Customer comes in with an oil leak. This isn't your normal slow leak that occurs over time and seeps to the point where it coats the entire engine. Oh no, this is the type of leak where a seal blew out and dumped out about a quart of oil right behind the timing cover. I might get a bit technical here but I promise to provide some pictures (aka evidence) of what I'm talking about. The timing cover is a set of plastic covers that protect the timing belt. In this case of a 2001 Honda Prelude, it protects the timing belt and balance belt (large timing belt, small timing belt). Back in the 1990s Honda had a design problem where the balance shaft seal literally blows out from oil pressure and oil just comes dumping past it. Their fix was printed in a TSB (technical service bulletin) until NHTSA made it an actual recall for certain 90s model Honda Accords. This was a simple fix, mind you. It's a half-moon metal retainer clip that keeps the seal in place so that it doesn't blow out. When we saw this vehicle, we assumed it was this seal that blew out.
When we called the customer with our findings he was puzzled. Before he moved to Austin (from Houston) his father had the timing belt along with all of its seals replaced as part of the 90k maintenance. He pulled out his receipts and matched up the part #s of each seal with what I show as the proper parts that need to be maintained. Yup, he had proof on paperwork that he was at least charged for the following:
1. timing belt
2. balance belt
3. (2) cam seals
4. crank seal
5. (2) accessory drive belts
6. balance shaft seal
7. water pump
8. valve cover gasket.
Granted, this is the proper list of parts for this job since it's all included with a standard Timing Belt replacement, but one key piece is missing. The balance shaft retainer.
Upon our further teardown we then found that the camshaft seals were never replaced! How do we know this? On the Honda assembly line the workers will mark the seals with a white mark. It's marked on the left and right side of the seal. When you remove the seals for replacing, the mark will obviously be gone. These marks were still present:
His balance shaft seal was also missing the proper updated retainer which every Honda mechanic with 1/4 of a brain knows to replace when doing a timing belt job:
To add insult to injury, ever since having this "timing belt job" performed, the customer said that he had the accessory belts replaced at a Jiffy Lube and the valve cover gasket replaced at another repair shop for a leak. Both of these jobs are part of the timing belt job! Remember this button?
They charged him $1100 for the job, we have evidence that they didn't do a damn thing and now he's out another $1000 to have it properly fixed. Needless to say he has a buddy who is a lawyer that will be sending a letter to that dealership in Houston.
Always.....always.....always ask for your old parts on these large jobs.
