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Serious oil leak/mystery gasket issues...help, please.

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Old Aug 7, 2011
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Serious oil leak/mystery gasket issues...help, please.

Got a 2002 Civic EX, 175,000+ miles

Just drove it a month ago on a 1,000 mile trip and when I got to my destination, I was a quart low on oil. Put some oil in it, and figured I was burning some, although I never had before. I haven't driven it lately, other than running to the store a few times. Checked oil today, and it was a quart low.

Slithered up underneath, and the thing has got one heck of a leak. I thought it was oil pan gasket, hence my post earlier.

However, after more inspecting, the gasket I thought was the fat piece on the end of the oil pan actually runs up higher and then turns back toward the niddle of the engine..

I also noticed that the bottom cover of the timing belt cover looks to be broken off, and I can see the timing belt and a gear of some sort.

What in the name of all that is good and holy have I destroyed...and what should I do to fix?

I'm trying to figure out how to post a picture...

Last edited by Smythley; Aug 7, 2011 at 11:14 PM.
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Old Aug 7, 2011
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Re: Serious oil leak/mystery gasket issues...help, please.

Trying picture...
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Old Aug 7, 2011
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Re: Serious oil leak/mystery gasket issues...help, please.

zoom out some, if you can. It's kinda hard to tell what I'm looking at. However, from your description, it seems as if that rubber gasket you're looking at is the lower timing belt cover gasket. It really doesn't seal stuff in, more to keep stuff out

as for the oil, I'm not sure where it's coming from. Assuming I'm in the right area, it could be a number of things: crank seal, camshaft seal, valve cover, head gasket, just to name a few
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Old Aug 7, 2011
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Re: Serious oil leak/mystery gasket issues...help, please.

The right side of the photo is the oil pan. Left side is the harm balancer.

Gasket seems to have blown out of somewhere? If the gasket was moved to the side you can see in timing belt cover. And cover appears to be broken. You can see belt and part of a gear

Any ideas?

Last edited by Smythley; Aug 7, 2011 at 11:09 PM. Reason: belt, not chain...
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Old Aug 7, 2011
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Re: Serious oil leak/mystery gasket issues...help, please.

well, I kinda figured I was looking at that..

And that gasket, like I mentioned, I'm almost positive its the gasket that goes between the block and the lower timing cover.

And for semantics' sake, you have a timing belt, not a chain.
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Old Aug 7, 2011
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Re: Serious oil leak/mystery gasket issues...help, please.

I appreciate it. I know its a belt, but I type chain every time...

I can't seem to find where any oil is coming out other than from the area I took a photooff. If its the lower timing belt cover gasket, that would mean something inside the cover was leaking, right? Or its coming from somewhere else and I'm not seeing it...
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Old Aug 8, 2011
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Re: Serious oil leak/mystery gasket issues...help, please.

I know it's kind of a cramped area to search around, but I'd take a small mirror with you next time you crawl under your car to try and search for the source.

edit: again, it's kinda hard to help pinpoint a leak, especially one that shows oil at that location. I remember when I was changing my camshaft, some oil spilled over the cylinder head and ended up in that same general area. That said, anything leaking oil can be anywhere from the oil pan to the valve cover.. It's just a matter of seeing how high you see oil, then zeroing in on it from there.
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Old Aug 19, 2011
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Re: Serious oil leak/mystery gasket issues...help, please.

Most likely it's the "front main seal" also known as the oil pump seal. This seal is behind the crankshaft pulley, and behind the metal gear that is behind that pulley. They all will leak eventually, and for whatever reason, seems to be a fairly common problem on the D series engines. If the seal wasn't replaced when the timing belt was done, then it needs to be done soon.

As far as the gasket you are seeing in the picture, it is the seal that is part of the lower timing belt cover.

Has the timing belt been changed ever before?
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