Found a few oil drips in the garage...please help identify hose

[noisuf]

Hi Everyone!

I found a few drips of oil on the garage floor today so I jacked it up and after a quick search, found the culprit.

Please help me in identifying the oil hose.

Could it be just the clamp or should I change the hose? How hard would it be to change?

First pic is the actual source of the leak from below the car. The second pic is from above the car and shows where the hose originates. It's next to the harmonic balancer.

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[goldNSX]

If it really is (engine) oil it's not this hose because it transports coolant for the oil cooler unit. Coolant contains oil so make sure if it's coolant or oil what you've found on your garage floor. If it's engine oil it's most likely from the rear head above.
EDIT:
engine oil is brown/yellow
coolant is green/blue, rusty coolant is brown

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Rear valve cover gasket is leaking

 

[noisuf]

If it really is (engine) oil it's not this hose because it transports coolant for the oil cooler unit. Coolant contains oil so make sure if it's coolant or oil what you've found on your garage floor. If it's engine oil it's most likely from the rear head above.
EDIT:
engine oil is brown/yellow
coolant is green/blue, rusty coolant is brown

Rear valve cover gasket is leaking

Thanks to you both for your replies.

I'm now a bit concerned about my recent major service at Honda including valve adjustment (with new valve cover gaskets) and all coolant hoses.

 

[goldNSX]

Thanks to you both for your replies.

I'm now a bit concerned about my recent major service at Honda including valve adjustment (with new valve cover gaskets) and all coolant hoses.

Maybe they've changed the hoses first and the drop is result of changing the head cover gasket. But this only holds if you don't get consistent drops on the floor.

 

[davidf]

Clean it real good with CRC Brakleen and drive it a few days then recheck.

 

[noisuf]

Maybe they've changed the hoses first and the drop is result of changing the head cover gasket. But this only holds if you don't get consistent drops on the floor.

It makes sense as when I rubbed the drips from the floor between my fingers.....it felt more like the consistency of oil rather than coolant. I did have a little whiff too.

The service was done just over 3 months ago but only 500 miles.

I noticed a fresh drip on the floor so I think it's an open wound. :-(

I did provide most parts which I sourced from the US.....2 to 3 times cheaper than local.

Time to take it back and see what they think I guess.

Clean it real good with CRC Brakleen and drive it a few days then recheck.

I should leave the residue there for Honda to diagnose?

It won't get driven for another week anyway.

 

[goldNSX]

Clean it real good with CRC Brakleen and drive it a few days then recheck.

I would not use brake cleaner on any rubber parts. Just wipe it off. No need to let it on, just say you've oil drops on the garage floor.

BTW did they change the oil cooler hoses too?

The rear head cover is not easy to put on. If the gasket has not been seated with care a leak is very possible. As they're a Honda facility they should know to use a liquid gasket (Hondabond) to the edges. The old one has to be cleaned off first. In a hurry, a lot of thing can go suboptimal.

 

[noisuf]

I would not use brake cleaner on any rubber parts. Just wipe it off. No need to let it on, just say you've oil drops on the garage floor.

BTW did they change the oil cooler hoses too?

The rear head cover is not easy to put on. If the gasket has not been seated with care a leak is very possible. As they're a Honda facility they should know to use a liquid gasket (Hondabond) to the edges. The old one has to be cleaned off first. In a hurry, a lot of thing can go suboptimal.

Hose wise, they changed all the 23 coolant hoses and high pressure brake hose. I did provide some oil cooler gaskets like the figure 8. No oil cooler hoses were changed.

I provided a tube of Honda bond but they returned it fully unused. I assumed they have it it ample supply and didn't need to use mine. I'll confirm they did put Honda bond on the gaskets.

 

[goldNSX]

If they've let change 23 hoses it's a complete job incl. oil cooler hoses.

Hondabond is not a must, any other quality liquid gasket like Würth or so will do. Try to locate the leak.

 

[noisuf]

If they've let change 23 hoses it's a complete job incl. oil cooler hoses.

Hondabond is not a must, any other quality liquid gasket like Würth or so will do. Try to locate the leak.

Ah, oil cooler hoses part of the 23 hoses.

I just hope they used some sort of liquid gasket being an actual Honda dealer/service centre..... :|

Will give you all an update after Thu. Thanks for everyone's advice!!!

Just pains me to see my baby weeping a little.....

 

[noisuf]

My car is going into Honda tomorrow morning.

I did a bit more snooping around and found some more remnants of leaking. Apologies for the quality/lighting of the photos, took them at night.

Three pics below with some commentary:

Pic 1 - Is this the timing belt cover? the edgest of this cover is flush whereas in the middle, there is a gap. Did Honda install this correctly? You can see more oil leakage signs.......very much leading to the rear valve cover leakage suggestions.

Pic 2 - Better pic showing the gap in the middle of the cover

Pic 3 - More evidence of oil leakage at the corner of the rear valve cover

 

[goldNSX]

Yes, TB cover but it's not critical. I see a little bit of sweating of oil nothing more. This is not very tragic. If you have drops on the floor it must be more than that.

 

[tbnsxt]

Dont sweat a little oil leak.

It could possibly be that while the mechanic was reinstalling your valve covers the gaskets became unseated and did not seal properly when tightened down. The rear cover is an exceptional pain in the ass especially to get over the valve cover studs without pulling the gasket away from the valve cover.

But with new vtec spool valve gaskets and reseated valve cover gaskets you should be leak free.

 

[noisuf]

Got my baby back, a small oil leak in the rear rocker cover as suspected.

They took off the cover, cleaned the gasket and resealed.....ok so far.....recheck tomorrow based on the drive home.

THANKS ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE THIS GLOBAL COMMUNITY!!!!