I've searched around and all I can find is people with leaking headgaskets (as far as oil is concerned) has anyone had a leak from the allen screw in the front of the engine? It is a very slow leak as soon as I start the engine cold...once it heats up it still leaks but very slowly. Almost a trickle. I tried tightening the bolt but it was very tight already. The only mod I have is 75psi turbo... yeah kidding...but the only "mod" I have if you can call it that is a K&N filter and I somehow doubt that the enormous pressure created by all the air flow that the new filter creates if forcing oil out around that bolt. I am however planning on going FI as soon as I get everything I need so I definitely want to have everything in the engine squared away. I only recently noticed the leak and I pay pretty close attention to everything on my car so I'd say it hasn't been there long. Oh and I only have 55K miles on the car if that would be of any help. Also I changed the oil 1K miles ago with the Honda oil filter and Mobil 1 10w30 full synthetic...the same combination I've used every time I've changed the oil, and I used about 5 quarts (no more than five, I go by the dip stick) so I'm pretty sure that there isn't too much oil in the engine. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

I want to say there is an o-ring behind that bolt. But DO NOT remove it ... I do not have the manual with me and I am not sure what the exact procedure is at the moment. I will try to pick it up tonight and let you know if no one else does in the meantime.

J

 

Yeah I figured I'd leave it alone until I can figure out exactly what is going on. I checked my oil level and it's fine...plus I have another vehicle to drive so I plan on just driving it until the S is all good again. I'm not planning on taking it out but why shouldn't you? Lose a lot of oil? I would assume that the oil would all be lower in the engine and only come up that high when the engine is running and there is oil pressure right?

 

according to the service manual pictures there should be a washer there.

have you had head work done recently? timing chain? anything of the sort? that bolt holds the idle gear and cam chain sprocket in place. if you pull that bolt you'll have some issues.

you'll need to take off the valve cover, turn the motor to TDC, and then pull the sprocket while holding on to it as it will fall into the head if you don't. not a big job, but make sure you've got all the parts you need!

 

I've not had any kind of head work done at all. I bought the car 10K miles ago so it is a possibility that someone else did though I doubt it...it was a leased vehicle. The only work I've done is changing fluids...oil, tranny fluid, diff fluid, etc. Is the washer a crush washer? Or standard? I obviously can't see if there even is one without removing the bolt as it is recessed. Kinda strange that it'd leak even if it didn't have a washer. Also, I've got time so I'll probably do it today so remind me how you know you're at TDC...I know you jack up the vehicle and turn the rear wheels to rotate the motor...and what parts would I need besides a washer? I thought about teflon tape to help seal the threads but honda keeps everything in tight tolerances and I'm afraid the tape might gap the threads...

 

Does not look like much to me. I would just clean it off and see what happens in the next few thousand miles.

 

i have this same issue but not of my questions were answered when i asked...

mine doesnt leak like your though. mine seems as if its splattered besides a trickle like yours..keepin an eye on this thread

 

There is a washer behind it, but it's a o-ring that seals the bolt.

Clean it off with brake cleaner, then cover it up in some Permatex ultra grey RTV. It's the same stuff as Honda Ultra Flange II

 

Yeah I just downloaded the manual and I see how it goes together...or comes apart I'm in the section on taking off the cylinder head. It doesn't specify part numbers though on that page so I guess I'll have to keep looking. I already have some of the Permatech stuff...but wouldn't it be a better idea to buy a new o-ring to seal it up?

 

To pull the bolt out, the cams and timing chain tensioner need to be removed. Then pull the bolt for the cam chain gear.

Compress the tensioner and lock it with a pin, put everything else back together and readjust the valves.

Or you could just put some RTV on the outside of the bolt.