I noticed a slight oil leak right side of engine below valve cover. I keep wiping it and it comes back. I posted some pics of were oil is pooling up. I did the head gasket last week. Can anyone tell from these pics were it might be coming from?

 

You should put your year/model in your signature so we know what car you have.

If the oil is above the head gasket, then that is not the source of your leak. The valve cover or possibly the cam seal are likely culprits.

Did you put HondaBond or the equivalent (Prematex RTV Grey) on the corners of the valve cover gasket where the arc for the cam is at? The RTV goes on the groove of the valve cover to help seal the gasket to it. It looks like you have a 94-97 EX.

 

97 accord se. Sorry for th lack of specifics. The oil is collecting below the head, I read somewhere that the head gasket will not create an exterior oil leak.

 

It doesn't matter where the oil collects. The source is more important. Try to find oil on the block at the highest point.

If there is oil above the head gasket, then the head gasket isn't the likely source. The head gasket does seal the oil passages, so it could be a source of an oil leak.

 

From experience....... if oil is collecting on the flat shelf where the casting stamps are......it's the cam seal leaking.

 

Is there any oil on your spark plugs or anything. I just replace my valve cover gasket and i had oil in by my spark plugs. so if its in there that may be your problem but im not expert

 

i have to agree with DUDE most likely a cam seal leak

 

I think you guys are probably right. When I did the head gasket the second time around I took the cam out and never replaced the seal because it was only 2 weeks old. The seal probably didn't seat right when I placed the cam back in with the gear attached. I replaced upper and lower tube seals along with doing a valve job so my plugs are oil free. What do you guys think of Lucas stop leak oil treatment? It's a very minor leak and I've heard good things about it from guys at work that have used it. I just hate the idea of taking off the timing belt for the third time in three weeks.

 

Don't even think about it,, do the job properly and replace replace the cam seal..

there is a write up on the DIY section . pretty easy job

 

Oil leak treatments usually work by making the rubber seals swell up. That's one thing when the leak is caused by an old seal getting dried up & shrinking.

Chances are, your (almost new) seal has a scratch across it's surface somewhere. Chemicals to make the rubber swell aren't gonna fix that.

Also... carefully inspect the surface of the camshaft where the seal rides. Any scratches across that surface?