# Honda GCV160 oil leak near valve cover



## PhillipTx (May 2, 2020)

I'm posting a solution to this problem, as I searched for days without finding one and hope this might help others. I searched for YouTube or forum information about an oil leak on my Honda GCV160 engine, which is on my Ryobi 2800 pressure washer. I thought it was leaking from the valve cover (aka head cover). There are lots of videos and info about replacing (or resealing) the valve cover, which I did. But, that did not stop the oil leak.

Ultimately, I discovered the oil leak was coming from the cam pulley shaft, which protrudes just behind the valve cover. After days of searching I did find two videos that helped. While they weren't exactly the topic I wanted, they were useful. At the time I posted this message, the videos were at: 

1) 



 and
2) 




I concluded my leak had "probably" been coming from the O ring on the cam pulley shaft, which I was able to purchase on-line and replace by just slightly pushing the cam pulley shaft out of the housing.... so I didn't need to remove the cam pulley or timing belt. 

I bought my pressure washer used. It is "possible" that the oil leak was due to someone before me replacing the valve cover and failing to position the "notch" of the cam pulley shaft so only the notch (and not the entire shaft) rested on the tab of the valve cover. (You will probably need to watch one of the videos to understand about the "notch".) 

If the entire cam pulley shaft is resting on the tab of the valve cover, the O-ring might have been partial up into the area where the cam pulley (and oil) are --- and the O-ring might not have been fully within the wall of the head. If that was the case, it might have been the cause of my oil leak. However, I do not know what the position was of the shaft notch before I removed the cover, as I didn't know enough at the time to look for that.


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## earose (Sep 16, 2020)

Thanks for the info. I had the same leak. After reading this post I figured it was worth replacing that O-ring while I had access to it, rather than just resealing the cover and then finding that didn't solve the problem. It added just $5 to the cost of the repair. O-ring part number is HONDA 91301-ZM0-V31.


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## paulr44 (Oct 14, 2008)

That model and most Honda engines rarely have an oil leak. Good you figured it out.


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## Rickf (Sep 6, 2021)

Honda GCV 190 and similar models If you have a small leak in the valve cover area I would get the seal for the camshaft and rtv(sealer) for the valve cover so you cam fix it in about 10-15 min and be done with it. 
I thought it was the valve cover till I removed the cover and saw the shaft and realized the cam shaft itself was leaking. It will be a five min fix once I get the seal. Follow the instructions above but you don’t have to remove the belt or the gear slide the shaft out and replace the seal, lube the seal and reinstall. Make sure the notch is pointed up.. mine has been like that for 4 years just haven’t had the time to fix. Tired of the mess. also a good note on the oil level checking.


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## Peter Di (7 mo ago)

Rickf said:


> Honda GCV 190 and similar models If you have a small leak in the valve cover area I would get the seal for the camshaft and rtv(sealer) for the valve cover so you cam fix it in about 10-15 min and be done with it.
> I thought it was the valve cover till I removed the cover and saw the shaft and realized the cam shaft itself was leaking. It will be a five min fix once I get the seal. Follow the instructions above but you don’t have to remove the belt or the gear slide the shaft out and replace the seal, lube the seal and reinstall. Make sure the notch is pointed up.. mine has been like that for 4 years just haven’t had the time to fix. Tired of the mess. also a good note on the oil level checking.


Worked great till the part to replace the oring. How did uall get the oring off the shaft and the new one on? O ring loos smaller then the shaft.


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## Peter Di (7 mo ago)

Peter Di said:


> Worked great till the part to replace the oring. How did uall get the oring off the shaft and the new one on? O ring loos smaller then the shaft.


Got . Thanks


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