mavigozler wrote:
> I have some photos of a 2000 Honda Civic engine with 140,000 kilometers
> (87,500 miles). 98% of them local, urban miles. Fuel has always been a
> 95 octane. Engine oil has always been synthetic (in this part of the
> planet) but changed every 10,000 km (6000-7000 miles) anyway because all
> the driving is local and in high stress traffic.
>
> Photos: http://drop.io/OilyHondaEngine
> [note that image size is 2048x1536 pixels, and the website preview is
> too small to see detail; click download to see orig rez]
>
> I noticed too much oil around the engine surface recently, a burning smell
> coming from the front. Don't notice any smoky exhaust at all, although
> the noise from the exhaust isn't as quiet as it used to be (although not
> at all excessively noisy).
>
> Photos (some taken with flash, others no flash) show heavy oil buildup
> (with lots of dirt) in bottom/crankcase part. The borderline of oil on
> the valve at the top seems to show even (horizontal) line a few
> centimeters above the main engine block. No real noticeable loss of
> engine power (compression?) problems.
>
> Putting it all together, potential problems suggest:
>
> * worn-and-torn gasket or seal between valve cover and main engine block:
> I consider this most likely problem, since the horizontal line of oil
> suggests this, and the leak of oil would eventually cover the whole engine
> block
>
> * worn piston rings: wholly unlikely, since wouldn't that cause a heavy
> smoky exhaust, and why would oil leak out of engine

??? bizarre!


>
> * some other seal or gasket problem? in addition to the problem I
> indicate above? I will probably only be able to learn this after having
> one part replaced and then somehow cleaning the entire engine block free
> of dirt and oil...how to do this easily?
>

dude, what you have is called a "perfectly normal engine". just drive
the freakin' thing with the hood closed and you'll be fine.