Name that oil leak...

[Moto]

I have a very slow leak on the passenger front side of the engine (I think).

I think it only leaks while the engine is running. When I park I get a few drops on the floor, but never much. Oil spot size does not seem to depend on how long I let the car sit. Oil level has been flat. I haven't added any oil on this change and it is still full.

I replaced the valve cover gasket awhile back because it was seeping a little. The only think I can think is maybe camshaft seals are leaking. I think the timing belt was done around 80k and the car has around 126k on it now.


Looking Down

http://www.wihandyman.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=67767&d=1465784086

Looking up from under the car (shield removed)

http://www.wihandyman.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=67768&d=1465784112

Looking down from above.

http://www.wihandyman.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=67769&d=1465784132

Lighting wasn't good enough to show much but at least you can see where I was trying to look (sort of).

Anyone else have anything it could be? I do see that the oil pressure sensor and knock sensor have a small seeps, but they do not look like the source of the problem as the oil would likely drip down the back of the engine and have no path to end up on the front.

I apologize if this has already been answered. I wasn't able to find it in search, and I can only see a few threads in this section for some reason. (Maybe it's because I'm new)
Thanks.

[SgtRauksauff]

tiny oil leaks are really hard to find sometimes. The best way that I've found, is to clean the snot out of the engine, so you have a blank slate to start with to see where the oil is coming from. Lately, I've just sprayed down the bay with simple green, and washed it off with a hose, repeat as necessary until it's clean.

good luck!

[jay92gt]

Check your VC gasket. It's probably leaking into the timing covers and all over your belt.


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[vw.fe2o3]

Check the torque on the VC bolts. I replaced my gasket when I did the timing belt and saw a little seeping along the edge a few months later. Checking the torque revealed a few of them barely finger tight.
When you replaced your gasket, did you add the little drops of silicon gasket per procedure in those corners where the cams run through? I've had leaks there before where I used the wrong stuff and it failed.

[Moto]

I torqued the bolts down a few weeks after I did the job.

I did add the silicone gasket in the corners. I think the gasket maker might have been a little on the old side, but it was RTV black. It shouldn't be leaking that quick. I might pull the valve cover back off in the next couple of days, and look to see how bad things are. I have a feeling i'll get to do the timing belt. Oh well, such is life.

The first time the timing belt was done my dad did it as I hadn't really learned how to wrench on stuff. I have since owned a saab 92x aero (saabaru 2005 WRX) from rust country and.... if you don't learn how to wrench those don't live very long.

It is a bit early for a timing belt kit, but I might do everything again while i'm in there. I think the pulleys and water pump have around 50k miles on them. I'm thinking the kit I got the first time did not have camshaft seals.

We'll see. I mostly use the Mazda for running around town. Luckily, it isn't the only car available, but it is a lot more economical to run... and feels faster even though the turbo mom car blows it out of the water. Since it is a non interference engine I'm inclined to clean it up, stop the leak and see what happens.

[irishkev90]

Don't be so quick to dismiss the oil pressure sensor on the back. I had oil dripping off the front of my engine only when the car was running, cleaned the crap off the engine and noticed the oil leaking from the oil pressure sensor on the back, down the engine, along the edge of the oil pan and around the front where it was dripping off. I'm not saying that is your problem, but it's worth checking.

[Moto]

Not what I was expting...



T-Belt is looking OK. Very little oil made it in there.

I'm wondering if it was just the seems. Used some Honda bond when I put it back together this time. We'll see if that did anything.

I just pulled the valve cover gasket on a Corolla yesterday day. I'm definitely sold on regular oil changes with Pennzoil Platinum. I've run PP in this car since about 40K miles. Has 120+ now

My engine looks new inside relative to her car.

I had to soak her valve cover in hot water and degreaser to even get so you could see metal. (I was worried it was plugged in the top pluming part of the valve cover) I was too crabby to take pictures while I worked on her car.

[jay92gt]

Honda bond can seal anything


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[farcryNZ]

Bumping an old thred, which one is the oil pressure sender?
From reading the one next to it is the knock sensor, but which is which?

Thanks



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