2010 Odyssey Oil Leak

824 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by ody495615, 1 mo ago

BhamOdysseyGuy

Hey all, please forgive me because I'm sure this has been asked 1,000 times. I've done a little research but hoping you can point me in the right direction. This is for a 2010 Odyssey EX with almost 200k miles.

I'm dripping a little bit of oil that is slightly oriented toward front passenger side. At times I have also smelt burning oil after driving. I have checked the area around my oil filter gasket and it looks extremely clean (that was the first place I looked since I have had to replace that gasket on another vehicle of mine). Also, the oil seems to be more to the front than the filter is.

After letting my car run in my driveway for a few minutes, the wettest spot I can see appears to be just below my PS pump (pictured and circled below). Is this a common leak spot and could someone point me in the right direction as to what I might need? There appears to be fresh oil around this area, and I do not think it is the PS pump hose itself that you can see there in the top of the picture, as that is relatively dry. I replaced the PS pump probably 40-50k miles ago but this leak is much more recent.

I am attaching a few other pictures I took, one from below while the car was running where you can see some oil bubbling in the center of the pic. I am not sure if this originated in this area or if it dripped from further above, but maybe this is where I have smelled some burning? And another picture of a wet looking spot that is up above my oil filter around the timing belt.

Full disclosure: I am the farthest thing from a mechanic, but I am a semi-capable "parts changer" if someone can help set me on the right path. Any insight would be appreciated!

Edit: I am attaching a fourth picture as I did spot one other oil drop more at the center of my Odyssey and not on the passenger side. Obviously this could have slid down from anywhere above, just adding it for context in case it points someone in the right direction.

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ody495615

· #2 · 2 mo ago

I think this is the valve cover gasket. The oil tends to drip down and soak everything - including the alternator.

If you have not already adjusted your valves, now is a good time (200k miles).
Replacing the valve cover gasket and adjusting the valves will take several hours on your own and is of moderate difficulty.

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Royalbiggster

· #3 · 2 mo ago

Need to replace your PCV valve, or you will be in the same spot you are now once you are done replacing your valve cover gasket.

Could have bad o-rings on your power steering pump inlet/outlet hoses. How does you power steering fluid level look?

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BhamOdysseyGuy

Discussion Starter · #4 · 2 mo ago

Royalbiggster said:
Could have bad o-rings on your power steering pump inlet/outlet hoses. How does you power steering fluid level look?

I have suspected for a while that I have a very slow power steering fluid leak. Like once or twice a year I will have to top it off with a bit. So it's very possible I have an issue here alongside the valve cover gasket.

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BhamOdysseyGuy

Discussion Starter · #5 · 1 mo ago

ody495615 said:
I think this is the valve cover gasket. The oil tends to drip down and soak everything - including the alternator.

If you have not already adjusted your valves, now is a good time (200k miles).
Replacing the valve cover gasket and adjusting the valves will take several hours on your own and is of moderate difficulty.

Sorry to be so delayed in responding to this, but I'm looking at tackling this project this weekend.

My plan is to replace the valve cover gasket (along with the spark plug tube seals and valve cover grommets), as well as the PCV valve. Anything else you'd recommend while tackling this?

I thought about replacing plugs and coils while I'm in the area, but that's an extra $200 and I'm looking to sell this car once I get the oil leak addressed, so still weighing the cost return on that one.

Also, do you know if gasket sealer is recommended for this specific gasket? It sounds like using a sealant is standard for some gaskets and not for others, so I didn't know if there was a specific recommendation for this. The main video I've watched shows a small application in the corners of the gasket.

Any insight would be appreciated!

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WiiMaster

· #6 · 1 mo ago

BhamOdysseyGuy said:
Also, do you know if gasket sealer is recommended for this specific gasket? It sounds like using a sealant is standard for some gaskets and not for others, so I didn't know if there was a specific recommendation for this. The main video I've watched shows a small application in the corners of the gasket.

In general, gasket sealer is needed when there are sharp bends/corners in the gasket to help it seal, and only in those spots, not the whole gasket. Valve covers for VCM heads usually need this due to the sharp bends around the VCM oil control valve.

Hondabond works great for this.

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ody495615

· #7 · 1 mo ago

I soaked my old PCV valve in dish soap and was able to reuse it. I used a toothpick to clean the inside and scrubbed off any sludge.

Some videos involve the removal of the throttle body - this is not necessary if you disconnect its two coolant hoses. If you remove the throttle body, you may need to replace the throttle body gasket.

You should also be able to reuse the metal intake gasket, as long as it is in good physical condition.

I tried and failed to remove the rear valve cover. Due to time constraints, I will tackle it later, along with a valve adjustment.

Removing the rear valve cover requires moving a large engine harness, which is bolted under the power steering pump. You will need to remove the drive belt and may need a swivel tool to reach the power steering pump bolts.

I believe the rear valve cover has two sharp bends where RTV or gasket maker is recommended. You should see evidence of the factory sealant in these locations.

Not sure if you can fit a valve adjustment and a gasket replacement in one weekend - but do so if you have ample time.

Honda coils last a very long time - no need to replace until they cause issues. They are also easy to remove at any time.

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