I'm looking at Honda's for a commuter car, older civics specifically.  I've been to a couple in the area and they both had oil on the pan and tranns.  I come from 4g63's and not too familiar with Honda motors, but I believe they were D16's.  Is it common for these to leak oil?  If so is there an easy fix?

Thanks,

Laurence

couple places, most are easy to fix, valve covers, cam/crank seals, and every once in a while i see an oil pan leaking. but the majority are the first 3.

Its usually a dumb ass tech who doesn't know how to worked with stamped steel oil pans that causes the leak. If the pan has never been disturbed from Honda then they usually stay pretty dry. The only place I've seen them leak is from the valve cover gaskets. And this is usually when a cheap ass DIY dude or a lame repair shop is too cheap to replace the valve cover gasket after a valve adjustment.

Posted By Eric Hsu on 07-09-2010 12:40 AM
Its usually a dumb ass tech who doesn't know how to worked with stamped steel oil pans that causes the leak. If the pan has never been disturbed from Honda then they usually stay pretty dry. The only place I've seen them leak is from the valve cover gaskets. And this is usually when a cheap ass DIY dude or a lame repair shop is too cheap to replace the valve cover gasket after a valve adjustment.

Amen. Ive changed oil pans that were rippled on the mating surface because someone wanted to torque with all their might. Im surprised none of the bolts broke in the block.

Thanks every one!

It's usually the oil pan or the valve cover gasket. I've had 2 Integras and a CRX and they all leaked from those points at one time or another.

When removing the oil filter, oil can run down the block and puddle on the lip above the oil pan. If this isn't wiped up, it will find its way down the pan and appear like a leak.

Cheers,
Dave

I have a high mileage 97 Civic and for the last 3 or 4 oil changes, I've seen a thin coating of oil in the exact places you mentioned... on the pan and tranny. I don't park in a garage so it's hard to tell how much oil is leaking, if at all. I'd like to believe it's from removing the oil filter, cuz I can't see any other leaks and it's been too long since I've changed tranny fluid for the drain plug to start to leak (which is about the area where the thin coating of oil seems to stop/start). Plus the last time the head was cracked was when the timing belt was changed, and they replaced the valve cover gasket (well...I paid for it so they better have!). One day, I'll do my own timing belt.... or so I've been saying.

I don't seem to be losing too much oil or more than before, so that's good... I usually add 1/2-1qt of oil every 2500 miles or so, which doesn't seem excessive. It seems my motor loses (burns? leaks?) some types of oil more than others, which is part of the reason for the variance (I think it does best/burns least with Castrol High Mileage).

All of the problems you guys mention just sound like typical problems with old cars.

Vtec solenoid orings are also common leakers on hondas.

Cam seals will leak mostly on DOHC but it isnt exactly uncommon on single cams either.