replaced timing belt, now big oil leak

I have a 2002 Honda Accord, four cylinder.

I hit the 100k mark for mileage already because of my long commute and
had my mechanic change the timing belt. He also replaced the water
pump as Honda recommends and flushed the radiator.

Two days later, I notice quite a bit of oil in my garage floor. I
check my oil and I've lost about two-thirds of it. Darn oil light
never came on.

Do you think the timing belt replacement and the new oil leak are
related? I've never had a problem before.

 

yes.

 

Two possibilities:

The valve cover (a.k.a. "cylinder head cover") has to come
off to do this job. If it's not replaced carefully, its
gasket won't seat right, and oil will be spewed all over the
exterior of the lower engine. So inspect the lower part of
the engine. Try to see where the film of oil stops. If it
stops near where the valve cover seats against the cylinder
head, I'd take it back, explain your suspicion and the
problem and ask if they'd be willing to put a new gasket on,
in the name of good relations. If they won't, I'd eat the
charge, because the gasket should be changed every 100k
miles or so anyway.

Here's a drawing of the gasket and valve cover:
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.
jsp?inputstate=5&catcgry1=Accord&catcgry2=2002&catcgry3=2DR+
LX&catcgry4=KA4AT&catcgry5=CYLINDER+HEAD+COVER

It's also not a hard Do-It-Yourself job.

Another alternative is that they damaged the oil pan. On
many (all?) Hondas, at least one engine mount has to be
freed for the timing belt job. The mechanic has to support
the engine in an alternative way while completing the job.
For my 91 Civic, one puts plywood and a jack underneat the
oil pan. If done incorrectly, the oil pan will become
damaged. (One shop did dent my oil pan!) Look for leaks in
the vicinity of the oil pan drain plug and around the oil
pan's gasket. You'll have to get under the car to see these.
Maybe refill the car with oil, drive it a few miles, then
put a big piece of cardboard underneath, and trace the
drips to the source.

Re the oil pressure light not coming on: Some kid at a
private shop was troubleshooting a no start condition I was
having while on vacation and took off the valve cover for an
inspection. I watched him do it, and know he sped through
putting everything back together and was not attentive to
the valve cover gasket. About a thousand miles later, I
found the oil level on the dipstick barely visible.
Naturally I found the exterior of the engine covered with
oil. But my low oil pressure light never came on. The car is
fine, 40+k miles and a few years later. I replaced the valve
cover gasket, following the manual's directions and those of
people here carefully, and all was well.

 

To add one more possibility - did you also have the oil and filter
changed with the job (not an unreasonable thing to do with this job) -
if so check the filter.

.....and - the light monitors oil PRESSURE - not oil LEVEL or VOLUME.
You will have full pressure up until the second the oil level becomes
one drop too low, at which time the pressure becomes zero, the light
goes on - and the engines becomes toast - all in the space of a second
or two.

 

as the level drops, wont the pump cause the oil to cavitate? ie: suck it
up in spurts, followed by air, then more oil? id guess if thats the
case, the light would flicker a bit before it stays on. but once it
stays on, yes- the engine is toast.

 

Did they change seals when they changed the timingbelt? They usually
do. Perhaps they did not get one on right, or forgot it completely.

 

If the oil light EVER comes on while you are driving... your engine has
been starved for oil and some damage will be done!

As for the leak... if I remember right the oil dipstick tube needs to be
removed for this job. It may have not been put back in correctly and oil
is leaking out the tube.

Look carefully.

-SP