I read this...

https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/for...ad.php?t=30247

...with interest because it describes a problem I am having with my recently-purchased '89 Honda Accord LX-i with 135k.

At the time of purchase, the broker informed me that the car needed a new valve cover and gasket. I saw the original one. Subsequently, he had it replaced by the mechanic he uses and I drove the car away.

He told me I might smell a little oil at first but that after a while it should go away.

Unfortunately, I am still smelling burning oil in the cabin and outside, as well. I have put less than 500 miles on the car and put an entire quart of 10W30 in today.

I have NOT noticed any blue smoke coming from my tail pipe...the burning seems to be isolated to the engine. This leads me to believe that the oil isn't getting into my injectors.

Should I be worried about a leaky head gasket, or valve problems?

I am not a mechanic and am wondering if anyone knows a person who can fix Hondas with no bull and for cheap in the Portland area. I am sick and tired of being played for a fool.

Thanks in advance!

 

There's a tremendous amount of differences between 1989 & 1998 Accords. But the basics of disappearing oil are pretty much the same. You (or some shop) is going to have to figure out where it's going. Take that thread (& others like it) for general information. But realize there's dozens of places for oil to leak out, and nobody can guarantee your leak is the same has his.

I don't live anywhere near Portland, sorry I can't name any shops out there.

 

Does your Honda leave oil stains when you park it overnight? Leaking a quart would leave an easily identifying stain

 

The problem is, it's raining SO much it's difficult to see where any oil's going because the ground is always soaked with water.

But...a lot of the oil is burning off the engine rather than leaking out.

 

Ok, here's an update...

I had my car checked out, and it turns out I have a leak coming from the oil pan gasket. That's good news to me since I know it's a cheaper fix.

What I'm wondering is...in that case, do I need to get my entire oil pan replaced?



TIA

 

Normally just a new gasket. Unless the pan itself is actually bent from hitting something.

 

That isn't common leak. I hope they are right

 

Thanks, JimBlake, for the advice.

Kris - yeah, that's what I thought. Even though I don't know half of what I could, I don't hear of oil pans leaking often.

However, on my '91 Civic, which I had before this Accord, there was a massive leak coming from the oil pan. The previous owner had bent it and the bolt had been screwed in crooked, so it was losing oil nearly overnight.

This seems to be a slow leak, one that is obviously landing on the exhaust manifold and making a very unpleasant burning oil smell in the cabin.

 

With the oil pan being at the bottom it takes the blame for oil leaks above and some confuse a rear main seal with the pan also but they do leak.

 

I went to Jiffy Lube today (a different one that was, for some reason, way better than the one near my house. That one ruined the oil pan on my last Honda.) Anyway, the manager told me he doesn't think it's the oil pan, but as Kris says, possibly a main seal. He even mentioned the possibility of it *appearing* it's from the oil pan. He told me that unless I am losing more than 2 quarts between oil changes, I shouldn't worry anything about it considering the car's age.

However, my mechanic thinks I should invest in it (of course, his opinion is biased) because he thinks it could be a fire hazard in the summertime. Also, since the car is only at 135k, there is a lot of potential life left in it and it could be worth the investment and not having a burning oil smell in the cabin for the rest of the car's life.

In other news, they found my radiator fluid was extremely acidic, so I had it flushed. Plus, a new radiator cap was put on. Remember, I have had this car for less than a month, so I don't really know how long it had gone with the radiator fluid like that. Seeing that it has otherwise been well-maintained, I am hoping not for too long. Don't want my water pump going out.