indecks

Hello everyone. Ive got a 2002 EX Civic that has a pesky oil leak that looks like it's starting to get a little worse. For the past few months I've dealt with it by checking the oil once a week (I dont drive all that much, live near work, etc). But lately, like the last week or so I can tell that the drips are getting larger.

I do my own oil changes, but I do them properly so the leak is not coming from the drain plug or the filter. I recently changed my valve cover gasket, cam plug and grommets so that is also not the problem. Also what confirms that for me is that the area on the block in the general vicinity is either still clean, or has obviously old grime/oil and it's no longer leaking.

I'm just wondering if there's a "usual suspect" type leak that would appear on an 02 EX Civic with 158k miles on it, so I can try to diagnose it that way. I want to take my car in to get looked at to find the leak (and maybe get the engine steam cleaned) but cost is a factor in my repair strategy at this point.

Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

TiggerDX

iTrader: (1)

Distributor and vtec solenoid. Sometimes the oil pressure sending unit.
Or in my case, the head gasket.

indecks

Thanks for the heads up, TiggerDX.

A buddy of mine mentioned that if it was my head gasket, it'd be experiencing a loss in pressure that would affect driving. I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary though. Did you experience that with your problem?

ezone

The head gasket won't normally leak oil, and an 02 doesn't have a distributor.


Where are you finding oil? Follow the trail to the source.
Clean it all off if you have to, spotless. Then spray white powder (talc, Right Guard) all over the area, it will help to show hard-to-find leaks.

VTEC gaskets are real common at that mileage. There are 2 to replace, and you have to go back a few years to locate one of the gaskets as it's not listed in the dealer parts catalog for that year car.

indecks

Thanks ezone. I was looking around (as much as I could) at my engine w/out jacking up the car today and it looks like it could be coming from the oil pan, all around. But I'm not 100% sure of course. I have to get under the car and take a better look but from what I remember from the last time I changed my oil (about 2 months ago) it looks like some of the oil was streaking from the "front" of the oil pan. It got over some of the bracing under there, all over the place. But it looks as if its origin point (at least most of it anyway) is from somewhere in front of the oil pan.

I figured I could at least try replacing the oil pan gasket and see if it works. If it stops the leak - awesome. If it doesn't, well, it was $20-$40, a six pack and a couple hours under the car, lol.

TiggerDX

iTrader: (1)

I did not notice any driving issues. It was a pin hole in the back of the head gasket. Had probably been leaking a couple of years when I got the car.
I thought it was the oil pan gasket and replaced it 3 times thinking I was messing it up. Finally found the leak in the back shooting oil against the fire wall.
Like Ezone said, not a likely source, but something to check if everything else checks out OK.

indecks

I got under the car this morning to look around and it looks like some of the oil might be coming from the oil pan gasket, which is kinda sorta good news. I'll look into getting it replaced hopefully in the next week or so. I'm unfortunately still dealing with my other alternator issue.

As for that, I figure I'm going to have to get a new bracket and bolt. But what irritates me so much about it is that just to get to the dang bracket, I'm going to have to remove an engine mount, the valve cover which will likely ruin the new gasket I put in there somewhat recently as well as some of the timing cover stuff. Jesus, just to replace a $40 bracket. What were these Honda engineers thinking when they designed the alternator mounting system!

edit: BTW, thanks for the tip TiggerDX. I'll keep that in mind when replacing the pan gasket.

ezone

If it is fairly new, it'll be ok. As long as the rubber is still pliable and not hardened from heat, they reseal just fine for me.