Ok guys a little bit of a story but here it goes.

I've been a reader of the web site for a while but never really posted. So i get ldeas from you all then I do it. I the car all I have installed is a CAI, rotors and pads. That's about it. BUT I use every single HP avalible. Well a few weeks ago I was driving and got an engine light and had that read as VTEC sys. failure. (this was in PHILLy) they said I would be fine and I drove to VA. Well around the exit close to my house the oil light comes on. I take to the nearest gas station and fill it up with oil, 3.5 qts! ( i just had my oil changed 1 mth prior) Engine light still on I drove, I drove 2 more hours and took it to the shop. I checked my oil again and it was low again but not that much. The shop said that they could not find the oil leak and I would have to just drive on it for 1000 mi.(But the oil bolt was a little loose.) If it is low again then I would have to swap the engine or sell the ride. HE said the engine light came on due to the low oil. I only have 71 K on the engine. Oh yeah yesterday I check the oil and was ok, checked it today and it's below the min line. I didn't see any smoke from the engine or exhaust. no major oil pools either Does anybody have any ideas or am I screwed.

98 2.3 cl
bought 2.5 yrs ago
71,000 mi

 

no answer

but i have an oil leak too. it collects around the bolt for the oil pan, i brought it to a shop, they said it was fucking bone dry and not leaking, few days later still leaking need to bring it in.

 

u dont see any oil leak anywhere?

 

usually if its near the bolts....u might be missing a washer...those place that do ur oil change might sometime drop it and too lazy to even pick it up.

 

i think im leaking from the oil pan gasket. im at 160k on my engine




Panabodian, if you are losing that much oil, you have to be leaking.

 

i'm too embarassed to press my panic button. someone might actually hear that pitifull alarm sound.

 

maybe that's all it was

 

Panabodian, yeah i'm thinking the bolt was loose all the oil leaked out...u tighten it...drove..oil expanded...check the next day and it was lower cuz the oil sattled down.

Sloo97CL, yeah with 160K u gasket is probably harden and burnt.

 

i hope it's just an oil leakand can be fixed easily but i'don't know. I have seen anything. but I'm gonna place some paper under the car tonight and see if i can find anything. but I also have been smelling oil when when I have my ac on. It's not too storng , almost like it's from out side.

 

the cel (vtec fail) is definatly because of the low oil pressure. i would go to autozone and get another oil pan drain bolt. $5. then check the oil filter. u might wanna buy a new one as the one on there could have lost its seal and be the cause of all this crap better yet i would replace it anyways. also make sure u lube the seal of the new one or it will be a bitch for the next person to get it off. if that doesent stop the leak, then check the coolant system. check to see (with the car cold first thing in the am) if the resuvoir is full as hell if it is not then u can remove the radiator cap (when it is cold) and look inside the neck of the radiator. so it oil vapors will be on top of the cap. it will feel like there is vasaline on the cap.. if it is there then u have a blown head gasket,

 

yeah u'll smell it cuz its leaking and out and getting on something hot and ur AC is just pulling air from under the car to inside. check the oil plug bolt and make sure the oil filter is on tight.

 

It's not a lemon if you bought it 2.5 years ago and experiencing problems now.

 

exactly. low oil or oil pressure prevents vtec from working. so i would guess u have only one prob and that is an oil leak. hopefully it was just the oil bolt. i did have a oil leak from my distibutor seal 2 yrs ago. acura told me the same story. cant find anythign wrong and charged me 80. i came back two weeks later and said listen u stupid fucks
1. i found the damn leak its comming from distibutor
2. give me my 80 back
3. fix it under warrenty.

stupid idiots

 

i don't think it's the bolt cuz they retighted the bolt after they checked it out. now the oil filter and distributor seal are both good ideas. hey vxcl how much oil were you losing? anybody elase with magical disappearing oil stories? As for the lemon I also had to replace the rear caliper(leaking) and the window motor(broken). the rear caliper took 3 times to be fixed cuz stupid midas people are dumb fucks.

 

Ok first of all, make sure your checking it on a level surface and that you wait at least 5 min after the car is off to check the oil ( can make a huge difference ). Also, look in the radiator and check your hoses, ive heard that in some cases the oil can leak into the radiator some how

 

if it was loose it is because the metal seal needs to be replaced. accually ur supposed to replace the seal every time u change the oil. but hell i never do, unless the bolt gets really hard to remove or i see a drop of oil on the drain plug.

 

Check the service bulletins, to see if there was any that came out on this subject.

 

it was enough to make a small puddle under the car each time i park. like 2" diameter. not big enough to make the car undrivable though. lost about 1 qt a week.

 

check around your crank pulley. mine is leeking there and there is no sign of it because the motor is so hot it burns it before it gets to th ground

 

same problem. bought it in they said its "bone dry". "we cleaned it up", "should be fine"

next day same little 2 inch puddle of oil.

where is the distibutor seal?and where would it leak?

how much would this cost to fix?

thanks