I have a '94 Civic LX sedan with approx 200K on it. I say approximately because the speedometer only works about half the time, which results in the odometer working only half the time as well. That's not much of a problem for me, though I will take care of it eventually (after new tires, after a new AC condenser, etc., etc.) What needs immediate attention is an oil leak, or, more specifically, several leaks. I wouldn't call them full-blown leaks, either, because there is very little oil on the floor of my garage. It seems to be more like seepage from certain areas. I think they are more of what I call “pressure leaks,” meaning it’s only because of driving at high speeds all the time and hard acceleration that the oil is forced out of specific areas. The majority of my driving is done on the highway, and it seems like I’m dropping about one quart of oil every 400-500 miles, which is pretty severe in my opinion. The head gasket is in good shape, I don’t lose coolant, and there is no oil (blue/grey smoke) in the exhaust except under very hard (near red line) acceleration. Again, there is very little oil on the floor of my garage and if I park at a shop or somebody else’s driveway, there is never any oil on the ground from my car. This is why I feel the leaks are pressure related.

The first thing I did was replace the oil pan gasket. The last time I changed my oil (a week ago) I noticed there was an oily, sandy mix that started below the gasket and went down, but nothing above the gasket. I figured it could use a good cleaning anyways. That was accomplished yesterday. The process was a bit frustrating and took several hours, but so far so good.

This picture shows the next item on my to-do list:


The distributor obviously has a leak, which causes that oily, sandy mess to accumulate on other engine parts. From what I’ve read here, this is caused by a worn bearing seal, and if that has failed, the bearing itself is probably shot. I will be ordering both parts today and will replace them next weekend. My only concern is reinstallation of the distributor. One post I read mentioned to be mindful of the timing when putting the distributor back on. I’ve never done distributor work on my Civic before, so could somebody elaborate more on this process, and more specifically, what to do so I don’t jack up the timing?

This next picture shows the underside of my hood:

Here’s the area directly below the spray, shot from the side of the car:


It’s like oil is being sprayed up there and I have no idea how it gets there because I don’t see any oil or anything in that second picture. I’m looking for any suggestions here!

One final item, and I don’t know if it’s related to the oil leaks or not, but I seem to get quite a bit of soot on the bumper above the tail pipe. I have to wipe down the bumper once a week because it’s a white car and the soot shows very easily! Is this another oil problem or is it related more to fuel/oxygen and a sensor that might need to be replaced?

Thanks!

 

1) Is the oil around the distributor instead possibly leaking from the oil fill cap above?

2) Regarding the oil splattered on the inside of the hood, I think the power steering pump (and its hoses and connections) is the prime suspect.

3) With respect to the sooty exhaust, has any oil leaked onto the exhaust manifold and the O2 sensor? If so, the oil may be interfering with proper O2 sensor functioning.

4) The dual problem with the odometer and speedometer is likely due to an intermittently faulty vehicle speed sensor (VSS) or, alternatively, a loose or corroded VSS connector.

 

Thanks for the quick reply!
The oil around the fill cap is from sloppy pouring done in haste. With as often as I'm putting oil to keep it topped off, not every pour can be perfect. Totally unrelated, though the picture does give that impression.

I've only had to top off the power steering fluid once or twice in the years I've had this car (since high school, so I guess about 10 years now) but I will check the hoses and connections for any signs of leakage.

Is it possible to take the O2 sensor off and clean it with brake cleaner or does it need to be replaced if it's dirty?

 

Oil on either the sensor wires or the sensor itself could affect proper functioning. I personally would avoid attempts to clean a dirty sensor. In addition, if the sensor or its wires are oil soaked, fix the oil leak before replacing the sensor.

The pattern of oil on the hood suggests that a small amount of fluid is being thrown by the power steering pump pulley. Oil on the hood has likely accumulated over time, making it difficult to notice a small drop in fluid level.

 

Yes it looks like the oil around the distributor was just spilled when pouring it into the filler cap, considering it is also all over the side of the engine and the heat shield. Could also be the valve cover gasket. Clean all that oil off and see if any reappears. Be careful not to get water inside the distributor.

The distributor bearing and shaft seal is not intended to be serviced in the field, not to say it can't be done but it is hard to find the parts and most people trade the dizzy in for a rebuilt one. If that seal is leaking you will also have oil inside the distributor itself. There is also a stationary seal where the dizzy fits into the head. That one is a simple o-ring and is easily replaced.

The oil on the hood most likely from the PS pump over a long time. See if you have oil on the pump side of the pulley. Again clean the oil off and see if it reappears.