Driver side oil leak. New crank seal & oil pan gasket. What else could it be?

[SW20FL]

A quick history. Car is bone stock 97 Civic DX 5 speed with 251k miles (but in pristine condition except for the stupid oil leak!)

It has always had a small leak in the same area for the past 5 years I've owned the car. It has always been small. It comes right from the driver's side of the oil pan right where the crank seal is. It's hard to find the exact location because of the timing cover.

I changed the crank seal/t-belt 40,000 miles ago, the valve cover gasket 8,000 miles ago, and just changed the oil pan gasket. When I changed the crank seal, it didn't make a difference in the leak. It stayed the same for another 2 years. For a year now it has been worse.


The car can idle for HOURS and will not leak a drop. As soon as I drive the car (hard or soft-doesn't matter), it will begin to leak a significant amount.

What else is in that area that can leak oil so fast?

Thanks guys.

 

[RonJ]

Options: Valve cover gasket, cam seal, front crank seal, and oil pan gasket.

Does oil leak out of the weep hole at the bottom of the lower timing belt cover?

Give details about how your replaced the oil pan gasket. It's easy to screw that up if you don't pay attention to detail.

 

[DuckIt]

Dip stick tubes over there too

 

[TokyoSkies]

Options: Valve cover gasket, cam seal, front crank seal, and oil pan gasket.

Does oil leak out of the weep hole at the bottom of the lower timing belt cover?

Give details about how your replaced the oil pan gasket. It's easy to screw that up if you don't pay attention to detail.

This. Cam seal is a big culprit, as well.

Dip stick tubes over there too

D series dip stick tubes are pieces of s**t. This could be an issue.

 

[SW20FL]

This. Cam seal is a big culprit, as well.



D series dip stick tubes are pieces of s***. This could be an issue.

Ahh dipstick tube gasket/oring(I think)! I'll check that out

Options: Valve cover gasket, cam seal, front crank seal, and oil pan gasket.

Does oil leak out of the weep hole at the bottom of the lower timing belt cover?

Give details about how your replaced the oil pan gasket. It's easy to screw that up if you don't pay attention to detail.

Yeah the oil comes straight from there it appears. I thought it was the crank seal, but that's been replaced. Oil pan gasket replacement went pretty smoothly. Used small amounts of rtv on the "U" edges. It definitely needed replacement, but the leak didn't change (not better not worse, and still from the same spot) after replacement.

Maybe it could be the cam seal too. I am going to check that out.

I was thinking it could be the crank seal (again) but I have been noticing oil above the crank on the timing cover. Maybe some of the oil was thrown around? Is that possible for the crank seal?

 

[RonJ]

Don't rule out the oil pan, which is the most common leak location. The nuts and bolts must be tightened/torqued to spec in several rounds in order to ensure no leaks. Did you use a torque wrench?