Lots of Engine Oil Leaking

I'm curious to know where it's most common for the v6 to leak oil from. I've been searching around for a little while already and generally speaking (all makes and models), it's the rear main seal. On my car though, it seems to be leaking from the oil pan area as most of the leaking oil seems to be concentrated on the passenger side of the engine and not the driver side of the engine where the engine meets the transmission. This is why I suspect the oil pan gasket. Is it common for the v6 to leak oil from the rear main seal or from the oil pan gasket?

That said, how difficult is it to remove the oil pan in order to replace the gasket? It's just a bunch of bolts that hold the oil pan in place? Or do I need to remove some other stuff first before I can even get to the oil pan?

In terms of the gasket itself, what is the part number for me to give to a stealership part's counter or if it's available on Rock Auto, that'd probably be even better. I've been searching for that, but I can't find that at all.

is there a pan gasket?

if you're not sure, clean it with brake cleaner, make sure it's full, drive it a couple days, and look again.

Hmmm, there doesn't appear to be one. Perhaps they used sine sort of silicone when these engines were being put together at the factory?

I'll definitely clean up the engine to see where the oil is coming from.

might be 2 causes... oil pan and rear crankshaft oil seal... hope this helps

No pan gasket. RTV or whatever Honda uses. Read somewhere RTV black *correction GRAY RTV* was similar to what honda uses.

I believe you have to remove the J pipe in order to remove the oil pan for the v6.

Now they use the version of permatex ultra-gray.

You can get some $$ e-z-chz like black stuff, but it's one time use.

your goal is to make somethin like

(==)

about 5mm across, 3mm tall. let the surface get hard, but the inside soft, like 10min, b4 you put it up. Perfect amount of time to clean the block, with some purple scotchbrite, paper towel, and brake clean.

xci.ed6 said:

is there a pan gasket?

if you're not sure, clean it with brake cleaner, make sure it's full, drive it a couple days, and look again.

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Looks like I need #19 if it's the rear main.

ujinyuki said:

might be 2 causes... oil pan and rear crankshaft oil seal... hope this helps

Click to expand...

I said that in my OP. I also said I suspect the oil pan gasket, but it seems that our cars don't have an oil pan gasket, but rather some sort of silicone RTV.

dorkiedoode said:

I believe you have to remove the J pipe in order to remove the oil pan for the v6.

Click to expand...

If that's the case, then I'm effed. A few months ago my cat was stolen and the effer who did it cut the cat at the flange of the J-pipe and cat-back. Meaning, the only way to get a new cat put back on was by getting it welded on.

If you're telling me that I need to drop the J-pipe to get the oil pan off, then that means I'll have to drop the J-pipe and my entire exhaust...

NtRly, drop yes, not remove.

J pipe goes from high part of pan
p/u is to low part
get the exhaust to stretch those rubber things,disconnect o2 1st, weight will do it, it will come out with minor wiggling.

xci.ed6 said:

NtRly, drop yes, not remove.

J pipe goes from high part of pan
p/u is to low part
get the exhaust to stretch those rubber things,disconnect o2 1st, weight will do it, it will come out with minor wiggling.

Click to expand...

did you not read where I had my OEM CAT stolen last year and got a new CAT welded straight on because the effer took the CAT on the outside of the flanges? Yea, I gotta remove my whole exhaust system now from the lower part of the exhaust manifolds all the way back because of that and not leave the cat-back system just hanging there....

Anyways, what's "p/u"?

p/u = oil pick up

you unhook exhaust from o2, & manfiolds, & rubber exhaust thingers (some), let hang.

I've done this countless times at work, because the cat was welded on or the bolts were f'd.