Several leaks coming from the front end

Tiny
MIZZKITTY727
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 ACURA MDX
  • 3.5L
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 275,000 MILES
Hello, my name is Stacey, and I desperately need help trying to diagnose what is going on with a used car I just bought that is giving me problems already. Last week after I bought a used 2001 Acura MDX I immediately drove it home, and I haven't driven it anywhere else since, because I started having issues with it the very next day. I don't really know the history behind it, and it didn't come with any service records either. It has 275,000 miles on it. I went against my better judgement and bought it anyway though, like a big dummy. I was just looking for a vehicle that I can use once or twice a week to run errands or go grocery shopping. I work from home and I take college classes online and I would only be driving it maybe twenty to thirty miles per week. So, when I bought it, at the time I wasn't really too concerned about the high miles (which I quickly discovered was a mistake). Acura makes pretty decent vehicles, but as with any car, buying a used one is always a gamble. Anyway, I'm sorry for the over-explaining (I'm female, so it comes with the territory, lol), so, the reason why I am reaching out to you for help is because I don't know squat about diagnosing or fixing a car, and this lovely used Acura is already giving me a lot of problems, unfortunately (such a shocker, I know, lol). I know how to maintain and take care of a (working) vehicle, and I take them to get regular oil changes and tune ups, etc. Other than that, I am lost, and YouTube can only get me so far with any DYI repair ideas or self-diagnosing suggestions; especially since I do not have the tools or the setup to really get into the "smallest engine compartment ever" anyway. Lol My biggest problem is that it has many leaks, and the engine starts smoking within twenty seconds of starting the car. All fluids have been checked and topped off, so I know it's not due to lack of oil, radiator fluid, transmission fluid, etc. Unfortunately, it seems as if all of them might be leaking, because I put a large piece of cardboard underneath the front end overnight and there were several little puddles and "oil" stains on it, less than 24 hours later. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I can't really afford to take this thing to a mechanic at the moment, so I'm looking for the cheapest route possible to get this vehicle in decent working order and on the road. Thank you so much for your time.

~Stacey
Sunday, May 26th, 2019 AT 9:50 AM

1 Reply

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,747 POSTS
Welcome to 2CarPros.

Since it starts smoking quickly, that tells me the oil is above the exhaust and is burning on the exhaust system. There are a few places it can leak from. My first suspect is the valve cover gasket or what is called the engine valley, which is under the intake manifold. However, what I need you to do is first check these locations and let me know if an area appears wet with oil. The first picture shows the valve cover (one side) the opposite side mirrors the first one. Check at the bottom of the cover that I circled in pic one to see if it is wet. If it is, with the engine cool, wipe off excessive oil and recheck after running the engine.

The remaining pics show six of the most common areas for leaks on this engine. Picture 2 shows a list of the areas and where to check. The remaining pics are close ups of the areas listed in picture 2.

Check these things and let me know what you find. Also, when the engine is cool, inspect the exhaust manifolds and the exhaust system under the vehicle for evidence of where oil is being burned. Years ago, there was actually a technical service bulletin put out regarding oil leaks on these vehicles, so this really isn't uncommon. We just need to determine where it is coming from

Let me know what you find or if you have other questions.

Take care,
Joe
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Sunday, May 26th, 2019 AT 8:55 PM

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