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I just spent 4 hours walking around the tool souq (tool store street here in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) looking for an engine brace. Found only one, but max width of 58 inches. I need 62 inches width bar to span the engine bay of my Honda Pilot. Blue Point has one that is max width 61.5 inches, and very expensive, and a 500 LB limit. I have started looking online for one, but thought I would put this out in the off chance one of you guys/gals know of a model that would work.
Eric, I have done some research on oil galley plugs, and will endeavor to have have some handy when I do this job, but I don’t think that is the problem. As I mentioned before, switching back to a heavier conventional oil caused the leak to stop. Now it is back. I think this is just the fact that the seal is 5 months older.
A quick question about O rings. Reading the service manual, all the re-install instructions say to use new O rings for everything that was taken off. Is this necessary? Obviously it is if the O ring is damaged during disassembly.
A quick question about heat. Regarding the heat required to break loose the bolts on the exhaust, I am assuming that a propane torch will not give me the required temperatures, and that I will need an oxyacetylene torch.
One more thing. Anyone doing any internet searches about leaking oil seals will come across a product called AT-205 re-seal. I am not a fan of snake oil remedies, but wanted to ask the question just the same. I know that treating the plastic and weather stripping in my Honda has kept them like new in the heat and sun of the middle east for 9 years, and am wondering if the polymer formula of AT-205 may rejuvenate the leaking rear main. I have found many testimonials where this product worked, some testimonials where the product didn’t work, but no testimonials where the product caused more harm than good. Any feedback from those with experience with the product would be much appreciated.
Cheers everyone,
Pete
5 months later and the oil leak is back, but slower than with the synthetic oil. Looking at options. I don’t trust the mechanics here in the middle east, they are not real mechanics. I’m afraid that if I give them the car it will never be the same. Have been looking at the service manual, I think that if I take my time I can do it myself. There are many little jobs involved (drive shaft removal, exhaust removal etc), but the two that concern me the most is the removal of the tranny and the removal of the rear seal. I am ok with the process of disconnecting the tranny, but the physical effort required to pull it off the engine has me a little concerned. I understand it weighs about 200 lbs. If this job involved opening the engine or tranny I wouldn’t be considering it.
Cheers,
Pete
You didn’t mention what other damage was done to the car. Is your brother-in-law mechanically inclined? It all comes down to how much it would cost him to put the car right on his own. If he can do the work himself then it may be worth it.
As far as the possible damage to the gas tank from the salt, I don’t know. As a minimum I would remove the tank, clean it out and replace the fuel pump. I would also blow the fuel out of the lines from the engine on back, and clean out/replace the filler hose as it will only re-contaminate the tank on the next fill.
The problem is most likely the oil pressure sending unit. To test your unit (or rather to test to see if you have proper oil pressure), your unit would be removed from the car and an oil pressure measuring unit temporarily put in its place, and the engine started to read the oil pressure. This takes special tools you probably don’t have which would require you to bring the car into a shop, and pay the diagnostic labor. Given the fact that the oil pressure sending unit itself is around 20 bucks, I would just whip in a new one and see if the problem goes away, its cheaper and less hassle than checking the serviceability of your current unit. If the problem persists, then its time to bring the car in.
I’m going to post this response to let you all know what has happened the last couple of weeks with this issue, but first some background. I live in Saudi Arabia and have had the car since new. First in Dubai for 5 years, and the last 3 years in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I ran synthetic oil in Dubai, but switched to Honda oil in Riyadh because I couldn’t find synthetic. Honda sells 15w40 for all it’s vehicles in this market.
About 20,000 km ago I found a shop selling Mobile1, and got a case of 0w40 and started running that. A couple weeks ago I noticed the leak from the engine/trany mounting point.
I immediately did an oil change, back to the Honda brand 15w40 oil, and the leak stopped right away. I cleaned the bottom of the engine with brake cleaner, and with the exception of what I believe to be residual oil seeping out from the torque converter housing, I believe the leak has stopped.
I can’t say for sure, but the Mobile 1 oil may be fake. There is a huge problem in this part of the world and others (India, Pakistan, etc) regarding fake products. This could be car parts, electronics, lubricants, baby food, prescription drugs, etc. Anything that can be faked and sold for big profit is a target. This could be what happened to me, or it could be that the car didn’t like the oil I was feeding it. Anyway, fingers crossed that my issue has been resolved without the need to do a trany R&R.
Cheers,
Pete
I have been doing some reading regarding the removal and reinstall of the tranny. The manual states to use new o-rings and set rings etc, and I will try to have all those available when I do the job.
Does anyone know how to remove the old seal without removing the engine block end cover? I see there is a tool for the in car instillation of a new seal, but the manual doesn’t cover the removal of the old seal. If I have to remove the end cover, do I first have to remove the oil pan?
Cheers,
Obviously it won’t retrieve trouble codes. What I am suggesting is that a low oil level may be causing the trouble light to come on over rough terrain… it happened to me. My engine light started to flicker going over rough spots and in turns, turned out the cause was a cavitating oil pump/low oil pressure because of a low oil level.
Ok, I have pulled the strut and have new bearings and upper strut mount. The problem I am running into is how to orientate the upper spring seat when I put the strut assembly back together. As you can see, the spring seat and the surface for the bearings/upper strut mount are not in the same plane. I have looked online for instructions on how to orientate this but have come up short, and my service manual doesn’t explain it either. Is I need the car I am going to put it back together with my best guess after looking at the frame, but would appreciate some guidance on this one.
Thanks,
Pete
I figured it out I think. I installed the upper spring seat without the spring, holding it against the upper mount with my hand. Then I rotated the upper seat till the upper and lower seats were in the same plane, and then I noticed that the lower seat has a whole in it as well, right at the spot where the strut bolts to the knuckle. The two holes were pretty much lined up so I am assuming that when you assemble the strut you line up those two holes, because once you take the spring compressors off that upper seat isn’t moving.
Anyway, put it all together and the noise is still there, no change, so it wasn’t the upper mount after all. I’m stumped, but the good thing is it isn’t a safety issue, just an annoying sound. I’ll find it sooner or later.
Pete
I will check the the sub frame bolts, and everything else that I can. I have already changed the stabilizer links, and sway bar bushings. I changed the front engine mount (between enging block and radiator) as well as the side engine mount (just under the power steering pump). I did a cursory look at the transmission mounts and they looked ok, but I will look again.
I would take it back to the shop that did you last timing belt change and have them do it again. Otherwise you can take it somewhere else or do it yourself. The only way to fix it is to remove the belt, align your marks and reinstall the belt. Eric has put together a detailed video on this job that you can purchase and download.
P
Derick82: When I first started reading your symptoms I thought it may be moisture in the distributor or somewhere in the ignition system, I had exactly the same symptoms when my 90 Prelude was moisture soaked in a snow storm. But when I then read that you recently had service done on the fuel system, then I started thinking along the lines of 619DioFan. Check the fuel pressure at the rail.