Oil Leak, where is it likely coming from?

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Old 01-06-2017, 04:01 AM
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Oil Leak, where is it likely coming from?

Just bought this car a week ago, https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-p...thread-953224/ , while doing an oil change I notice a pretty significant oil leak under there. I've read the our rear main seal is pretty common and also the oil pump seal. I am hoping my leak is not the rear main seal as my car is a 6m/t. I notice the front valve cover is leaking, so maybe this together with the oil pump seal? maybe? not sure where these oil leaks usually pools under the car. Here's a few pics I took. Just wanted to note that the oil pan was wet before I took these pictures.. I wiped them off then took the pic. Both sides of the oil pan was moist.








Front valve cover is leaking.. I am hoping this is where all the oil down below is coming from..






Here is a pic of the gearbox.. I took off the splash shield underneath, and it is dry. Seems like the transmission side is dry.







I did change the PCV since it looks like it was never changed and I read that a new pcv sometimes helps with oil leaks, etc..

Thanks in advance for your input!
Old 01-06-2017, 08:00 AM
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Change the valve seal first since it's def look like it's leaking; if the leak continue, then my guess would be the pump seal.
Old 01-06-2017, 08:16 AM
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In your case it doesnt appear to be the Rear main seal.
Which is good because the labor on a 10 dollar part is ridiculous.

I say its either the oil pump seal or oil drain bolt ( new washer perhaps )

The valve grommets wouldnt cause the oil to drip all the way down to the bottom like that. I do recommend changing them though..
Old 01-06-2017, 01:33 PM
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Originally Posted by MikeTC
Change the valve seal first since it's def look like it's leaking; if the leak continue, then my guess would be the pump seal.
That's what I thought , I will do the valve seal and also adjust valve lash while I'm at it. I can hear the valves during start-up, although I just put in Pennzoil Ultra 5w-30 and it seems to quiet it down a little bit. The TB/WP has not been done on this car, is it best to do the pump seal while doing the TB job? Thanks for the input.
Old 01-06-2017, 01:40 PM
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Old 01-06-2017, 01:41 PM
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Originally Posted by flyromeo3
In your case it doesnt appear to be the Rear main seal.
Which is good because the labor on a 10 dollar part is ridiculous.

I say its either the oil pump seal or oil drain bolt ( new washer perhaps )

The valve grommets wouldnt cause the oil to drip all the way down to the bottom like that. I do recommend changing them though..
Thanks. I was hoping to hear that it is not the rear main seal, I got concerned a little bit since I read it is such a big job for a $10 part. You maybe right about the drain bolt, when I did an oil change the other day, the bolt seems it was not torqued down at all, I put in a new washer and it is nice and not too tight but snug.

Previous owner's husband works for an Acura dealership down in Maryland, it seems like this car was not maintained well or perhaps he got screwed by his own dealership service department and the techs working there. Carfax shows that it is regularly maintained but even the air filter looks like it was not ever changed at all. I have not seen a dirtier oil filter in my life..

Old 01-09-2017, 01:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Si_jeff
I have not seen a dirtier oil filter in my life..
Neither have I, only that's an air filter !
.
Old 01-09-2017, 01:31 PM
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Lol.. ^^ edit.. "Air Filter" dang it
Old 05-18-2017, 11:41 AM
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Originally Posted by Si_jeff
Thanks. I was hoping to hear that it is not the rear main seal, I got concerned a little bit since I read it is such a big job for a $10 part. You maybe right about the drain bolt, when I did an oil change the other day, the bolt seems it was not torqued down at all, I put in a new washer and it is nice and not too tight but snug.

Previous owner's husband works for an Acura dealership down in Maryland, it seems like this car was not maintained well or perhaps he got screwed by his own dealership service department and the techs working there. Carfax shows that it is regularly maintained but even the air filter looks like it was not ever changed at all. I have not seen a dirtier oil filter in my life..

I have a few times. Not on mine, but on others when people come to me with their problems...

- One was a pilot for Southwest. It was his quad. Started shutting down on a guys trip. About 10 of us on the mountain and his started shutting down. He did not maintain his quad before leaving. He thought it was the sparkplug and was focused on that.
I roll up, steer him towards the air filter, and just shake my head...
- I stopped riding around him.

- On the last day, he blows out his caliper, when riding towards his trailer. Turns out he had metal to metal going on. He was lucky he did not kill someone. Idiot
Old 05-18-2017, 03:39 PM
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^^ Yep, can't stress enough about the simple maintenance that people neglect. Specially the air filter above, plus the car has been serviced by Acura ever since it was bought new.

Just to update the oil leak, we figured it out where it is coming from, it is from the oil pump gasket. I will get this fixed together with the TB/WP service.
Old 05-19-2017, 02:45 PM
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Thank you for the update on the oil pump gasket being the source.
I have two TL's - passing on to my young adult kids:
07TL - Leaking Rear Seal and indications that the Oil Pump is leaking along with a few other ones
05TL - Leaking Rear Seal.

My plan is to drop engine/trans of the 07, change all appropriate gaskets/hoses

Then rinse/repeat all of the same gaskets/hoses on the 05.

I think I'll also change the small trans filter. I think it is the 07 that can only be changed when separated from the engine.

Hope this does not happen to our very low mileage RL!




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