Manager Forum

I have this 2003 Honda Odyssey with a 3.5L engine, auto transmission and 203,000 miles on it. Excellent condition for the miles but the issue is a major oil leak on the left front corner of the engine that is major. Setting here idling for just a couple minutes will produce a puddle of oil a foot in diameter. Appears to be pushing out of the head gasket alongside of cylinder #6. Is that a possibility?

Tim in looking at the oiling system there are oil control orifices at the rear corners of the block. They might be part of the variable cam system. They are sealed with o rings. Take a look at the illustartion...engine mechanical-lubrication system-componenet location index illustration.

Well, that may be. What I am needing to figure out is, that being the case, what is allowing the oil to come through the head gasket? I suspect the oil seepage is simply a symptom and I have a deeper issue.

In looking at the illustration the orifices are sealed with o-rings. I figure the head gasket on that corner wasn't designed to carry oil pressure. Just my thought.

Sorry for the late input here. I would check vehicle history with customer and especially look for any overheating issues and if not if the coolant had been changed on occasion. Sounds like a head bolt issue. I've seen loose ones and broken ones. It's a stretch bolt so usually when they pop they are easily removed. When they come into my shop I clean them, put dye in, run them for about 30 seconds the look. Don't wait until it's dripping on the floor because by then it's all over the place. The "0" ring on the oil pump is extremely common and will be picked up by the timing belt and thrown all over the place. I've seen times when I would have bet my house it was the head gasket and it was being dumped there by the belt. Like I said I've seen head bolts that came right out with a left handed bit and others that held on like a cheap date. If your drilling isn't perfect and I've only seen one person that could and he was an old old time machinist who's hands would shake like he was having DT's until he touched a tool. See if can drill straight through, fill void with a strong carbon busting solution and let it sit over the weekend. Good Luck on it. I was at an auction and an old magnetized base drill press came up. Got it for a song since it looked like crap. I can sit it on a block, switch the base on after making sure there was no gasket material left, set the angle to match the block angle and drill away. It makes me look like a pro because it allows me to take the bore hole so close to the edge I've been able to pull the threads out like a slinkey. This happened once, not on anything challenging, under perfect conditions, dead on enter punch, plenty of light, everything perfect for success. I love to fish when I have a chance and the first thing we know about people that fish is how we all exaggerate. Good Luck and I'll try to check in from time to time.