Last week the '92 started leaking oil on the garage floor for a short time after turning the engine off. I examined the situation both under the car and under the hood.

As far as I can tell, the oil is coming out the top-right edge of the timing belt cover where the cover meets the head at about a 2 to 3 o'clock position. From there it runs down the rear of the engine near the cover and, finally, onto the floor.

From what I've seen, I believe that the cam seal is leaking, but because I have never seen any oil-seal leak on our car (only a water pump leak which prompted me to do the timing belt job to which this thread is devoted), I might be wrong on that.

So I come here seeking the opinion of where the leak might be coming from. I am almost certain that it is from a seal or maybe around the shaft of the rear balance gear device that has never been replaced.

I'm in a quandry over how to proceed with the car at this point. I replaced front struts, upper control arms and lower ball joints, as well as rear upper control arms two years ago. I replaced a bent lower control arm two years ago. I replaced a CV axle and a boot on the other side last year. I replaced the entire exhaust system except for cat last summer. Brakes are in great shape, although brake lines in various places are showing signs of corrosion.

The car still runs and drives great, but before this leak began we were considering selling it and getting a younger or new vehicle. We'd sell the Accord after making a final decision about the replacement.

But now the leak has started, so what to do? As you can see, I did the last timing belt job in August of 2006. So it'll be 7 years this August since the job was done. We've put only 50,000 km (31,000 miles) on the car during that period of time. If I do another timing belt job on the car now, the car will have just under 240,000 kms (150,000 miles) on it after the job is finished. The interior of the car is in excellent condition, except for some normal wear on the carpets for a car that has that number of kms on it.

Questions for the forum.

If I attempt to sell the car at this point with the leak, how much will that afftect the selling price of the car?

If I decide to change the seal that is causinging the leak, how much of the timing belt job should I do? For example, should I replace the water pump?

What if the cause of the leak is the rear balancer-shaft gear-housing? (h ttp://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/1992/honda/accord/engine_mechanical/balance_shaft_gear_case.html I believe the thing can be had for under two hundred, but even that is a lot of money to put into a '92.) Anybody ever see one of these leak? Can the original have a new shaft seal/bearing put in it?

I realize that once one is "in there" to replace whatever thing is leaking oil, it makes perfect sense to just replace everything, but I think you can now understand the situation I'm in. I just want some input on the situation to see if maybe I've missed something here. What would you do if you were in my shoes?

Thanks for any advice.

 

I don't believe a small oil leak will affect price significantly. You are looking at $1000-$1500 depending on external paint, interior, and general appearance. Someone buying a 92 Accord isn't usually looking for pristine condition.

Repair of leaks will require removal of timing belt so might as well do that job if you decide to repair leaks. Likely sourcs of leak are camshaft seal or forward balance shaft seal.

Rear balance shaft cover seal leaks because the oring ages w/ heat/oxygen to become hard and brittle.

Only other leak source is crankshaft seal.

good luck

 

Are we sure this isn't just the valve cover gasket?....pic of the leak area.

Also, you can pull the upper timing cover and run the car and see "part of" what might be going on.

 

Thanks for the advice, guys.

Here's a photo of the area. The view is approximately on the driver's line of sight toward the timing cover. (Perhaps a bit more above the driver's line of sight.)


I suppose it is possible that the valve cover gasket instantly started leaking, but I doubt it. I'll check out that possiblility anyway, though. It's a good, easy first step. I'll take the car to a wand-type DIY car wash tomorrow and blast clean the entire area that you see in the photo, then dry it off throughly and have my wife start the engine and see what I can see. The leak is fairly substantial, so in a few minutes I should be able to determine whether the valve cover gasket is in fact leaking. I'll be very happy if it is.

If it isn't, I'll probably take poorman's good suggestion to go through the steps to at least get the upper timing cover off. If it is the cam seal, I should be able to see it's trail, even if the engine is not running. If I can't I'll start the engine and then try to see what's what. How much does oil fly around above the cam and lifters if the cover is not in place while the engine runs? Is it like a lawn sprinkler?

What would be useful is one of those new boroscope-type viewers.

 

You can lift the valve cover just enough to release the upper timing belt cover and then replace valve cover.

good luck

 

Thanks TX - Yes I should have been clear. As TX said, just lift the VC so you can remove the upper TB cover and re-install VC. You also get a good view of the VC gasket where it goes over the "cam hump".....an area of the VC gasket that tends to leak.

Please let us know what you find.

BTW- if it is the cam seal, desert has a write up somewhere about changing it without tearing the whole TB off the car.

 

Thanks for the advice again, guys.

poorman, I'll search for that writeup. If it turns out to be the cam seal that is leaking and it is possible to replace it without removing the lower cover, I'll be a happier puppy than I will be if I have to do the whole job, stem to stern. But I imagine that removing the cam pulley, replacing the seal and reinstalling the pulley ------- all the while retaining the pulley's position on the cam ------ must be a whole lot easier said than done.

Prior to this leak, one of our options was to go by the mileage limit that is recommended for timing belt replacement rather than the time limit. Considering the low number of kms already on the various things under the covers since the last job, and the number of kms/year that we put on the car, under that scenario we could have run the car with the present belt for several more years and simply let nature take its course (slow automotive assisted-suicide). By that time the relatively new parts, including battery, would be showing their age and we would either drive the car to a salvage yard, or sell it "for parts only" and maybe get a few hundred. (Either way, it will be a sad day for both of us. As old and experienced as we are, it is difficult for us to think of our car merely as a collection of parts.)

But we can't live with that leak, so thanks again for the help.

 

poorman, is this the one you are talking about?
https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/for...lacement-3080/

If it is, the job, minus removing the camshaft, doesn't look that difficult.

I'll report back what's what.

 

Yes that is the one, you beat me too it .

Again, in there the warning about the "key" is VERY important. That drops and your day just went south. I'm hoping for the VC gasket....

 

Yes, I took note of that key warning, because I know all too well the consequences of that thing dropping down. (But if it did fall, before diving into the expanded job, I'd try to slide the key up the inside of the cover by pressing one of those so-called "rare earth" magnets on the outside bottom of the cover to capture the key and, just for good measure, add a few prayers for lubricant.)

I'll report back what I find. Again, I too am hoping that it is the VC gasket that is leaking.