Engine issues...balance seal blown :( - Honda Prelude Forum

99ludegrl · 04-25-2010, 10:01 PM

OK so I blew out the balance shaft seal on my car last week.
The check oil light came on. Stopped checked the oil and none added more and started her up and oil was pouring from the bottom of the engine. She got towed to the shop and is there now.
I have heard that my engine might be shot....anyone got any ideas of what I might need to look at?
they are replacing the seal and putting in a bracket that keeps this from happening again...also replacing the timing belt as it is soaked in oil...having the oil filter pulled and cut open to make sure no metal shaving are in it and they are also dropping the oil pan to look for shavings.
i was told since all the oil drained out the bottom of the engine that i lost all pressure on the top and that i may have major damage.
any other suggesting would be appreciated.

chris112818 · 04-25-2010, 10:58 PM

Damn I'm sorry to hear that =(. Sounds like the shop thats doing the work is dead on though. Hopefully no major damage done.

VanLude · 04-25-2010, 11:14 PM

wow sorry to hear....nice car although
hopefully no damage has occured

leftbrain99 · 04-26-2010, 09:34 AM

Apparently, there is a known problem with the front balancer shaft seal on several Honda engines, including the H22A4. A service bulletin has been issued with instructions to install a retainer clip to hold this seal in place. If you can peek around the dipstick tube where it enters the oil pan, you can tell if it is there or not. Here is a picture of it installed with the cover still off, but that bolt is outside the cover, so you can see it and the very edge of that retainer if it's there. If it's not, I'd see about getting that done before you run into this problem, which is not completely uncommon.

KraserK · 04-26-2010, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leftbrain99

Apparently, there is a known problem with the front balancer shaft seal on several Honda engines, including the H22A4. A service bulletin has been issued with instructions to install a retainer clip to hold this seal in place. If you can peek around the dipstick tube where it enters the oil pan, you can tell if it is there or not. Here is a picture of it installed with the cover still off, but that bolt is outside the cover, so you can see it and the very edge of that retainer if it's there. If it's not, I'd see about getting that done before you run into this problem, which is not completely uncommon.

Hmmm the location of this is where?

leftbrain99 · 04-26-2010, 12:46 PM

Follow the oil dipstick tube all the way down to the bottom, where it enters the oilpan. If you happened to remove that tube, you would see the opening and that would be the hole you see about half of in the bottom left of the picture I posted. Right above that and behind the tube (also sort of below and behind the alternator) is where the retainer bolts to the block.

leftbrain99 · 04-26-2010, 01:02 PM

So, here is a picture I took of mine, with everything in place. It is really hard to see in there, and by sticking my Moto Droid down in there, I could get a better view. What you see here are the two visible belts and behind that is dipstick tube. To the left is the alternator. To the right (out of view) is the crank pulley. Towards the bottom of the dipstick tube, you can see (albeit out of focus) the tab of the retainer clip, brass in color, and the bolt holding it in place. Hope this helps.

99ludegrl · 04-26-2010, 06:19 PM

OK good news today.
balance shaft seal has been replaced with an oem one and they added the bracket so that this will not be an issue again. They also replaced all my belts including the timing belt so that they dont slip or dry out and crack. they pulled the oil pan no metal shavings...they also checked my bearings and they are also good. they checked everything and they said my engine looked good no damage that could be found. i go pick her up tomorrow and ill let u know how she sounds and runs.