"Dad. The engine's smoking real bad."

[surferfletch]

Those are the first words I heard this Sunday morning. She took the truck down to the local pool for her lifeguard/first aid training and called me from there. I'm sure her teenage friends were hysterical about an impending fire. I ran to NAPA and got the intake and valve cover gaskets with the plug tube o-rings for $50. The Victor Rienz valve cover gaskets look more substantial than the Felpro gaskets I got at Advance. Maybe this is why they are leaking a year and a half later? It needs to cool, I need breakfast, then I'll dive in. I imagine it decided to smoke a little more today as it's been cold down here (40 at night). All of the lifeguards were huddled up at the edge of the pool in their sweatshirts and sweatpants. I bet they are looking forward to getting wet later!

[amigo-2k]

So it is leaking oil then?

[surferfletch]

It was leaking. I have the new one on now. I forgot what a PITA it is to get a couple of those valve cover bolts and one of the EGR bolts out/in. There is still some smoke being produced as it burns off the exhaust.

It was a little unsettling for the engine to run rough on the first startup, but I hadn't plugged the #4 coil all the way in.

What other potential leaks are there on the driver's side at the back of the engine? Did I get the only possible culprit? The passenger side is showing just a little oil in a couple of spots. I'll change it if I get really bored some night.

[surferfletch]

Looks like I got it. The wife took it to get some groceries, and when she got back there was no smoke and that pleasant burning oil smell was gone. I don't think I'll ever have that rusting frame problem with the coating of 10W-30 there.

[surferfletch]

It was October of '05 that I changed the gaskets last.

[surferfletch]

And I guess I can bring the intake gaskets back. I didn't take the plenum off.

[highlandlake]

Originally Posted by surferfletch

I don't think I'll ever have that rusting frame problem with the coating of 10W-30 there.

Doh! I should have done that trick 3 years ago!

[surferfletch]

No leak today. I wonder how long it'll last...

[surferfletch]

Well, I got back under the truck tonight because it still seems to be leaking from the rear camshaft tower area. It looks like there is a plate covering the rear camshaft tower, held on by 2 bolts, and it is leaking from the base of that plate. It is not leaking from the base of the towers at the point where you are supposed to apply a bead of RTV, which I did when changing the valve cover gasket. Something under that plate seems to be leaking. It does say to apply a bead of RTV where the front and rear camshaft tower meets the head. It would be a bummer if it were leaking there. Thanks for any help!

[Ramblin Fever]

Did you replace your camshaft seals at the time of your timing belt swap?

[surferfletch]

At the first timing belt swap, I had the shop do the seals. I did not do them when I did the timing belt the second time. Is there a rear camshaft seal back there under the cover? If so, I'm sure it's never been changed.

[surferfletch]

http://www.car-stuff.com/cs_auto/mmp...s446e1ddd94b0c
Is this what I need?
They are rear camshaft plugs. Under the cover? Nobody at planetisuzoo.com has mentioned these plugs either.

[surferfletch]

Seems a couple of guys on the Zoo have seen this before, including trooperbc. I'll let you know how the repair goes...

[surferfletch]

Getting the part is always a blast.
Advance: "You'll have to get me a part # cause I wouldn't even know where to begin to look for it."
NAPA: "It's listed with a number, but I can't get it."
Honda dealer: "It's $14 per cap. I can have it overnighted for another $19. That's about $50. Otherwise it'll be here a week from Wednesday."
One online supplier had it for about $15.
Three calls to St. Charles and I have the correct parts on the way.

If anyone has done this before, please let me know if the rear camshaft plug is the only part I need for this job. I understand there is also a very cheap (63 cents) cap that goes somewhere back there as well, and I don't know if I need it. Also, I hope this can be done without removing the valve cover again. It looks as though there is no need to remove it. I'm going out now to see what I can see after taking the plate off the back tower. Thanks.

[Ramblin Fever]

I doubt you'd need to remove your valve covers - my mechanic did mine at the time of timing belt replacement, and I know for a fact my valve covers haven't been off since 2001.

I do believe Trooperbc has excellent knowledge and is a very informative poster, we can definitely benefit from his knowlege. I believe he has experienced this before....maybe??

I honestly don't know if *both* my camshaft seals were replaced, I'm thinking maybe just the front. I'll double check with my mechanic tomorrow; he's working on a check engine light issue on my Yota now.