailor wrote: ↑
Thu Mar 21, 2019 12:38 am
Distributor seal?

I can't see anything coming from around the Dizzy, where is it coming from?