Hola Y'all:
Given all the recent interest in Valvoline Restore and Protect I decided to try it, just because. Let me say, the stuff works. See my thread.
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...miles-report-on-progress.393783/#post-7192812
The K24 motor didn't leak or seep and it used only about 1/4 quart of oil per 5K OCI, but given the cleaning nature of R&P my first thought was that the rear main seal leaking. I pulled the flywheel cover, the area where the leak was most evident, but found the flywheel dry, so the leak wasn't there. Transaxle half shaft possibly? Nope.
Oil was leaking from the head gasket instead. In the pictures notice the little chamber that's part of the block. This was full of oil, which caused oil to drip down the flywheel side of the engine.
Sue and I love our Element but this was not going to be an inexpensive repair. I've pulled many heads. Years ago I even pulled my E-Type Jag's V12 engine and transmission by myself in one gigantic lump, with a little help from Sue.
But that was back then. At age 72 I had little interest in pulling the Element's head by myself. Had it been a push rod motor I would have done it, but being a chain driven OHC motor made me shy away from the job.
After a month of internal debate on whether we should sell it and buy something new, I finally decided to fix it. I had the Honda dealer we bought it from perform the repairs. It wasn't cheap (!) but I feel confident they did a good job. For anyone who turns wrenches, it's a fact that working on something on a regular basis affords you the ability to learn all the tricks to make the job go smoothly. That was my thinking in taking it back to the Honda dealer.
Sooooo, the repair and its cost. The job included resurfacing the head, head gasket and valve stem seals, new head bolts and washers, timing chain, chain tensioners and guides, VTEC spool valve and sensors, water pump and thermostat, serpentine belt and idler pulley, plus an AC recharge.
I had the serpentine belt, idler pulley, and AC recharge done just because the car was there. I had the VTEC spool valve and sensors replaced because the parts were relatively inexpensive and the spool valve is easy to replace with the head off. Timing chain and related items were all part of Honda's "head gasket replacement kit". Water pump and thermostat were replaced because those reside on the front engine cover, which had to come off. Might as well replace them.
I got a bit of a shock when they found the head bolt near the oil leak had snapped (the oil gallery from the block to the head meet in that area). Was that broken bolt seized in the block?! Thankfully no!
I got the car back yesterday and it runs just like it did before I took it in - which is perfect. But it's no longer leaking oil. Yay!
To replace the Element with something equally useful would have cost a minimum of $35K. Not a chance am I going to drop that kind of money for something new. We have a nice four car fleet and the Element is part of the clan.
The grand total for the repairs? $5,582.71. Worth every penny, for me at least.
Scott
This is after two overnight parks.
Rear main seal was fine.
Was the leak from the half shaft? No.
Oil on the tail of the transaxle.
A view from above. I power washed everything spotlessly clean to help find the leak. This is oil spatter after a 20 minute drive. Notice that little angular shape in the bottom of the picture? Full of oil!
I cleaned the oil out of the chamber. It would refill after just 20 or 30 miles.
The broken head bolt. I had all 10 replaced.
I was grinning like chimp and gave it a loving pat on the steering wheel after picking it up.
Given all the recent interest in Valvoline Restore and Protect I decided to try it, just because. Let me say, the stuff works. See my thread.
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...miles-report-on-progress.393783/#post-7192812
The K24 motor didn't leak or seep and it used only about 1/4 quart of oil per 5K OCI, but given the cleaning nature of R&P my first thought was that the rear main seal leaking. I pulled the flywheel cover, the area where the leak was most evident, but found the flywheel dry, so the leak wasn't there. Transaxle half shaft possibly? Nope.
Oil was leaking from the head gasket instead. In the pictures notice the little chamber that's part of the block. This was full of oil, which caused oil to drip down the flywheel side of the engine.
Sue and I love our Element but this was not going to be an inexpensive repair. I've pulled many heads. Years ago I even pulled my E-Type Jag's V12 engine and transmission by myself in one gigantic lump, with a little help from Sue.
But that was back then. At age 72 I had little interest in pulling the Element's head by myself. Had it been a push rod motor I would have done it, but being a chain driven OHC motor made me shy away from the job.
After a month of internal debate on whether we should sell it and buy something new, I finally decided to fix it. I had the Honda dealer we bought it from perform the repairs. It wasn't cheap (!) but I feel confident they did a good job. For anyone who turns wrenches, it's a fact that working on something on a regular basis affords you the ability to learn all the tricks to make the job go smoothly. That was my thinking in taking it back to the Honda dealer.
Sooooo, the repair and its cost. The job included resurfacing the head, head gasket and valve stem seals, new head bolts and washers, timing chain, chain tensioners and guides, VTEC spool valve and sensors, water pump and thermostat, serpentine belt and idler pulley, plus an AC recharge.
I had the serpentine belt, idler pulley, and AC recharge done just because the car was there. I had the VTEC spool valve and sensors replaced because the parts were relatively inexpensive and the spool valve is easy to replace with the head off. Timing chain and related items were all part of Honda's "head gasket replacement kit". Water pump and thermostat were replaced because those reside on the front engine cover, which had to come off. Might as well replace them.
I got a bit of a shock when they found the head bolt near the oil leak had snapped (the oil gallery from the block to the head meet in that area). Was that broken bolt seized in the block?! Thankfully no!
I got the car back yesterday and it runs just like it did before I took it in - which is perfect. But it's no longer leaking oil. Yay!
To replace the Element with something equally useful would have cost a minimum of $35K. Not a chance am I going to drop that kind of money for something new. We have a nice four car fleet and the Element is part of the clan.
The grand total for the repairs? $5,582.71. Worth every penny, for me at least.
Scott
This is after two overnight parks.
Rear main seal was fine.
Was the leak from the half shaft? No.
Oil on the tail of the transaxle.
A view from above. I power washed everything spotlessly clean to help find the leak. This is oil spatter after a 20 minute drive. Notice that little angular shape in the bottom of the picture? Full of oil!
I cleaned the oil out of the chamber. It would refill after just 20 or 30 miles.
The broken head bolt. I had all 10 replaced.
I was grinning like chimp and gave it a loving pat on the steering wheel after picking it up.
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