E39

Noticed that my oil pan is covered with what seems like motor oil. I've pretty much ruled out that it is the bolt and washer as even the the top of the pan is wet. It seems like the oil is leaking from the passenger side. What could be the culprit? As far as I know our cars don't have a rubber oil pan gasket but instead use Honda bond or something like that correct? Can that leak? How can one diagnose if it is the oil pump? I know that can be a issue for these cars. If it is something like the oil pump gasket would using a high mileage oil that conditions seals help? Car has about 150k miles.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

could be oil pump gasket. and the best remedy would be fixing the problem by replacing the gasket.
if you try to use a thicker oil or a high mileage oil, you're NOT fixing the problem. it MIGHT delay the leak, but the leak will always be there. and that's not how you fix things.

quantum7

My car developed an oil pump leak which produced a thin layer of oil on the pan and a slight burn smell when running but stopped.
Acura dealership wanted $1600 to fix (and $95 to diagnose the problem, after they told me what the problem was...I said no thanks). Since the leak only produces a very small amount of oil loss between changes (no oil drips onto my garage floor and I never have to add any oil between changes), I decided to let it be. That was almost 4 years ago and over 100,000 miles. So go ahead and find the source, but if it is only a small amount of oil and not a threat to damage the engine, just leave it along and save some significant $$$.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

I believe mine is leaking from the oil pump as well. (cant really find the source, because it only leaks after I drive.) sitting stationary, no leaks.
but the car isnt starving for oil, as it's like 1 drop of oil. like not even a teaspoon.

E39

How does one go about diagnosing if its the oil pump or not? Don't things have to come off?

Do our pans ever leak because of Honda bond wearing out?

Could it be the oil filter gasket even if the oil filter and housing are dry? No right?

Jackass

Conventional or Synthetic shouldn't matter. I have switched back and forth in multiple cars over the years with no issues.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

I'm not sure where you got that, but you have our permission to tell whom ever said such a thing they're full of crap. There have been literally millions of J-Series engines run for, I don't know, billions of miles on synthetic oil without a single leak. I have just two of them, a J30 and a J32; both have been run exclusively with synthetic oil since I purchased them (both used with 114,000 miles on the clock), and neither has leaked a single drop.

truonghthe

This is by far the most BS I ever heard, its like my blinker fluid is low again. I used conventional, synthetic blend and full Synthetic with numerous brand such as Castro, Valvoline, Acura dealer oil, Royal Purple and Mobil 1. I never had a oil leak issue, but I also replaced the PVC valve around 70k miles mark (I hope this help). I bought the car at 58k miles and now has 117k miles still with ZERO oil leak.

To answer your question about the leak relation with Synthetic oil, first synthetic oil has slight if not different property than conventional. The flow property and leaving a thin coating property probably different as well. My theory is that your seal has crack but the crack not large enough for seeping out conventional oil, however when synthetic being used and the extra protection property they has can goes through small cracks. which makes the people believe that synthetic oil causing the leak.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Hey, not nice; I spend the extra money and buy only Full Synthetic Group VIII Blinker Fluid.

truonghthe

Does it matter if I buy from Autozone or Advance Auto brand? but I heard dealer one has lifetime warranty.

SteveBean

I had the same problem. It was the figure-8 gasket on the inside of the oil pump. My 07 TL Type S has only 104,000 miles on it. Using information from this forum, I did the job myself. The two biggest challenges for me were: 1) getting the crank shaft bolt off (I had to use a 6-foot cheater bar! Also, I shattered the flywheel getting the bolt off!), and 2) properly setting the new gasket and getting it back on the engine without smearing gasket resin everywhere. I watched a great Youtube video at that was *very* helpful. I also did five or six dry runs with my daughter holding the oil pump from above and me down below before we put the gasket on and did it for real.

Here are two photos of the original leak and the oil pump after I had taken it off the car. You can see the figure-8 gasket is by the screwdriver in the lower left of the picture. Good luck!
That's a pretty bad leak!
Here's the disassembled oil pump.

quantum7

I know my limits, but great job! And thanks for the video....wish that it only took 9 minutes in real - life.

thoiboi

Check out that compliance bushing. It looks a bit torn to me

SteveBean

Thanks, ThoiBoi. It's probably time for a suspension overhaul.... Sigh. By the way, I'm very new here. How do you "thank" someone? Is there something you click on?

thoiboi

There's a "thanks" button on the bottom right of each post

(on desktop site)

StealthTL-S

Sorry yours is leaking oil. My car has about the same miles as you. My main oil seal Leaking , Honda wants $1,200.00 to repair.

E39

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Speaking of the rear main seal, I've never been inside a J-Series engine, do any of y'all know if, while doing a clutch replacement (mine will likely happen in the next couple of months), the rear main seal is easily accessible?

truonghthe

You have to remove the flywheel as well, in your case its MT so if you replace the fly wheel then yes I would get the rear main done at the same time.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for. I have already purchased a new dual mass LUK flywheel, so I might just as well do the rear main at the same time.

E39

You guys think something like blue devil oil stop leak would do anything for a oil pump seal leak?

thoiboi

If youre sure its an oil pump leak, you should just replace it the next time you do the timing belt job and just top her off until then. Leak stopper products always fo more harm than good.

if you’re going to try and fix it, do it right or don’t do it at all

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Just say, "No".

E39

What about a 40wt oil to try and slow the leak? Would a 40wt be okay with j35 tolerances and/or vtec functionality? Or would the higher oil pressure from the 40wt just be counterproductive in slowing a leak?

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Even if you put in the 10W-60 BMW uses for some of it's M cars, it wouldn't slow the leak.

E39

What about in terms of tolerances and VTEC? If there’s nothing lose might as well try a 40wt next oil change.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

We certainly cannot tell you not to do it, but there is literally a 0% chance a 0W-40, 5W-40, or 10W-40 will help stem the leak.

E39

So all the anecdotes of a thicker oil slowing leaks are just myths?

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Exactly.

Jackass

I've never heard of thicker oil slowing a leak. I have heard of it slowing it being burned or helping on a very worn engine to help maintain pressure due to internal oil flow losses (worn bearings, etc).

Pretty sure most of us have chimed in with similar guidance. What comes next is all up to you on what you are willing to try.

E39

Do our oil pans ever leak? From what I know our oil pans don’t have the traditional gasket and instead use hondabond correct? Does that ever leak?

thoiboi

everything leaks eventually..