When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Took my 2000 ap1 (18k miles) in to my local honda dealer for a checkup because the oil cover blew off (presumably the rubber seal degraded).
Tech sent me this picture of seepage. Clutch has never been replaced. The buzz is real, but i don't mind it. This transmission oil leak is more worrying.
In addition, there's issues similar to what's mentioned in https://www.s2ki.com/forums/s2000-un...lutch-1174446/
Occasionally the gears would grind even if the clutch is fully depressed. only noticed it happening in lower gears 1~3.
The quote for service is over 5k, for the following : REAR MAIN SEAL HAS OIL BUILD UP/SEEPAGE, RECOMMEND REPLACE CLUTCH, REAR MAIN SEAL, CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER, AC MUST BE EVACUATED AND RECHARGED.
I'm not particularly educated in terms of car mechanics. Would be great if anyone can pitch in on what i should do.
Like Noodels says it could be coming from up top, like a VTEC solenoid top gasket. As for the occasional gear grinds, it's almost always due to clutch hydraulics. Mechanical clutch issues are a slipping clutch because the friction disk is worn out, or the grease on the release bearing has completely dried up causing a stiff and squeaky clutch pedal. Non-oem clutches and bearings disintegrate, but that's not OP's issue.
AC evac and recharge is not required when doing a transmission removal job. That is a 20 year old fact.
They are padding the bill and gouging you. This is the way of the world now.
All new OEM clutch and rear main seal, $1800 all in, while you wait, in my shop.
Appreciate the quote, said I'm in chicago not new york, otherwise I'd have come in an instant.
Any tips on choosing a good shop to do these kind of jobs? (i'm in downtown chicago in that helps) It's not the first time i've been gouged by a honda dealer.
Seal has gone because lack of use 18k in 24 yrs could also be from missing oil cap !
Good call! There's quite a bit of oil splash around the missing oil cap. is the seepage seen in the picture directly underneath the back of the engine near the oil cap? I don't really know what the underbody of the car looks like
I assume you mean the oil fill cap, not a cover? Oil cap washer/gasket turns to rock in a few years and becomes impossible to tighten properly. Unless the cap fits tight it can fall off. New one is probably $4 whole cap probably under $15. Start by replacing it then find a lift or jackstands and look underneath the ca.
The caps get left lying on the valve cover, I would almost bet they never come loose and just "Fall off" When the oring gets hard like that, it makes it very easy to overtighten and makes it harder to get off, not easier. When mine was worn out like that, I could tighten it with my fingers only, after a couple of drives it was tight as hell and hard to remove by hand. New o-ring made that better.
But regardless of how, yep, the oil can run down behind the valve cover and head, and right onto the trans. Now, it looks like yours is leaking from inside the bell housing and I do not think oil is getting in there from the top, so it very well may be a rear main seal. If there were a trail leading around from top and down the side of the bell housing I would think more that it came from the cap being off.
But, replace the cap, and you can drive the car for a while and if that was it, the oil should stop coming out of there. If it does not then it is likely the rear main seal.
I am curious how you are having clutch buzz issues on an OEM clutch with 18,000 miles on the car though. Maybe some harsh abuse but that is a young clutch.
** Edit: I forgot that the early ones had the clutch buzz issue. My 01 never did that I know of but I was the 2nd owner. But I do recall some of them did and there were changes made to the clutch at some point to resolve it/prevent it from happening ***
Last edited by engifineer; 04-11-2024 at 10:45 AM.
The caps get left lying on the valve cover, I would almost bet they never come loose and just "Fall off" When the oring gets hard like that, it makes it very easy to overtighten and makes it harder to get off, not easier. When mine was worn out like that, I could tighten it with my fingers only, after a couple of drives it was tight as hell and hard to remove by hand. New o-ring made that better.
But regardless of how, yep, the oil can run down behind the valve cover and head, and right onto the trans. Now, it looks like yours is leaking from inside the bell housing and I do not think oil is getting in there from the top, so it very well may be a rear main seal. If there were a trail leading around from top and down the side of the bell housing I would think more that it came from the cap being off.
But, replace the cap, and you can drive the car for a while and if that was it, the oil should stop coming out of there. If it does not then it is likely the rear main seal.
I am curious how you are having clutch buzz issues on an OEM clutch with 18,000 miles on the car though. Maybe some harsh abuse but that is a young clutch.
** Edit: I forgot that the early ones had the clutch buzz issue. My 01 never did that I know of but I was the 2nd owner. But I do recall some of them did and there were changes made to the clutch at some point to resolve it/prevent it from happening ***
Thanks. I have no idea how the cap came off but I replaced it.
Fun fact: I didn't clean the oil off the surrounding area. The service advisor forgot to mention it to the mechanic and the mechanic told me the cap is leaking and wanted $100 to replace the cap for me.
04-11-2024, 01:20 AM
REAR MAIN SEAL seepage (cost 5k?)
could also be from missing oil cap !
When the oring gets hard like that, it makes it very easy to overtighten and makes it harder to get off, not easier. When mine was worn out like that, I could tighten it with my fingers only, after a couple of drives it was tight as hell and hard to remove by hand. New o-ring made that better.